iL,  X  :b  :r  J^  Ti  ^sr 

Shcoloflical    5*cmiuavtu 

l-UIXCKTOy.  .V.  ./. 
riie  StrplHMi  Collins   Uoiiatioii. 

,,  .  Division 

No.  ,Slulj'.  >^ec  .      .        . 

A'..  BooL  TV 

r'ci*. 


DISCOURSES  AND  SAYINGS 


OF 


OUR  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST 


ILLUSTRATED    IN 


A  SERIES   OF   EXPOSITIONS. 


BY  JOHN  BROWN,  D.  D., 

PftOrESSOR  or  EXKOETICAL  TIIliOLOOYTOTHE  UNITKD  PRK8UYTBRIAN  CHURCH,  EDINBtlROH. 

ADTHOK  OF  '•  BXPOSITORY  DISCOURSES  ON  FIRST  PKTER,"  "  DISCOURSES 

ON  TIIK  OUFFERINOS  AND  0L0R1K3  OF  THE  MKSSIAII,"  ETC. 


AEI— MNIIMONEYEIN    TUN    AOr«N    TOT    KTPIOT    IHiOI.— nATOS. 


COMPLETE  IN  TWO   VOLUMES. 

■    VOL.  I. 


NEW   YORK: 
ROBERT    CARTER    &    BROTHERS, 

No.   2  8  5    B  R  O  A  D  W  A  Y. 
1854. 


STKHEOTTPED    BY  PRINTED    BY 

PHOMAS    B     SMITH,  E.    O.   JENKINS. 

216  William  St^  N.  Y.  1 14  Nassau  9L 


TO  JAMES  DOUGLAS,  OF  CAVERS,  ESQUIRE. 


My  Dear  Sir, 

Your  honored  nayne  is  placed  in  the  front  of  these  volumes,  not  so 
much  to  grace  them  {though,  as  Selden  says,  "  bookes  are  most  fitly  conse- 
crated to  true  lovers  of  goodncsse  and  all  good  learning"),  as  to  gratify 
their  author,  by  giving  him  an  opportunity  of  expressing  the  deep  convic- 
'  tion  he  has  long  felt,  of  the  important  and  enduring  service  you  have  in 
your  writings  done  to  the  cause  of  christian  truth  and  love  ;  and  of  record- 
ing the  pleasure  and  advantage  derived  from  intercourse  with  you,  for 
nearly  thirty  years,  and  the  ever-increasing  cordial  regard,  which  has 
grown  out  of  that  intercourse. 

May  God,  "'■even  our  own  God,^''  who  has  blessed  you  and  made  you  a 
blessing  to  the  church  and  to  the  world,  bless  you  more  and  more,  and  more 
and  more  make  yotc  a  blessing.  May  you  long  continue,  Sir,  to  adorn 
your  station,  to  bless  your  family,  to  "  devise  liberal  things,"  and  to  add  to 
those  literary  gifts  by  which,  without  impoverishing  yourself,  you  are 
"  making  many  rich"  on  earth,  and,  I  doui)t  not,  "  laying  up  for  yourself 
treasure  in  heaven." 

I  am,  My  Dear  Sir, 

Ever  yours, 

Most  respectfully  and  affectionately, 

JOHN    BROWN. 


"  JesuB  would  not  have  been  'Son  of  God,'  and  'Son  of  man,'  had  not  his  words, 
like  his  works,  with  all  their  adaptation  to  the  circumstances  of  the  times,  con- 
tained some  things  that  are  inexplicable, — had  they  not  borne  concealed  within 
them  the  germ  of  an  infinite  development,  reserved  for  future  ages  to  unfold.  It 
is  this  feature, — and  all  the  evangelists  concur  in  their  representations  of  it, — 
which  distinguishes  Christ  from  all  other  teachers  of  men.  Advance  as  they  may, 
they  can  never  reach  him ;  their  only  task  need  be,  by  taking  him  more  and  more 
into  their  life  and  thought,  to  learn  better  how  to  bring  forth  the  treasures  that 
lie  concealed  in  nm." — Neandeb. 


PREFACE. 

It  is  a  growing  conviction  in  my  mind,  that  vital  and 
influential  Christianity  consists,  much  more  than  is  ordi- 
narily apprehended,  in  an  intimate  personal  acquaintance 
and  friendship  with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  the 
great  revealer  of  God ;  he  is  the  revealed  Divinity.  The 
man  knows  the  Father  who  knows  the  Son — that  man 
alone  knows  the  Father.  Christ  is  himself  "  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life ;"  and  it  is  only  in  so  far  as  we  really 
know  and  love  him,  that  we  are  in  "  the  way,"  or  that 
"  the  truth  "  and  "  the  life  "  are  in  us. 

To  be  a  Christian,  it  is  not  enough  that  we  know  and 
acknowledge  a  system  of  doctrine  and  of  law,  deduced 
from  the  sayings  of  our  Lord  and  the  writings  of  his 
apostles;  It  is  necessary  that  we  be  acquainted  with  his 
person,  Ms  character,  and  his  work;  that  we  know  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity  as  his  mind,  the  laws  of  Chris- 
tianity as  his  will.  The  very  life  of  Christianity  consists 
in  loving,  confiding  in,  obeying  Mm,  and  God  in  him; 
and  he  plainly  can  be  loved,  confided  in,  and  obeyed, 
only  in  the  degree  in  which  he  is  known.  Speculation 
about  the  person  and  work  of  Christ,  however  correct,  is 
not  the  "  excellent  knowledge"  in  comparison  with  which 
the  apostles  counted  all  things  loss ; '  assent  to  abstract 

«  PhiL  iiL  8. 


VI  PREFACE. 

propositions,  however  true,  is  not  Christian  faith ;  con- 
formity to  ethical  rules,  however  good,  is  not  Christian 
obedience. 

Dr.  Owen  did  good  service  to  the  cause  of  Christianity, 
two  hundred  years  ago,  by  showing  the  pre-eminent  place 
the  person  of  Christ  holds  in  that  religion,  in  opposition 
to  the  British  rationalists  of  that  age,  who  had  almost  lost 
sight  of  him  in  speculation  about  evidences,  and  dogmas, 
and  ethics ;  and  Schleiermacher,  and  his  noble  followers, 
Neander  and  Tholucic,  have  done  a  similar  service  in 
opposition  to  the  German  rationalists  of  our  times.  A 
personal  Deity  is  the  soul  of  natural  religion ;  a  personal 
Saviour — the  real  living  Christ — is  the  soul  of  revealed 
religion.  How  strange  that  it  should  not  be  impossible 
— how  sad  that,  through  a  perverted  ingenuity,  it  should 
not  be  uncommon,  in  reference  to  both  of  these — to  con- 
vert that  into  a  veil  which  was  meant  to  be  a  revelation  ! 

A  firm  belief  of  the  real  existence  of  Jesus  Christ,  that 
is,  the  belief  not  merely  that  a  person  bearing  that  name 
lived  in  a  particular  country  and  age,  but  that  the  Jesus 
Christ  of  the  New  Testament  really  did  and  does  exist, 
that  the  strangest  of  all  pictures — the  gospel  history — 
represents  a  reality  ;  this  living  faith  of  a  living  Christ 
(not  by  any  means  so  common  an  acquirement  as  the 
former)  lies  at  the  foundation  of  true  Christianity ;  and 
the  superstructure  is  composed  of  that  transforming 
intimate  acquaintance  with  Mm,  with  his  person,  Ms 
character,  /<?'»  iriiiid,  his  will,  which  is  to  be  obtained  by 
a  careful  study  of  that  "  Scripture  given  by  inspiration  of 
(lod,"  which  is  J  lis  word — he  1)cing  at  once  its  author 
and  its  subject — under  th(!  promised  influence  of  His 
Spirit — the  Spirit  oftnitli  aiwl  oflioliness. 

Every  part  of  the  inspired  volume  may  be,  and  ought 


PREFACE.  VU 

to  be,  turned  to  account  in  the  search  after  this  "  excel- 
lent knowledge."  The  study  of  no  portion  of  Scripture 
leads  more  directly  to  its  attainment  than  that  of  the 
gospel  histories.  Were  we  carefully  pondering  these 
wonderful  records,  supposing  us  in  possession  of  the 
fundamental  faith  just  referred  to,  we  might  become  bet- 
ter acquainted  with  our  Lord,  than  any  of  us  is  with  his 
most  intimate  friend.  Ilis  mind  and  will  are  there  ex- 
pressed on  a  great  variety  of  subjects,  with  a  surprising 
union  of  clearness  and  depth ;  and  we  see  him  placed  in 
an  endless  variety  of  circumstances  of  the  most  trying 
kind,  which  bring  out  in  strong  relief,  all  the  features  of 
his  character.  We  see  him,  indeed,  in  far  more  situations 
fitted  to  test  the  character,  and  disclose  its  component 
elements,  than  we  ever  have  seen — ever  can  see  any  man. 
And  in  his  case  we  have  this  advantage — we  are  quite 
sure  of  two  things,  of  neither  of  which  we  can  be  per- 
fectly certain  where  a  mere  man  is  the  object  of  knowl- 
edge, and  human  testimony  is  the  medium  through  which 
our  knowledge  is  obtained :  We  know,  and  are  sure, 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  exactly  what  he  appeared  to  be, 
and  that  his  biographers  represent  him  exactly  as  he  was. 
In  him  there  was  nothing  assumed — all  was  real;  and 
with  them  there  is  no  misrepresentation.  They  state 
exactly  what  took  place, — "  what  they  saw  and  heard, 
that  they  declare  to  us,"  without  extenuation,  without 
exaggeration.  He  could  make  only  a  partial  revelation 
of  himself — for  the  capacities  of  men  enabled  them  to 
receive  only  such  a  revelation, — but  the  revelation  was 
perfect  so  far  as  it  went.  Ilis  biographers  could  tell  us 
only  what  they  knew,  but  they  tell  us  that  to  the  life. 

With  these  convictions,  I  have  always  held  that  the 
study  of  the  gospel  history,  and  especially  of  "  The  Dis- 


VUl  PREFACE. 


courses  and  Sayings  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ'' — into 
whose  ''lips  grace  was  poured," — who  had  "  the  tongue 
of  the  learned,''  and  "spake  as  never  man  spake," — is 
one  of  the  most  probable  means  of  promoting  real  vital 
Christianity  in  ourselves,  and  that  an  exposition  of  these 
is  one  of  the  most  probable  means  of  promoting  it  in 
others.  It  is  in  the  hope  of,  in  some  degree,  contribut- 
ing to  these  ends,  that  the  following  Expositions  have 
been  prepared,  and  are  now  given  to  the  public. 

These  remarks  will  be  misunderstood,  if  they  be  con- 
sidered as,  in  the  slightest  degree,  disparaging  the  epis- 
tolary part  of  the  New  Testament.  In  some  points  of 
view,  that^  as  the  completion  of  the  code  of  divine  doc- 
trine and  law,  given  by  its  Divine  Author,  not  on  earth, 
but  from  heaven,  is  peculiarly  valuable;  but  there  is 
comparatively  little,  if  anything,  in  the  apostolic  epis- 
tles, of  which  the  germ  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  gospels. 
The  declarations  of  the  apostles  are  but  the  development 
of  their  Master's  thoughts, — a  commentary — an  infallible 
one — on  his  sayings ;  and  we  do  not  rightly  estimate 
these  divine  writings,  if  we  do  not  consider  them  as  a 
part  of  his  word;  nor  rightly  use  them,  if  we  do  not 
employ  them  for  the  purpose  of  better  understanding  his 
mind  and  heart,  and  so  bringing  our  minds  and  hearts 
into  conformity  with  his. 

The  general  name  of  Expositions  has  been  given  to 
tlie  discourses  contained  in  these  volumes,  because  no 
other  designation  in  common  use  could  have  accurately 
described  them  all.  There  will  bo  found  among  them 
specimens  of  what  are  usually  in  Scotland  called  liEC- 
TURE8,  in  all  the  forms  which  they  ordinarily  lus.sume — 
scholia^  on  particular  words  and  phrases — continuous 
comment,  and  illustrated  analysis;  and  tlic  illustrations 


PREFACE.  IX 

of  the  "  Sayings"  of  our  Lord,  as  distinguished  from  hi» 
"  Discourses"  generally,  take  fhe  shape  of  the  Expository 
Sermon.  But,  in  all  the  Discourses,  Exposition  will  be 
found  to  be  the  staple;  whatever  is  doctrinal,  experi- 
mental, or  practical,  being  presented  as  the  result  of  the 
application  of  the  principles  of  strict  exposition  to  the 
passage  under  consideration. 

In  preparing  these  volumes  for  the  press,  I  have  studied 
the  original  text  of  their  subjects  with  all  the  grammat- 
ical and  lexical  helps  1  possessed.  I  jiave  further  availed 
myself  of  every  assistance  within  my  reach,  to  be  derived 
from  versions  of,  and  commentaries  on,  the  passages  ex- 
plained. My  aim  was,  not  to  produce  an  original  work, 
but  a  satisfactory  exposition  of  an  important  portion  of 
Scripture  ;  and  if  I  shall  be  found  in  any  measure  to  liave 
succeeded,  it  will  not  in  any  wise  diminish  my  satisfac- 
tion, that  my  success  be  considered  the  result  less  of  in- 
dependent thinking  or  discovery  on  my  part,  than  of  hav- 
ing carefully  consulted  and  deliberately  weighed  the 
inquiries  and  conclusions  of  others.  In  every  case,  indeed, 
I  claim  to  have  exercised  my  own  judgment ;  but  I  have 
always  felt  more  satisfied  when  I  found  myself,  as  I  have 
usually  done,  following  in  the  track  of  the  learned  and 
pious  of  former  generations,  than  when  compelled,  as  I 
have  sometimes  been,  to  walk  alone. 

It  might  wear  the  appearance  of  ostentation  to  present 
a  formal  list  of  the  works,  in  various  languages,  whiclj 
have  been  consulted.  It  is  but  an  act  of  justice,  how- 
ever, to  say  that,  besides  the  more  ordinary  commentaries, 
ancient  and  modern,  I  have  found  advantage  from  the 
works  of  the  following  authors : — Calvin,  Chemnitz. 
Cartwright,  Rus,  Pearce,  Saurin,  Macknight.  Camt- 
BELL,  Bennet,   OLSiiArsEX.  and  Neander,  on  the  gospels 


PREFACE. 


generally ;  Melancthon,  Rollock,  Hutcheson,  Lampe, 
MoRUS,  TiTTMANN,  and  Th(Auok,  on  the  gospel  by  John ; 
Knapp,  in  his  "  Scripta  Varii  Afgumenti^^^  on  the  Gospel 
of  the  Kingdom — John  iii.  14-21 ;  Augustine,  Episco- 
pius,  Blackall,  Blair,  Vernede,  Brewster,  Tholuck, 
and  Trench,  on  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount ;  Norris  and 
Grove,  on  the  Beatitudes.  My  obligations  to  the  judi- 
cious work  of  Brewster  are  peculiarly  numerous. 

In  illustrating  the  valedictory  discourse,  I  have  been 
much  indebted  to  Gerhard  and  to  Bengel,^  but  still  more 
to  the  Lectures  of  my  accomplished  relative,  the  Rev. 
John  Broavn  Patterson,"  whom  the  Disposer  of  all  things, 
w^hose  judgments  are  a  great  deep,  after  having  remark- 
ably prepared,  both  intellectually  and  spiritually,  for 
eminent  usefulness,  withdrew  so  soon,  and  so  suddenly, 
from  the  sphere  of  ministerial  labor.  These  Lectures, 
viewed  as  the  ordinary  weekly  preparations  of  a  young 
minister,  are,  for  depth  of  thought  and  feeling,  and  for 
beauty  of  expression,  indeed  wonderful. 

The  admirable  illustrations  of  the  fourteenth  chapter  of 
the  gospel  by  John,  by  my  lamented  friend,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Heugh,  did  not  come  into  my  hand  till  the  Exposition  of 
that  chapter  had  passed  through  the  press.  Had  I  seen 
them  before  I  composed  it,  I  might  probably  have  thought 
such  a  work  unnecessary ;  and  even  after  it  was  prepared 


'  "Bengelitis  magnam  sagacitatem  in  rimnndis  ac  prcsse  explicandis  scntentiis 
verborumque  ctiam  minimorum  sigiiificatiljus  ooiiHurapsit" — Winer.  I  am  glad 
to  learn  tliat  we  arc  soon  to  have  an  English  translation  of  that  very  remarkable 
book,  his  "Gnomon." 

'  Late  minister  of  Falkirk.  Ordained  Feb.  26,  18.^0;  died  Juno  29,  1835. 
His  Prize  Essay,  "On  the  National  Character  <>f  the  Athenians," — Additional 
Notes  to  his  grandfather's  "Solf-interpreting  Bible," — an  Introduetory  Kasay  to  a 
Scleotion  from  Jeremy  Taylor's  Works,  his  Rfmains,  with  a  Memoir  by  his 
Friend,  G.  G.  Cnnningham,  Esq., — and  the  Loctnros  referred  to, — arc  j)ormanent 
memorials  of  his  endowments  and  acquirements  as  a  scholar,  a  theologian,  and  a 
Christian  minist'Cr. 


PREFACE.  XI 


for  the  press,  the  perusal  of  them  might,  perhaps,  have 
on  the  same  ground  shaken  my  determination  to  give  it 
to  the  world.  I  do  not,  however,  regret  the  circum- 
stances in  which  I  find  myself  placed.  By  the  perusal  of 
Dr.  Heugh's  masterly  lectures,  as  well  as  of  the  eloquent 
discourses  of  my  gifted  kinsman,  my  impressions  of  the 
transcendent  excellence  of  our  common  theme  have  been 
deepened  •  and  in  declaring  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
our  common  Lord's  wisdom  and  love,  I  have  the  solemn 
delightful  "  fellowship  of  the  spirit"  with  those  two  very 
dear  fi'iends,  who,  "  being  dead,  yet  speak."  Their  ex- 
positions will  come  into  many  hands  into  which  mine  will 
not ; — mine  may  come  into  some  hands  into  which  theirs 
may  not ;  and  should  they  all  come  into  the  same  hands, 
I  am  persuaded  our  occasional  diversity,  and  our  general 
agreement,  will,  each  in  its  own  way,  conduce  to  stir  and 
to  satisfy  the  minds  of  our  readers. 

Specific  obligations  to  the  authors  consulted  have  gen- 
erally been  acknowledged  in  the  margin,  and  would  have 
been  so  uniformly,  but  for  the  fact  that  most  of  the  dis- 
courses were  written  without  the  press  being  seen  even 
dimly  in  the  distance ;  and  therefore,  except  where  not 
merely  thoughts  and  expressions,  but  sentences,  had  been 
borrowed,  the  marks  of  reference  were  not  very  scrupu- 
lously appended  to  the  original  manuscript. 

As  the  Work  was  intended  for  the  edification  of  Chris- 
tians in  general,  whatever  could  be  interesting  or  useful 
only  to  the  scholar  has,  as  in  ray  Exposition  of  the  First 
Epistle  of  Peter,  been  cast  into  the  notes  in  the  margin, 
or  at  the  end,  of  the  several  Expositions.  More  time  and 
attention  have  been  bestowed  on  the  collection  and  pre- 
paration of  these  notes,  than,  from  their  comparative  few- 
ness and  brevity,  might  perhaps  be  supposed ;  and  to  my 


Xil  PREFACE. 

brethren  in  the  ministry,  I  am  persuaded,  they  will  not 
be  the  least  acceptable  and  useful  part  of  the  Work. 

In  conducting  the  Work  through  the  press,  I  have  had 
the  kind  assistance  of  several  friends.  To  the  Rev.  Dr. 
John  Taylor  of  Auchtermuchty,  for  the  careful  revision 
of  the  corrected  proofs,  and  to  my  brother-in-law,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Smith  of  Biggar,  for  the  preparation  of  the  indices, 
I  think  it  but  due  to  make  this  public  acknowledgment. 

AETHtTE's  Lodge,  Newinoton, 
Jvly  1850. 


ADVERTISEMENT  TO  SECOND  EDITION. 

As  the  most  appropriate  way  of  showing  the  sense  felt  of 
the  public  favor  so  distinctly  expressed  for  this  Work, 
by  the  disposal  of  an  edition  of  so  large  a  book  in  so, 
comparatively,  short  a  period,  I  have  endeavored  to  do 
what  I  could  for  correcting  its  mistakes  and  supplying 
its  deficiencies  in  this  re-impression.  To  secure  these 
objects,  it  has  undergone  a  thorough  revision  both  by 
myself  and  some  of  my  literary  friends ;  and  though  no 
material  change,  or  even  important  modification,  of  plan 
or  sentiment  has  been  thought  necessary,  numerous  altera- 
tions of  expression  have  been  made,  and  many  additional 
illustrations  inserted. 

The  most  important  difference  between  this  edition  and 
its  predecessor,  consists  in  its  containing  three  additional 
expositions — "  On  the  Christian  ministry,  and  the  charac- 
ter and  destiny  of  its  occupants,  worthy  and  unworthy;'" 
"  On  the  ministry  of  our  Lord — its  details  and  its  results ;"' 
and  "On  the  Son  of  man,  and  his  going.  "^  It  is  hoped 
that  by  the  insertion  of  these  discourses,  some  addition  is 
made  to  the  value  of  the  Work,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
though  the  matter  introduced  occupies  considerably  more 
than  one  hundred  pages,  by  adopting  a  fuller  page,  with- 

'  l^p.  VI.  ■'  Exp.  XX.  •  Exp.  XXIII. 


xiv  ADVERTISEMENT  TO   SECOND   EDITION. 

out  diminishing  the  type,  the  size  of  the  volumes  has  not 
been  inconveniently  enlarged,  and  the  price  has  not  been 
at  all  increased. 

It  has  been  my  wish  to  present  the  work  in  this  new 
impression  as  free  as  may  be  from  those  mistakes  in  words, 
collocation  of  clauses,  and  punctuation,  which  all  who  are 
conversant  with  such  undertakings  know  it  to  be  so  diffi- 
cult to  avoid ;  and,  from  the  care  of  the  printers,  and  the 
valuable  assistance  derived  from  the  just  judgment  and 
observant  eye  of  my  much-esteemed  friend,  the  Reverend 
Peter  Davidson,  of  this  city,  I  cherish  the  hope  of  having, 
in  a  good  measure,  succeeded  in  this  object. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  notice  without  expressing  satis- 
faction at  the  fact,  that,  in  consequence  of  the  kind  recep- 
tion of  the  "Exposition  of  the  First  Epistle  of  Peter"  in 
the  United  States  of  America,  a  considerable  proportion 
of  the  present  edition  appears  with  the  well-known  and 
respected  names  of  "  Robert  Carter  and  Brothers,  New 
York,"  on  the  title.  It  is  pleasant  to  think  of  contribut- 
ing, in  any  degree,  to  the  increase  and  permanence  of 
that  union  of  mind  and  heart  between  the  Christians  of 
America  and  of  Great  Britain,  on  which  the  well-being  of 
the  world's  future  so  much  depends. 

AxTBua's  Ix)DOK,  Newinoton, 
March  1862. 


CONTENTS   OF  VOL  I. 

EXPOSITION'  L 

THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE  KINGDOM. 

John  m.  14-21. — "And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so 
must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up  ;  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 

Eerish.  but  have  eternal  life.  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
egotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life.  For  God  sent  not  his  Sou  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world ;  but 
that  the  world  througli  him  might  be  saved.  He  that  believeth  on  him  is  not 
condemned  :  but  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.  And  this  is  the  condem- 
nation, that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  liateth  the 
light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved.  But  he  that 
doeth  truth  cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  be  made  manifest,  that  they 
are  wrought  in  God." 

Introdiction,  p.  23. — Part  I.  Of  the  Messiah,  p.  32.  §  1.  The  Son  of  God,  p.  32. 
§  2.  The  Son  of  Man,  p.  33.  §  3.  Sent  by  the  Father,  p.  34.— Part  II.  Of  thk 
DESIGN  OF  THE  Messiah's  MISSION,  p.  34.  ^  1.  Negatively,  "not  to  condemn  the 
world,"  p.  35.  §  2.  Positively,  "  to  save  the  world,"  p.  35.  (1-)  That  the  world 
"  might  not  perish,"  p.  35.  (2.)  That  the  world  "  might  have  eternal  life,"  p.  36. 
— Part  III.  Of  the  means  by  wuicn  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission  was  to 
BE  accomplished,  p.  37.  Figuratively,  by  his  being  "lifted  up,  as  Moses  lifted 
up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,"  p.  37.  Literally,  by  his  being  "given  "  by 
God  for  and  to  mankind,  p.  39. — Paut  IV.  Of  the  manner  of  obtaining  the 
blessings  procured  by  the  Messlvh,  p.  40.  Figurativelj',  by  "  looking  "  at  him, 
p.  40.  Literally,  by  "  believing  in  him,"  p.  43. — Part  V.  Of  the  primary 
source  of  this  economy  of  salvation — THE  love  of  God  to  the  world,  p.  44.  The 
love  of  God  not  the  result  of  the  economy,  but  its  cause,  p.  45.  §  1.  The  love 
of  God  the  origin  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  p.  47.  §  2.  The  love  of  God  to  the 
world  tlie  origin  of  tlie  plan  of  salvation,  p.  49. — Part  VI.  Of  the  guilt  and 
danger  of  those  who  do  not  avail  themselves  of  this  economy  of  8ALV.\TI0N, 
p.  51. — Notes — Note  A,  "The  kingdom  of  God,"  Tholuck,  p.  CO.  Note  B, 
"Born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,"  Tholuck,  p.  61.  Note  C,  "Born  of  the  flesh 
— flesh;  born  of  the  Spirit — spirit,"  Tittmann,  p.  62.  Note  D,  "Earthly 
things," — "heavenly  things,"  Tittmann,  ■[>.  Gl.  NotkE,  " The  Son  of  Man  is  in 
heaven,"  Knapp,  p.  63. 

EXPOSITION  11. 

OUR  LORD'S  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA. 

John  iv.  4-42— p.  64. 

Occasion  and  circumstances  of  the  conversation,  p.  61.  The  conversation  itself, 
p.  67.  Tlie  living  water  the  gift  of  (Jod,  p.  69.  The  nature  of  acceptable 
worship,  p.  71.     The  spiritual  harvest,  ji.  76. 


xvi  CONTENTS. 


EXPOSITION  III. 

OUR  LORD'S  DEFENCE  OF  HIS  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE 
SABBATH-DAY. 

John  v.  17-47 — p.  78. 

Intiiodi'ction,  p.  78. — Part  I.  The  doctrine,  p.  81. — Part  II.  The  evidence,  p.  95. 
— Part  III.  The  application,  p.  101. — Notes — Note  A  Meaning  of //£ra/3f/3)y« 
— John  V.  21,  p.  107.  Note  B,  Reasons  for  translating  John  v.  37  interrog- 
atively, Campbell,  p.  108. 


EXPOSITION  IV. 

THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT. 

^Matth.  v.,  VI.,  VII. — p.  110.  I 

Introduction,  p.  1 10. — Part  I.  The  distinguishing  cuaracters  and  privileges  of 
the  disciples  of  CnnisT — Matth.  v.  3-12,  p.  113.  §1.  The  poor  in  spirit — pos- 
sessors of  the  kint^dom  of  heaven,  Matth.  v.  3,  p.  113.  §  2.  They  tliat  mourn — 
they  shall  be  comforted,  Matth.  v.  4,  p.  115.  §  3.  The  meek — tliey  shall  inherit 
the  earth,  Matth.  v.  6,  p.  IIC.  ^54.  They  that  luinger  and  thirst  after  riirhteons- 
ness— they  shall  be  filled,  Matth.  v.  6,  p.  120.  §  5.  The  merciful — they  shall 
obtain  Tuercy,  Malth.  v.  7,  p.  122.  §  6.  The  pure  in  heart — they  shall  see  God, 
Matth.  v.  8,  p.  129.  §7.  The  peace-makers — they  shall  be  called  the  children 
of  God,  Matth.  v.  9,  p.  131.  8.  Appendix — Persoentcd,  3-et  blessed,  iiotwith- 
standinir,  and  therefore,  Matth.  v.  l(i-12,  p.  135. — Pakt  II.  The  posmoxs  and 
duties  of  0:iuiktian3  in  isekerence  to  the  world. — Matth.  v.  13-lC,  p.  141.  §  1. 
"The  salt  of  the  eaitli,"  Matth.  v.  13,  p.  141.  §  2.  "The  light  of  the  world," 
Matth.  v.  14-10,  p.  14'.). — Part  111.  The  relation  of  CiiuisTiANrrv  to  the  ancient 
revelations. — .Matth.  v.  17-19,  p.  153.  §  1.  Nccrativo— not  destructive,  Matth. 
V.  17,  p.  154.      §2.  Positive — completive,   .Matth.  v.   17,  ]>.  155. — PaktIV.   The 

UIGHTEOl'SNESS    OF   CHRISTIANS    SCI'ERIOR   TO   THE    RIOHTEOISNE-SS  OF   THE   ttCRIBES  AND 

I'liAiii^KEs.— Matth  V.  20;  vi.  18,  p.  160.  §  1.  Introductory  statement,  Matth. 
v.  20,  p.  l')0.  §2.  The  righteousness  of  Christiana  an«l  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
I'liarisecs,  compared  in  rercrence  to  the  life  and  liapi>iiioss  of  others,  Matth.  v. 
21-2*>,  p.  165.  i;  3.  The  righteousness  of  Christians  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Ph.arisees,  compared  in  reference  to  chastity,  Matth.  v.  27-30,  \\  173.  §4.  Tlie 
righteousness  of  Christians,  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  compared  in 
reference  to  divorce,  .Matth.  v.  31,  32,  p.  178.  §5.  The  righteousness  of  Chris- 
tiana, and  that  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  eomjiared  in  reference  to  oaths, 
Matth.  v.  3:!-:t7,  p.  180.  i$  6.  The  iif,fhteousiies3  of  Christians,  and  that  of  tlie 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  compared  in  reference  to  retaliation,  Matth.  v.  38-42,  p. 
185.  g  7.  The  righteousness  of  Christians,  and  that  of  tlie  Scribes  and  Pliari- 
gees,  compared  in  reference  to  regard  and  treatment  of  enemies,  Matth.  v." 
43-48,  p.  180.  §8.  The  rigliteousness  of  Christians,  and  tliat  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  compared  in  reference  to  the  duties  of  benefieenee  and  piety, 
Maltli.  vi.  1-18,  p.  11».-).  (1.)  Alms.  Mattli.  vi.  2,  3,  p.  199.  (2.)  Prayer,  Matth. 
vi.  5-16,  p.  2((3.  1.  (Jeneral  directions  about  |)rayer,  Matth.  vi.  5-S,  ]\  203. 
2.  Pattern  of  J>riiyer,  .Matth.  vi.  9-13,  j).  210.  (3.)  Vasting,  .Matth.  vi.  16-18,  p. 
223. — Paut  V.  The  obiva-t  of  supreme  demue  to  Christians,  and  the  means  of 
OBTAINING  IT.— Matth.  vi.  19-34,  p.  229. — Paut  VI.  Detached  K-xiiortations. — 
Matth.  vii.  1-12,  p.  249.  §  1.  With  re8i)cct  to  judging  others,  Matth.  vii.  1-5,  p. 
260.  g  2.  With  regard  to  instructirm  and  rcj.roof,  Matth.  vii.  6,  p.  25.').  ^3. 
With  regard  to  [prayer  as  the  means  of  obtaining  blessings,  Matth.  vii.  7-11,  p. 
267.  Jf  4.  Corii|ireheiisive  rule  for  relative  dulies,  illiistral ive  of  the  dilferonee 
between  the  rigliteouMiieas  of  Chiistinns  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and  PhariBccs, 
Mattli.  vii.  12,  j).  2r,.'). — Pakt  VII.  .Vpplication  ok  the  Disroriusi:. — Malth.  vii. 
18-23,  p.  271.     §  1.  This  is  tlic  only  w:iy  of  escaping  jierdition,  and  securing 


CONTENTS.  XVn 

salvation,  Matth.  vii.  13,  14,  p.  272.  §  2.  Caution  afjainst  false  teachers,  and 
the  means  of  discoverinij  them,  Muttli.  vii.  13-20,  p.  275.  §  3.  Caution  against 
self-deception,  Matth.  vii,  21-23,  p.  278. — P\Rt  VIII.  PEaoKATiox. — Matth.  vii. 
24-27,  p.  285.  ^  1.  General  ilhistration,  p.  285.  §  2.  More  particular  illustra- 
tion, p.  288.  (1.)  The  wise  builder  and  liis  fate,  Matth.  vii.  24,  25,  p.  288. 
(2.)  The  foolish  builder  and  his  fate,  Matth.  vii.  2t),  27,  p.  289. — Con'clusiox. — 
Matth.  vii.  28,  29,  p.  29(1. — N'otes — Note  A,  "Tiie  kingdom  of  heaven,"  Tfiohick; 
p.  292.  Note  IJ,  The  Beautitude.s,  Knox,  p.  296.  Note  C,  "  Jlaka "  and 
"Moreh,"  meaning  of  these  terms,  p.  297.  Note  C^  Swear  not  at  all,  Maurice, 
p.  297.  Note  D,  Illustration  of  the  prohibition  to  retaliate,  Tlioluck,  p.  298. 
Note  F,  Chri/sosto/n's  illustration  of  the  christian  law  in  reference  to  enemies,  p. 
299.  Note  G,  Remarks  on  the  Lord's  prayer :  its  order,  origin,  and  interpre- 
ters, p.  299.  Note  H,  Ou  the  genuineness  of  the  doxology  annexed  to  tlie 
Lord's  prayer,  Tholuck,  p.  302.  Note  I,  Reference  of  the  word  Tzovjjpoi,  Matth. 
vii.  11,  Trench,  p.  305. 


EXPOSITION  V. 

FAITHFUL  DENUNCL&.TIONS. 

Luke  xi.  37-54 — p.  306. 

Introduction — Luke  xi.  37,  38,  p.  306. — Part  L  Tiie  Pharisees  Condemned. — Luke 
xi.  39-44,  p.  310. — Part  II.  The  Lawyers  condem.ved. — Luke  xi.  45-52,  p.  317. — 
Conclusion. — Luke  xi.  53,  54,  p.  326. — Note — On  Christians  associating  with 
men  of  the  world,  Alexander  Knox,  p.  326. 


EXPOSITION  VI. 

THE    CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY;    AND   THE  CHARACTER   AND   DESTINY 
OF  rre  OCCUPANTS— WORTHY  AND  UNWORTHY. 

Luke  xn.  35-37,  41-47. — "Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights  burn- 
ing ;  and  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their  lord,  when  he  will 
return  from  the  wedding ;  that,  when  he  cometh  and  knocketh,  they  may  open 
unto  him  immediately.  Blessed  are  those  servants,  wliora  the  lord,  when  lie 
cometh,  shall  find  watching :  verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  he  shall  gird  himself, 
and  make  them  to  sit  down  to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  serve  them."  *  » 
•  «  *  «  "Tiieii   Peter  said  unto  him.  Lord,  speakest  thou  this 

parable  unto  us,  or  even  to  all?  And  the  Lord  said,  Wiio  then  is  that  faithful 
and  wise  steward,  whom  his  lord  shall  make  ruler  over  his  household,  to  give 
them  their  portion  of  meat  in  due  season?  Blessed  is  that  servant,  wliom  his 
lord,  when  lie  cometh,  shall  find  so  doing.  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  That  he 
will  make  liim  ruler  over  all  that  he  hath.  But  and  if  that  servant  say  in  liis 
heart.  My  lord  delaycth  his  coming;  and  shall  begin  to  beat  the  men-servants 
and  maidens,  and  to  eat  and  drink,  and  lo  be  drunken  ;  the  lord  of  that  servant 
will  come  in  a  day  when  he  looketh  not  for  him,  and  at  an  hour  when  he  is  not 
aware,  and  will  cut  him  in  sunder,  and  will  appoint  him  his  portion  with  the  un- 
believers. And  that  servant,  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and  prepared  not  him- 
self, neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes."' 

Introduction,  p.  328. — Part  I.  The  curistian  ministry,  p.  330. — Part  II.  Tuk 
ctiaracter  of  thk  occui'.\nts  of  the  christian  minlstry,  p.  331.  §  1.  Worthy, 
p.  332.  §  2.  Unworthy,  p.  333. — Part  III.  The  destiny  of  the  occltants  of 
THE  christian  MINISTRY,  p.  339.  §  1.  Worthy,  p.  340.  §  2.  Unworthy,  p.  342. — 
Conclusion,  p.  843. 
VOL.  I.  2 


XVIU  CONTENTS. 


EXPOSITION  VII. 

FIGURATIVE  VIEWS  OF  THE  PURPOSE  OF  OUR  LORD'S  MISSION ;  OF 
THE  MEAxXS  OF  GAINING  IT;  AND  OF  HIS  FEELINGS  IN  REFER- 
ENCE TO  BOTH. 

Luke  xn.  49,  50. — "  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth  ;  and  what  will  I  if  it 
be  already  kindled?  But  I  have  a.  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I 
etraitened  till  it  be.acconiplished  ?"  p.  347. 

I>rrRODUCTioN,  p.  o47. — Part  I.  Or  the  design  op'  our  Lord's  mission — "  To  send 
fire  on  the  earth,"  p.  348  ;  and  his  feelings  in  reference  to  this — "  What  will  I 
if  it  be  already  kindled?"  j».  351. — Fart  II.  Of  the  means  of  gaining  the  de- 
sign OF  our  Lord's  mission — "  The  baptism  he  must  be  baptized  with,"  p.  352  ; 
AND  his  feelings  WITH  REGARD  TO  THIS — "  IIow  am  I  straitoucd  till  it  be  accom- 
plished ?"  p.  364. — Conclusion,  p.  356. 


EXPOSITION  VIII. 

TRUE  HAPPINESS,  AND  THE  WAY  OF  SECURING  IT. 

John  vl  p.  359. 

Part  I.  Introductory  Narrative — John  vi.  1-25,  p.  359. — Part  II.  Convkrsational 
discourse  to  thk  Jews — John  vi.  20-G5,  p.  362.  §  1.  Misconceptions  corrected, 
John  vi.  26-32,  p.  362.  §  2.  The  true  spiritual  provision,  and  the  mode  of  obtain- 
ing it,  John  vi.  32-58,  p.  369. — Part  III.  The  effects  of  this  discourse  on  his 
DISCIPLES  IN  WORD,  AND  ON  HIS  Discu'LEs  IN  DEED — John  vi.  60-71,  p.  404.  §  1.  On 
his  professed  disciples,  John  vi.  60-66,  p.  404.  §  2.  On  his  disciples  in  deed, 
John  vi.  67-69,  p.  408. — Conclusion,  p.  409. 

EXPOSITION  IX. 

HU^L^.N  AUTHORITY  IN   RELIGION  CONDEMNED. 

Matthew  xv.  1-20;  Mark  vn.  1-23 — p.  411. 

Jewish  custom  of  washinu;  hands  before  moat  as  a  religious  rite,  p.  412.  Our 
Lord's  condemnation  of  the  practice,  and  of  all  unauthorized  religion-^  observ- 
ances, as  upcless,  p.  412.  As  mischievous,  p.  418.  Illustration  of  their  mis- 
chievousncss,  p.  414.  Jewish  doctrine  <>f  vows,  p.  415.  Application  to  our 
circumstances,  p.  41(5.  What  really  defiles  a  man,  p.  416.  All  doctiines  and 
usages  in  religion,  unauthorized  by  God,  doomed  to  extirpation,  p.  417. — Note 
— Impurity  and  sectarianism  the  master  maladies  of  christian  churches,  and 
closely  connected,  p.  423. 

EXPOSITION  X. 

UNLIMITED  INVITATION  TO  PARTICIPATE  IN  THE  BLESSINGS 
OF  SALVATKJN. 

John  vn.  37,  38. — "  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and 
cried,  saying,  If  any  man  thirnt,  let  him  ooiik*  unto  iii(>,  and  drink.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  me,  aw  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of 
living  wat-er,"  i».  42t. 

Jntroduciion,  j..  424. — 1'aiit  I.  Tni:  Invitation,  |i.  427.     ?,  1.  Tin- i>cr.AoiiiJ  invited — 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

"  the  thirsty,"  p.  427.  >;  2.  The  fountain  to  wliich  they  are  invited — Me,  p. 
428.  § 3.  The  double  call,  p.  429.  (1.)  "  Come,"  p.  429.  (2.)  "Drink,"  p.  430. 
§4.  The  unlimited  extent  of  the  invitation — "If  any  man,"  430. — Part  II.  Tim 
CONSEQUENCES  OF  ACCEPTING  TUE  INVITATION,  p.  431.  Introductory  explicatory  re- 
marks, p.  432.  Jj  1.  lie  who  accepts  tlie  invitation  obtains  abundant  permanent 
happines.s,  p.  434.  §  2.  He  who  accepts  the  invitation  manifests  liis  hapjnness, 
p.  435.  §  3.  He  who  accepts  the  invitation  becomes  the  means  of  communi- 
cating happiness  to  others,  p.  435.  Appendix. — Expositoiy  note  of  the 
evangelist.  Joim  vii.  39: — "But  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that 
believe  on  him  should  receive :  for  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given  ;  because 
that  Jesus  was  not  j'et  glorified."  Connection  between  the  giving  of  the  Spirit 
and  the  glorification  of  Christ,  p.  437. 


1  EXPOSITION  XI. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

CHKIST  THE  LIGHT  OP  THE  WORLD. TRt'E  LIBERTY. REAL  SLAVERY. SPtRmJAL 

PATERNITY  OF  THE  JEWS. PRE-EXISTENCE    AND  DIVINFTY  OF  CHKIST. 

John  vhl  12,  59 — p.  442. 

Introduction,  p.  442. — Part  I.  Christ  the  light  oi-  the  would,  John  viii.  12,  p. 
444.  §  1.  The  claim,  John  viii.  12,  p.  445..  §  2.  The  claim  vindicated,  John 
viii.  13-19,  p.  44G. — Part  II.  True  Liberty. — Real  Slavery,  John  viii.  30-36,  p. 
455. — Part  III.  Tni-;  Spiriiual  paihrnity  of  thi:  unbklikving  Jkws,  John  viii. 
37-55,  p.  464.  ^  1.  Not  the  spiritual  children  of  Abraham,  John  viii.  37-40,  p. 
464.  §  2.  Not  tiie  spiritual  children  of  God,  John  viii.  41-43,  p.  465.  §  3.  The 
children  of  the  devil,  John  viii.  44-55,  p.  467. — Part  IV.  The  prr-kxistence  akd 
divinity  of  Christ,  John  viii.  56-59. — Conclusion,  p.  478. — Notes — Note  A. 
Peculiarity  of  our  Lord's  mode  of  teaching,  Townson,  p.  488.  Note  B.  Meaning 
and  reference  of  upxvv,  John  viii.  25,  Tholuck,  p.  490.  Note  C.  The  devil  the 
father  of  the  Jews,  Tholuck,  p.  491. 

EXPOSITION  xn. 

THE  CHURCH  AND  ITS  OFFICE-BEARERS— TRUE  AND  FALSE. 

John  x.  1-9 — p.  494. 

Introduction,  p.  494. — Part  I.  Of  toe  folded  sheep,  p.  496. — Part  II.  Of  the  doob 
of  the  fold,  p.  497. — Part  III.  Of  the  true  Shepherds  who  enter  in  by  the 
door,  p.  498. — Part  IV.  Of  the  false  shepherds  who  do  not  enter  in  by  the 
DOOR,  p.  502. — Conclusion,  p.  505.  ' 

EXPOSITION  XIII. 

THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD. 

John  x.  11. — "  I  am  the  good  Shepherd." — p.  508. 

iNTRODUcnoN,  p.  508. — Part  I.  Jesus  Chrlst,  as  the  good  Shepherd,  seci^res  for 
ms  peculiar  people  all  the  blessings  they  stand  in  need  of,  p.  512. — Part  II. 
.Ifsus  Christ,  as  the  good  Shepuehd,  secup.eh  blessings  for  ni>  ikople  at  the 
greatest  conceivable  expense  to  himself,  p.  513. — Part  111.  Thehe  subsists  ihe 
Mosr  intimate  and  endearing  muiual  acquaintance  and  iniekcoirsk  BK.TWKKN 
Jksus  Chiust,  A8  THi:  good  Shkphkrd,  and  his  pkoplk,  p.  516. — PAur  IV.  Jfsus 
Christ,  as  tuk  good  Shkpiikkd,  cauks  foii  ai.i.  his  pkopi.c,  p.  519. 


XX  CONTENTS. 


EXPOSITION  XIV. 

TEffi  SON,  IN  ACCOMPLISHING  THE  WORK  COMMITTED  TO  HIM, 
THE  OBJECT  OF  THE  FATHER'S  DELIGHT. 

John  x.  17,  18. — "Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  me,  beeause  I  lay  down  my 
life,  that  I  might  take  it  again.  No  man  taketh  it  from  me,  but  I  lay  it  down  of 
myself.  I  have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  again.  This 
commandment  have  I  received  of  my  Father." — p.  523. 

Introduction,  p.  523. — Part  I.  The  great  work  in  which  the  Son  is  engaged,  p. 
526. — Part  II.  Tue  appointment  of  the  Son  to  his  great  work  by  the  Father, 
p.  629. — Part  III.  The  Qualifications  of  the  Son  for  his  great  work,  p.  532. 
— Part  IV.  The  Son's  accomplishment  of  his  great  work,  p.  536. — Part  V.  The 
complacency  manifested  by  the  Father  to  the  Son  in  the  accomplishment,  and  for 
THE  accomplishment,  OF  HIS  GREAT  WORK,  537. — CONCLUSION,  p.  540. — NoTE.  Con- 
nection and  meaning  of  iva  /Ajiu. — Tholuck,  p.  541. 


EXPOSITION    XV. 

CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS  AT  THE  FEAST  OF  DEDICATION. 

John  x.  22-42 — p.  542. 

Introduction,  p.  542. — Feast  of  dedication — what  ?  p.  543.  The  Jews'  complaint, 
p.  547.  Our  Lord's  reply,  p.  549.  His  account  of  their  unbelief,  p.  557.  The 
absolute  security  of  "his  sheep,"  p.  561.  Our  Lord's  unity  with  the  Father  as- 
serted, p.  562.  Exasperation  of  the  Jews  at  this,  p.  563.  They  charge  him  with 
blasphemy,  p.  563.     His  defence,  p.  564. 

EXPOSITION  XVI. 

INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  GREEKS. 

John  xn.  20-26— p.  574. 

Who  were  these  "Greeks"?  p.  575.  The  "hour"  of  the  glorification  of  the  Son 
of  man,  p.  580.  The  corn  of  wheat  dying  and  falling  into  the  earth,  p.  581. 
Loving  life,  the  way  to  lose  it ;  hating  it,  the  way  to  "  keep  it  unto  life  eternal," 
p.  684.     The  duty  and  reward  of  the  true  disciple,  p.  685. 

EXPOSITION  XVII. 

INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST. 

John  xn.  27,  28. — "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled  ;  and  what  shall  I  say  ?  Father, 
save  me  from  this  hour  :  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour.  Father  glorify 
thy  name.  Tlien  came  there  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  I  have  both  glorified 
it,  and  will  glorify  it  again." — p.  588. 

Introdiction,  p.  588. — Part  I.  Our  Saviour's  internal  sufferings  p.  589. — Part 
II.  The  exercise  of  our  Lord's  mind  undeii  his  internal  suffering!^,  p.  594. — 
Part  III.  The  Father's  appkobatidn  of  the  Saviour's  exercise  of  mind  under  his 

INTKENAL  SUFFERINGS,  p.  597. CONCLUSION,  p.  599. 


CONTENTS.  XXI 

EXPOSITION  XVIII. 

THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 

John  xn.  31-33. — "  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  -world ;  now  shall  the  prince 
of  this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me.     (This  he  said,  signifying  what  death  he  should  die.") — p.  601. 

Introduction,  p.  601. — Part  I.  The  death  of  Christ,  p.  603.  §  1.  The  fact  of  his 
death  predicted,  p.  604.  §  2.  The  manner  of  his  death  described,  p.  605.' 
§  3.  The  nature  of  his  death  unfolded,  p.  608. — Part  II.  The  results  of  the 
death  of  Christ,  p.  611.  §  1.  The  judgment  of  this  world,  p.  614.  (1.)  What 
is  meant  by  the  judgment  of  this  world?  p.  614.  (2.)  How  is  the  judgment  of 
this  world  the  result  of  the  death  of  Christ?  p.  620.  §  2.  The  expulsion  of  "the 
prince  of  this  world,"  p.  622.  (1.)  "The  prince  of  this  world" — who  is  he? 
p.  622.  (2.)  The  casting  out  of  the  prince  of  this  world — what  is  it?  p.  627. 
(3.)  The  casting  out  of  the  prince  of  this  world  the  result  of  Christ's  death — 
how?  p.  630.  §3.  The  drawing  all  men  to  Christ,  p.  634.  1.  What  is  this 
drawing  of  all  men  to  Christ?  p.  636.     (1.)  All  men,  without  exception,  be- 

'  come  the  subjects  of  his  mediatorial  government,  p.  636.  (2.)  All  men,  with- 
out distinction,  become  the  objects  of  the  invitations  of  his  Gospel,  p.  637. 
(3.)  All  whom  the  Father  has  given  him,  "an  innumerable  company  out  of 
every  kindred,  tongue,  and  nation,"  are  put  in  possession  of  the  blessings  of 
his  salvation,  p.  638.  2.  What  is  the  connection  between  this  drawing  all  to 
him,  and  his  being  "  lifted  up  from  the  earth  "  ?  p.  640. — Conclusion,  p.  643. 


DISCOURSES  AND  SAYINGS 


OF 


OUR  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST 


EXPOSITION  I. 

THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE  KINGDOM. 


John  iii.  14-21. — And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so 
must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up  ;  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life.  FoT  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world  ;  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved.  He  that  believeth  on  him  is  not  con- 
demned ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not  be- 
lieved in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.  And  this  is  the  condemna- 
tion, that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  love  darkness  rather  than  light, 
because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light, 
neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved.  But  he  that  doeth 
truth  cometli  to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  be  made  manifest,  that  they  are 
^n-ought  in  God. 

INTRODUCTION, 

These  "golden  sentences"  occur  in  the  narrative  of  a  conver- 
sation between  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  Nicodemus  a  ruler  of 
the  Jews.  To  understand  the  record  of  any  conversation  aright, 
it  is  of  great  importance  to  know  its  occasion — the  characters  of 
those  engaged  in  it,  and  the  circumstances  in  which  it  took  place. 
These,  in  the  case  before  us,  are  but  imperfectly  known  to  us  ; 
but  we  shall  find  that  even  the  very  partial  notices  we  have  of 
them,  cast  much  light  on  what  would  otherwise  be  very  obscure, 
if  not  altogether  unintelligible. 

Jesus  Christ,  attended  by  his  five  disciples,  Peter,  and  An- 
drew, and  John,  and  Philip,  and  NathanieV  had  come  up  from 
Galilee  to  Jerusalem.^  His  external  appearance  was  that  of  a 
Jew  of  humble  rank,  and  his  followers  were  men  belonging  to 

'  John  i.  40-49.  '  John  ii.  13. 


24  THE   GOSPEL   OF  THE    KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

the  same  class  in  society  as  himself.  Ilis  expulsion  of  those 
traffickers  who  had  desecrated  the  temjile  by  making  one  of  its 
courts  the  scene  of  their  secular  commerce,  and  his  performance 
of  a  number  of  miracles,  had,  however,  drawn  on  him  a  con- 
siderable share  of  public  attention;'  and  many  had  been  induced 
to  regard  him  as  a  divine  messenger  or  prophet :  though  the  ma- 
j"ority  of  those  who  had  formed  this  opinion  were  persons  entirely 
under  the  influence  of  the  sentiments  almost  universally  preva- 
lent among  the  Jews  respecting  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mis- 
sion, and  the  nature  of  the  kingdom  which  he  was  to  establish  in 
the  world. 

Among  these  individuals  was  Nicodemus,  a  member  of  the 
sect  of  the  Pharisees,  which  embraced  in  it  the  great  body  of  the 
apparently  pious  of  the  Jews  ;  a  man  of  high  rank  and  respect- 
alile  character;  a  ruler  of  the  Jews  ;^  a  "  councillor,"  or  mem- 
ber of  the  Sanhedrim,^  the  highest  court  of  judicature  among  the 
Jews  ;  and  a  "  master  in  Israel,"  or  expositor  of  the  Jewish  law. 
This  man — ^though  he  appears  at  this  period  to  have  been  entirely 
secular  in  his  opinions  and  expectations  respecting  the  Messiah, 
one  of  those  who  were  looking,  not  for  a  spiritual  saviour,  but  for 
a  temporal  deliverer  ;  not  for  a  personal  salvation  from  guilt  and 
depravity  and  endless  ruin,  but  for  a  national  deliverance  from 
the  foreign  yoke  of  the  Komans — ^seems  to  have  been  a  person 
of  an  inquisitive  and  candid  mind. 

It  is  not  at  all  likely  that  he  thought  that  this  worker  of 
miracles  was,  or  even  supposed  that  he  might  be,  the  Messiah, 
the  promised  deliverer,  with  regard  to  whose  appearance  all 
men's  minds  were  in  a  state  of  excited  expectation.  He  must 
have  looked  for  the  Messiah,  not  from  Nazareth,  but  from  Beth- 
lehem ;  not  in  the  person  of  an  obscure  Galilean  stranger,  but 
in  an  acknowledged  descendant  of  the  ancient  royal  house  of 
David. 

But  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  this  young  Nazarene 
was  a  divinely -commissioned  messenger,  and  he  wished  to  have 
some  private  conversation  with  him ;  no  doubt,  respecting  that 
"  kingdom  of  God,"  or  "of  heaven,"  which  both  John  the  Bap- 
tist and  Jesus  had  declared  to  be  "  at  hand,"  just  about  to  be 
established.  Probably  from  a  fear  of  involving  himself  in  dan- 
ger, either  from  his  colleagues  in  the  Sanhedrim,  or  from  the 
Roman  government,  he  seems  to  have  wished  that  the  interview 
should  be  as  private  as  possible,  and  accordingly  he  "  came  to 
Jesus  by  night." 

He  introduced  himself  by  declaring  his  conviction,  founded  on 
the  miracles  whicli  he  had  witnessed,  that  Jesus  was  a  divine 
messenger : — "  liabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher  come 
from  God  J  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that  thou  doest, 
except  God  be  with  him.'"     Instead  of  permitting  hiui  to  unfold 

'  John  ii.  14-23.  *  John  iii.  1. 

'  "Hi  D-'-D  sive  up;iwrtf  appellantur.     Neh.  xi.  1.     John  vii.  00." — Coockiub. 

•  John  iii.  2. 


EXP.  I.]  IXTPlODUCTION,  25 

the  purpose  of  his  visit,  Jesus,  who  "  knew  what  was  in  man," 
and  often  answered  men's  thoughts  rather  than  their  words,'  re- 
plied in  a  manner  which  showed  that  he  Avas  acquainted  with 
what  was  passing  in  his  visitor's  mind.  Instead  of  showing  him- 
self flattered  by  the  recognition  of  his  divine  mission  by  a  man  of 
such  high  rank  and  extensive  influence,  and  endeavoritig  to 
secure  his  assistance  in  establishing  his  claims,  he  in  effect  states, 
that  Nicodemus  was  completely  mistaken  on  the  subject  about 
which  he  had  come  to  converse,  and  that  without  an  entire 
change  in  his  mode  of  thinking,  and  in  his  mode  of  feeling  too, 
he  could  never  become  a  partaker  of  the  privileges  of  the  new 
order  of  things  to  be  established  by  the  Messiah,  nor  even  dis- 
tinctly apprehend  their  nature.  "Except  a  man,"  any  man, 
every  man,  Jew  as  well  as  Gentile,  undergo  a  change  not  less 
extensive  and  thorough  than  that  which  a  heathen  does  when  he 
becomes  a  Jew,  and  which  the  Jews  were  accustomed  to  call  a 
new  birth — "except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see*  the 
kingdom  of  God.'" 

Nicodemus,  if,  as  is  not  improbable,  he  had  heard  the  preach- 
ing of  John,  and  even  submitted  to  his  baptism,  had  not  com- 
plied with  the  injunction  "  repent" — "  change  your  views  and  ex- 
pectations respecting  the  kingdom  of  God ;"  and  therefore  our 
Lord  thus  turns  his  attention  to  the  nature  and  necessity  of  this 
"repentance,"'"  this  thorough  iuAvard  change,  under  another,  and 
still  more  impressive  representation. 

"  The  kingdom  of  God". — ^a  phrase  derived  from  a  remarkable 
prediction  of  the  prophet  Daniel,"  ^  — denotes  the  order  of  things 
to  be  established  by  the  Messiah,  an  order  of  tilings  rich  in  bless- 
ings to  his  subjects,  both  in  this  life  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come — both  on  earth  and  in  heaven. 

To  "see"  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  may  signify  either  to  appre- 
hend the  truth  with  respect  to  this  order  of  things,  or  to  enjoy 
its  peculiar  privileges.  Both  ideas  may  be  included,  as  it  is 
through  apprehending  the  truth  respecting  the  kingdom  that 
men  become  partakers  of  its  privileges.  It  is  a  phrase  of  similar 
import  as  to  "  see  good,"  to  "see  death,"  to  "  see  God,"  to  "  see 
of  the  travail  of  his  soul."" 

To  be  "  born  again,"  is  equivalent  to  the  undergoing  of  a 
thorough  change,  beneficial  in  its  character,  and  the  cause  of 
which  is  not  in  the  individual  who  undergoes  it. " 

"  John  viii.  7  ;  vi.  26,  61,  64,  65. 

^  Dr.  Campbell's  notes  deserves  to  he  carefully  perused. 

^  John  iii.  3.  "  '  Regnum  Dei '  dicitur  is  status  ecclesise,  in  quo  ea  soli  Deo,  ut 
regi,  subjicitur." — Cocceius. 

'"  [lETuvoLa.  "  Dan.  ii.  44. 

"  Ps.  xxxiv.  12.     John  viii.  51.     Matth.  v.  8.     Isa.  liii.  11. 

"  '■  Erasmus  Cyrilli  opinioaeiu  sequutus  adverbium  dvuiihi'  male  transtulit  '  e 
supernis :'  Ambigua  est,  fateor,  ilius  siguificatio  apud  Grajcos,  sed  Christum  He- 
braice  cum  Nicodemo  loquutum  esse  scimus.  Porro  illic  amphibologine  locus  non 
fuisset,  qua  deceptus  Nicodemus  in  secunda  carnis  nativitate  pueriliter  haeei- 
tat." — Calvin  in  loc. 

•  See  Note  A. 


26  THE   GOSPEL   OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

Nicoclemus,  wlio  thouglit  that  the  Jews,  because  descendants 
of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  were  to  be  the  subjects  of  the 
Messiah,  "  the  children  of  the  kingdom,"  declared  that  this  state- 
ment of  Jesus  seemed  as  strange  to  him  as  if  he  had  said  that  a 
man  of  mature  age  must,  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  terms,  be 
born  again.  "Nicodemus  saith  unto  him.  How  can  a  man  be 
born  when  he  is  old?  can  he  enter  the  second  time  into  his 
mother's  womb,  and  be  born  ?"" 

It  is  not  at  all  necessary  that  we  should  suppose  Nicodemus  to 
have  been  so  stupid  as  to  apprehend  our  Lord's  obviously  figur- 
ative language  literally,  or  so  profane  as  to  attempt  to  turn  into 
ridicule  the  words  of  one  whom  he  acknowledged  to  be  "a 
teacher  come  from  God."  It  was  customary  among  the  Jews, 
as  has  been  already  hinted,  when  a  heathen  proselyte  was  ad- 
mitted into  "the  commonwealth  of  Israel,"  to  term  the  change 
he  underwent  a  new  birth.  In  Nicodemus'  estimation,  he  and 
all  Israelites,  being  the  children  of  Abraham,  were  also  "  chil- 
dren of  the  kingdom."  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven"  was,  in  their 
reckoning,  merely  the  more  complete  development  of  the  theo- 
cratic system  under  which  they  already  were ;  and  he  could  not 
conceive  what  change  was  necessary  to  pass  on  them,  to  secure 
their  sharing  in  its  immunities  and  privileges.  Had  Jesus  said, 
unless  a  Gentile  be  born  again,  "  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  this  could  have  been  understood.  But  the  general  de- 
claration, "  except  a  man,"  very  probably  so  uttered  as  to  con- 
vey the  idea,  except  you^  be  born  again  (for  it  is  plainly  to  this 
saying,  and  the  equally  indefinite  one  in  the  7th  verse,  that  our 
Lord  refers,  when  he  says,  "  marvel  not  that  I  said  to  thee"  a 
councillor,  a  master  in  Israel,  "  ye"  Jews  "  must  be  born  again") 
was  so  utterly  incongruous  to  all  his  notions,  that  he  in  effect 
says,  "'This  new  birth  on  the  part  of  Jews,  in  order  to  their  be- 
coming participants  of  the  honors  and  blessings  of  the  Messiah's 
reign,  seems  to  me  as  strange,  and  incredible,  and  useless  a  thing, 
as  that  a  grown  up-man  should  be  again  born  of  his  mother." 

Jesus  repeated  the  statement,  adding  some  circumstances  fitted 
to  lead  Nicodemus  into  correct  views  with  regard  to  the  nature 
of  that  change  which  he  had  represented  as  necessary  for  the 
enjoyment  of  the  advantages  of  the  Messiah's  reign  : — "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  into  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  of  water,"  and  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter''  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  That 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ;"  and  that  which  is  born  of 
the  Spirit  is  spirit.  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto  thee.  Ye  must  be 
bom   again.       The  wind'*  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou 

"  John  iii.  4. 

'*  "  Aqua  denotat  Baptismum  Joannis  in  Christum  Jesum,  v.  23,  24." — Benqkl. 

"  "Crescit  severitas.  Noii  potest  intrare,  nedum  videre.  Quod  non  natum  est 
neque  oculis,  neque  pedibus  utitur." — Bengel. 

"  "Caro  vera,  scd  ct  caro  luera,  spiritus  expcrs,  spiritui  adversa" — Bknoel. 

'"  "Spiritus,  proprie,  nam  huic  non  veuto  voluntas  et  vox  est;  et  ex  lioc  nasci- 
mur,  et  qui  ex  hoc  nascitur  est,  ut  hie.  Cum  vento  non  immediate  compararetur 
renatus,  sed  spiritus  ipse." — Benoel. 


EXP.  I.J  INTRODUCTION.  27 

hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh, 
and  whither  it  gocth  :  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the 
Spirit.""  This  is  equivalent  to,  '  Strange  as  my  statement  may 
appear  to  you,  it  is  indubitably  true.  The  change  I  refer  to  is 
not  one  of  external  profession  merely,  but  of  inward  character. 
Except  a  man  not  only  make  a  profession  of  a  change  of  mind, 
such  as  that  made  by  those  who  submitted  to  John's  baptism  ; 
but  actually  undergo  that  change  of  mind  which  is  produced  by 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  be  a  participant  of 
the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  reign.'""  ^ 

"  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ;  and  that  which  is 
bom  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  "  Flesh"  may  here  mean,  '-human 
nature  as  depraved,'  or  '  human  nature  apart  from  supernatural 
influence.'  In  the  first  place  it  is  equivalent  to,  '  Depraved  man 
can  have  a  son  only  in  his  own  likeness.  Man  must  become 
God's  son  to  become  fit  for  His  holy  kingdom.'  In  the  second 
case  it  is  equivalent  to,  '  As  the  natural  descendants  of  Abraham, 
you  may  be,  you  are,  possessors  of  external  privileges ;  but  you 
must  be  spiritually  born,  that  is,  in  your  inward  views  and  feel- 
ings yon  must  be  radically  changed,  in  order  to  your  being  fitted 
to  enjov  spiritual  privileges.  The  Jewish  people  are  born  of  the 
flesh,—''  of  blood,  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  of  the  will  of  man,"" 
they  are  men,  and  may  enjoy  these  external  privileges,  which  it 
is  competent  for  you  as  men  to  enjoy  ;  but  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  a  spiritual  kingdom ;  none  but  those  who  are  spiritual  can 
enjoy  its  privileges,  and  none  can  be  spiritual  without  a  thorough 
change  being  produced  on  their  spiritual  nature  by  "  the  Spirit," 
plainly  the  Spirit  of  God.c  This  seems  wonderful  to  you  ;  but 
that  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  believe  it.' 

The  words  that  follow  have  been  usually  thus  interpreted : — 
'  You  have  had  no  experience  of  this  spiritual  change,  and  you 
have  no  distinct  notion  of  the  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be  pro- 
duced, or  why  it  is  necessary  ;  but  you  never  think  of  denying 
the  existence  of  wind,  which  indeed  proves  itself  by  its  eftects, 
though  it  is  invisible,  and  though  its  movements  are  regulated 
by  laws  over  which  you  have  no  control,  and  of  which  you  have 
little  knowledge.' 

This  interpretation  does  not  seem  to  be  satisfactory,  _  as  it 
obliges  us  to  give  to  the  word  which  occurs  so  often  in  the 
passage,  properly  rendered  "  Spirit,""  an  unusual  sense,  that  of 
"  wind."  I  am  therefore  inchned  to  keep  to  the  ordinary  sense 
of  the  word,  Spirit,  retaining  the  same  meaning  throughout,  and 
to  consider  our  Lord  as  saying,  '  This  spiritual  new  birth,  which 
you  find  it  so  difiicult  to  understand  and  believe,  has  the  common 
character  of  spiritual  operations.      For  example,  in  inspiration 

"  John  iii.  5-8. 

'"'  "From  the  fact  that  Jesus  says  nothing  more  of  the  water,  but  proceeds  to 
explain  the  operation  of  the  Spirit,  it  is  plain  that  the  former  was  merely  a  point 
of  departure  to  lead  to  the  latter." — Neander. 

"John  i.  13.  2*  Tzvevna.  ^  See  Note  B.  =  See  Note  C. 


28  THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

(with  the  idea  of  whicli  the  Jews  were  familiar),  "  The  Spirit 
breathes  where  he  pleases :"  you  do  not  know  the  reason  or 
manner  of  his  commencing,  or  the  reason  or  manner  of  his  ter- 
minating, his  operations  on  the  inspired  person,  but  you  observe 
its  effects,  "  you  hear  his  voice,"  you  have  the  revelation.  "  Thus 
it  is  with  every  one  born  of  the  Spirit." '  It  is  not  a  comparison 
of  the  operation  of  the  wind  and  that  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  not  a 
comparison  at  all.  It  is  the  statement  of  a  general  law,  and  an 
assertion  that  the  case  referred  to  is  an  exemplification  of  it. 
The  change  is  an  internal  spiritual  change.  It  is  the  work  of 
the  Spirit,  who  in  this  case,  as  usually,  does  not  unfold  the  reason 
and  manner  of  his  operations,  but  manifests  their  effects." 

Nicodemus,  more  and  more  perplexed,  utterly  incapable  of 
reconciling  these  statements,  as  to  complete  internal  change 
being  necessary  even  on  a  Jew,  in  i  order  to  being  a  sharer  of 
the  privileges  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  with  the  notions  he  had 
from  his  infancy  entertained  respecting  the  design  of  the  appear- 
ance of  that  long-promised  Prince,  exclaimed,  "  How  can  these 
things  be  ?""  "  And  no  wonder,"  as  Neander  says,  "  a  dead, 
contracted,  arrogant,  scribe-theology,  is  always  amazed  at  the 
mysteries  of  inward  spiritual  experience."  Our  Lord  replied, 
"  Art  thou  a  master  in  Israel,"  and  knowest  not  these^°  things  ?"" 

These  words  seem  to  imply,  that  if  he  had  studied  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures  he  might  have  known,  that  an  internal 
change  was  necessary  for  enjoying  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's 
kingdom.  '  Had  you  understood  those  Scriptures,  with  the 
letter  of  which,  as  "  a  master  in  Israel,"  you  are  so  familiar,  you 
must  have  known  that  that  kingdom  is  to  be  spiritual  in  its 
nature,  and  that  no  man  with  the  carnal  conceptions  common 
among  the  Jews,  can  understand  its  nature  or  enjoy  its  blessings.' 
Our  Lord  probably  refers  to  such  passages  as  the  following: 
"  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
clean :  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I 
cleanse  you.  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit 
will  I  put  within  you  ;  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out 
of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.  And  I  will 
put  my  spirit  within  you."     "  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the 

"  This  is  the  view  taken  by  Bengel  and  Schoettgen,  among  others.  Jansenius' 
note  deserves  to  be  quoted: — "  'Spiritus  ubi  vult  spirat.'  Quod  Cyrill,  Chrysost. 
et  Theophylact.  intelligunt  de  vento,  Ambros.  vero  et  August,  hie  rcctius  de 
8i)iritu  sancto,  quern  Oreg.  Bern,  aliique  uiulti  Latini  seeuti  sunt,  multi  etiam 
GroBci  prfficesseie.  Ventus  euim  nee  vult,  nee  ignoratur,  unde  veniat,  aut  quo 
vadat.  Itaque  Spiritus  nempe  Sanctus  de  quo  prajcessenit  ubi  vult  spirat,  id  est 
afflat  quos  voluerit,  'dividens  singulis  prout  vult'  ut  apostolus  loquitur,  variisque 
donis  imbuens.  Alludcre  enirn  videtur  ad  cos  qui  in  veteri  tcstamento  variis 
modis  acti  sunt,  sicut  induit  Gedeonem,  Sainsoneni,  Sanlcin,  rroi)hctas.  '  Et  vocem 
ejus  audis,'  id  est,  ejus  r^ffecta  jjercipis  exteriora.  duin  loquitur  futura  per  prophe- 
tas,  inysteria  per  saj)ientes,  operatur  mira  par  sanctos.  'Sed  uescis  unde  veniat 
aut  quo  vadat,'  id  ost  interiorcia  acc.essuni  recessumque  spiritus  duni  honiinem  vel 
contigit  vel  deserit,  non  intelligunt  homines.  'Sic  est  omnis  qui  natus  est  ex 
spiritu,'  id  est  sic  agitur  cum  eo  qui  renascitur  ex  Spiritu  Sancto  et  aqua." 
*'  John  iii.  9.  "  "The  teacher  of  Israel." — Campbklu 

"'  "Est  emphasis  in  voce  ravro," — Calvin.  "  John  iiL  10. 


EXP.  I.]  INTRODUCTION.  29 

Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel, 
and  with  the  house  of  Judah ;  not  according  to  the  covenant 
that  I  made  with  their  fathers :  But  this  shall  be  the  covenant 
that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel ;  After  those  days, 
saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write 
it  in  their  hearts,  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people."^' 

Our  Lord  proceeded  to  assert  the  truth  and  importance  of  the 
statement  he  had  made ;  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  We 
speak  that  we  do  know,  and  testify  that  we  have  seen,  and  ye  re- 
ceive not  our  \\dtness.'"''  "  We  "  not  improbably  includes  John 
the  Baptist,  whose  doctrine  of  repentance  or  change  of  mind,  is 
entirely  coincident  with  our  Lord's  doctrine  of  the  new  birth. 
Our  Lord  thus  gently,  but  powerfully,  exposed  Nicodemus'  in- 
consistency, q.  d.,  '  You  say  that  you  know  that  I  am  a  teacher 
sent  from  God,  and  you  admit  John  to  be  a  prophet ;  and  yet 
when  we  tell  you  what  we  know  to  be  true,  instead  of  readily 
receiving  it,  you  doubt,  and  hesitate,  and  object,  and  cavil. 
You  are  come  to  inquire  of  me  concerning  the  nature  of  the 
Messiah's  kingdom,  but  how  will  you  ever  receive  the  truth 
respecting  it,  so  mdely  different  from  what  you  as  a  Jew  expect, 
when  you  discover  so  much  backwardness  to  receive  the  doctrine, 
comparatively  level  to  your  comprehension,  that  a  great  inward 
change,  to  be  effected  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  necessary  to  the 
enjoyment  of  its  blessing,  and  indeed  to  the  understanding  of  its 
nature  ?' 

"  If  I  have  told  you  earthly  things,  and  ye  believe  not,  how 
shall  ye  believe  if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly  things  ?'""  q.  d.,  '  Your 
behavior  gives  me  little  encouragement  to  go  forward  and  un- 
fold to  you  the  truth  about  that  kingdom  of  God,  to  inquire 
about  which  was  the  greatest  purpose  of  your  visit.  For  if  you 
find  so  much  difficulty  in  receiving  what  is  comparatively  an 
earthly  thing,  a  doctrine  respecting  things  level  to  ordinary 
apprehensions — the  doctrine  'that  carnal  men,  men  occupied 
with  sensible  and  present  things,  must  undergo  an  inward  change, 
a  change  of  mind  and  heart,  of  conviction,  and  feeling, — must 
become  spiritual  men  to  fit  them  for  the  reception  of  a  spiritual 
Saviour,  and  the  possession  of  a  spiritual  salvation,' — how  shall 
you  ever  be  brought  to  believe  "  the  heavenly  things,"  the  doc- 
trine of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  is  as  remote,  as  heaven  is 
from  earth,  from  anything  which  could  have  entered  into  the 
mind  of  man ;  the  doctrine  of  the  manner  in  which  spiritual 
blessings  are  to  be  obtained  by  the  Messiah,  the  persons  for  whom 
they  are  to  be  obtained,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  arc  to  be 
invested  with  them  ?'  '^ 

The  doctrine  of  our  Lord  here  is  that  so  plainly  taught  by  his 
Apostles,  that  to  the  understanding  and  enjoyment  of  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Christian  salvation,  a  thorough  change  of  nature,  of 

-*  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25-27.     Jer.  xxxi.  31-33.  '-'■' John  iii.  11. 

'"  John  iii.  12.  <"  See  Note  D. 


30  THE   GOSPEL   OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

mind  and  heart,  is  necessary.  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  Jesus, 
he  is  a  new  creature :  old  things  are  passed  away,  behold  all 
things  are  become  new."  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God :  for  they  are  foolishness  to  him ; 
neither  can  he  know  them,  for  they  are  spiritually  discerned." 
As  Christians,  "we  are  God's  workmanship,  created  anew  in 
Christ  Jesus  to  good  works."'' 

"  And  no  man  hath  ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he  that  came 
down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  Man  which  is  in  heaven,"'" 
q.  d.,  '  These  heavenly  things  have  never  yet  been  clearly  un- 
folded to  men.  No  man  has  been  in  heaven  to  penetrate  into 
these  yet  hidden  counsels  of  God.  "  The  Son  of  Man  "  (a  name 
borrowed  from  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  by  which  the 
Messiah  was  indicated), — the  Son  of  Man  who  had  been  in 
heaven  "  with  God,""  ay,  whose  residence  as  to  his  higher 
nature  is  even  now  in  heaven,  he  alone  can  reveal  them.'"  Our 
Lord  does  not  here  sa}^  in  direct  terms  that  He  was  this  Son  of 
Man,  though  the  words,  and  probably  the  manner,  seem  to  have 
been  intended  to  suggest  this  idea. 

All  this  statement,  infinitely  important  as  it  is,  is  properly 
speaking  prehminary,  and  it  is  at  the  12th  verse  that  our  Lord 
proceeds  to  tell  of  "  heavenly  things ;"  to  reveal  the  doctrine  of 
the  kingdom.  To  understand  our  Lord's  words  aright,  we  must 
never  forget  that  he  was  teaching  the  true  doctrine  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  of  the  deliverance  to  be  accomplished  by  the 
Messiah,  to  a  pharisaic  Jew,  who  labored  under  the  false  notions 
common  to  his  nation  and  sect. 

Had  Nicodemus  been  called  on  to  state  his  opinion  about  the 
kingdom  of  heaveu,  he  probably  would  have  done  it  in  some 
such  terms  as  these  : — '  Like  David  the  king  of  Israel,  the  Son 
of  Man,  Messiah  the  Prince,  shall  be  lifted  up,  exalted,  to  a 
glorious  throne,  that  all  the  Jewish  people  may  be  delivered 
from  degradation  and  slavery,  and  raised  to  dignity,  wealth,  and 
power  :  For  Jehovah  loves  his  peculiar  people,  and  gives  them 
that  illustrious  person,  called  in  the  prophets  his  own,  his  be- 
gotten, Son,  to  be  their  deliverer  and  ruler ;  and  while  he  sends 
him  to  deliver  Israel,  ho  sends  him  also  to  punish  and  destroy 
the  Gentile  nations,  and  all  Israelites  shall  enjoy  the  blessings  of 
his  reign,  while  all  the  Gentiles  who  do  not  submit  to  him,  and 
become  tributaries  to  the  holy  nation,  shall  fall  before  his  tri- 
umphant arms.' 

Hear,  liowever,  the  true  doctrine  of  the  kingdom  of  God  from 
him  who  comes  to  establish  it.     '  Messiah  shall  indeed  be  lifted 

"  2  Cor.  V.  17.     1.  Cor.  ii.  14.     Eph.  ii.  10.  '''  John  iii.  13. 

"  John  i.  1 ;  vi.  62. 

'*  "6  o)v  lias  generally  {c.  g.,  by  Erasra.  Ernesti,  «fee.)  been  regarded  as  the  par- 
ticiple of  the  imporfect — the  same  with  o^  l/v.  Now,  although  this  is  admissible, 
the  connection  here  rather  indicates  the  proper  meaning  of  the  present." — ^Tho- 
LUCK.     Dr.  Campbell  translalos  if  "  whose  abode  is  in  heaveu." 

•  See  Note  E. 


EXP.  I.]  INTRODUCTION.  31 

lip,"  not  hoAvever  as  David  was  exalted  to  the  throne,  but  as  the 
brazen  serpent  was  elevated  on  a  pole  ;  and  the  purpose  of  his 
being  thus  lifted  up  is  not  Israel's  temporal  deliverance,  but  men's 
spiritual  and  everlasting  salvation,  that  men  might  not  perish  but 
have  eternal  life ;  and  the  manner  in  which  men  are  to  obtain 
possession  of  this  salvation,  is  not  by  being  born  Jews,  or  by 
submitting,  if  Gentiles,  to  the  resistless  arms  of  an  earthly  con- 
queror; it  is  by  believing  the  truth  about  this  deliverance. 
Whosoever  believeth  shall  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life :  For 
God  so  loved,  not  Israel  merely,  but  the  world,  that  he  gave — de- 
voted to  death  as  a  victim^ — his  onl}^  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life :  For  God  sent  not  his  Son  to  destroy  the  Gentile  nations,  but 
to  be  the  Saviour  of  men,  without  reference  to  their  national 
descent ;  and  all  who  believe  the  truth  with  respect  to  this  spirit- 
ual Deliverer,  shall  be  made  partakers  of  his  spiritual  salvation, 
whether  they  be  Jews  or  Gentiles  ;  while  all  who  do  not  believe 
the  truth,  whether  they  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  shall  be  excluded 
from  the  blessings  of  his  salvation,  .and  be  punished  for  their 
rejection  of  the  heavenly  messenger,  and  his  heavenly  message.' 
Such,  in  substance,  is  our  Lord's  statement ;  and  if  Nicodemus 
in  any  good  measure  apprehended  its  meaning,  he  must  have 
been  persuaded  noAV  of  the  truth  of  our  Lord's  statement,  "  that 
a  man  must  indeed  be  born  again,"  that  even  a  Jew  must  undergo 
a  very  thorough  change  of  mind  and  heart,  to  see,  or  to  enter 
into,  this  kingdom. 

Let  us  now  examine  our  Lord's  doctrine  of  the  kingdom  of 
the  Messiah  somewhat  more  particularly.  Let  us  attend  to  the 
account  contained  in  the  words  before  us, — 

I.  Of  the  Messiah — the  only  begotten  Son  of  God — ^the  Son  of 
Man — sent  by  the  Father. 

II.  Of  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission :  negatively,  not 
to  condemn  the  world ;  positively,  that  the  world  through  him 
might  be  saved — ^that  they  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
ing life. 

III.  Of  the  grand  means  by  which  this  design  was  to  be  ac- 
complished— by  the  Messiah's  being  lifted  up  as  the  brazen 
serpent  was  lifted  up  in  the  wilderness — by  God's  giving  him. 

IV.  Of  the  manner  of  obtaining  a  personal  interest  in  the 
blessings  thus  procured — ^believing  the  Divine  revelation  respect- 
ing the  Messiah. 

V.  Of  the  origin  of  this  economy  of  mercy — the  love  of  God 
to  the  world 

YI.  Of  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  those  who  refuse  to 
avail  themselves  of  this  method  of  salvation. 

Let  us  turn  our  attention  to  these  most  important  topics  in 
their  order. 

^^  "  Lifted  up "  is  a  feeble  rendering  for  !;'/<> jjs  ;  Campbell's  version  ia  prefer- 
able— "  placed  on  high." 


32  THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 


I. — OF   THE   MESSIAH. 

Let  US  consider  the  account  here  given  of  the  Messiah.  He 
is  described  as  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God — as  the  sou  of 
Man — and  as,  Sent  bj  the  Father. 

§  1.  The  Son  of  God. 

The  Messiah  is  described  as  "the only  begotten  Son  of  God.'"' 
This  is  an  appellation  of  the  Messiah  borrowed  from  the  2d 
Psalm,  which  is  obviously  prophetic  and  Messianic.  "  I  will  de- 
clare the  decree ;  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  me,  Thou  art  my 
Son ;  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee."  It  must  be  plain  to  every 
reflecting  mind,  that,  such  terms  as  those  now  under  considera- 
tion, when  applied  to  denote  the  relation  subsisting  between  our 
Lord  and  his  divine  Father,  must  be  understood  in  a  figurative, 
or,  more  properly  speaking,  perhaps,  an  analogical  sense.  The 
principle  of  iuterj^reting  such  phrases  is  a  plain  one.  It  is  this, 
"  That  the  terms  are  to  be  understood  in  their  ordinary  meaning 
as  far  as,  and  no  farther  than,  we  know  from  satisfactory  sources 
they  are  not  inapplicable  to  the  subject  in  reference  to  which 
they  are  employed."  "Son"  is  a»word  descriptive  of  a  human 
relation  with  which  we  are  familiar,  and  in  its  proper  literal 
meaning  suggests  the  following  ideas  : — Identity  of  nature — de- 
rivation of  being — posteriority — inferiority — similarity — mutual 
affection.  "  Only  begotten  Son"  suggests  the  idea  of  the  indi- 
vidual being  tlie  only  person  standing  in  that  relation  to  him  who 
is  termed  the  Father ;  and  the  idea  also  of  that  concentration  of 
affection  which  naturally  originates  in  this  circumstance. 

Now,  what  are  we  taught  in  reference  to  the  Messiah,  when 
he  is  called  "  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  "?  We  are  taught, 
in  the  first  place,  that  he  is  of  the  same  nature  with  his  Father — 
that  is,  that  he  is  God.  The  word  Son  suggests  this  idea,  and 
mucli  more  strongly,  when  it  has  the  epithet  "only  begotten" 
prefixed  to  it,  or  when  he  is  called  God's  "own  Son" — "the 
Son  of  himself" — "his  proper  Son,"  in  contradistinction  to  those 
who  receive  this  appellation  merely  from  their  being  brought 
into  a  peculiar  relation,  formed  to  a  peculiar  character,  and 
being  tlie  objects  of  a  peculiar  afi:ection  on  the  part  of  God,  while 
God  is  tlie  object  of  a  peculiar  affection  on  their  part.  When 
the  Messiah  is  termed  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  his  proper 
divinity  is  asserted.     He  who  is  our  Saviour  is  "the  great  God." 

The  ideas  of  derivation  of  being,  posteriority,  and  inferiority, 
though  naturally  suggested  by  the  name  Son,  arc  not  to  be  con- 
sidered as  intended  to  be  conveyed  by  that  term  when  applied  to 
the  Messiah ;  for  this  plain  reason,  that  these  ideas  are  incom- 
patible with  that  identity  of  nature  which  is  the  very  first  idea 

"  John  Hi.  16. 


PART  I.]  THE   MESSIAH — THE   SON  OF   MAN.  33 

suggested  by  the  term,  and  wliicli,  from  innumerable  passages  of 
Scripture,  we  know  does  belong  to  liim. 

A  second  trutb  in  reference  to  the  Messiah,  suggested  by  his 
being  called  "the  only  begotten  Son,"  is,  that  v/hile  He  is  of  the 
same  nature  with  the  Father,  He  and  the  Father  are  in  some  re- 
spects distinct  from  each  other.  The  Father  is  not  the  Son,  nor 
is  the  Son  the  Father ;  though  in  reference  to  the  possession  of 
the  one  divine  nature  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  one. 

A  third  important  truth  taught  us  by  the  Messiah  being 
termed  the  Onlj'-begotten  of  God,  is,  that  he  is  the  object  of  the 
supreme  love  of  the  Father.  A  fether  loves  his  son,  especially 
his  only  son.  The  love  of  the  First  person  of  the  Godhead  to 
the  Second  is  expressed  by  the  love  which  a  father  has  for  his  son, 
his  only  son,  "The  Father  loves  the  Son.""  He  knows  his 
infinite  excellence ;  and,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  v/hich  seems 
to  imply  a  solecism,  up  to  the  infinite  measure  of  his  knowledge 
he  loves  him.  This  last  idea  seems  obviously  to  have  been  in- 
tended to  be  brought  before  the  mind,  in  the  passage  under  con- 
sideration, as  what  chiefly  commends  the  love  of  God  to  the 
world,  is  that  he  gave  his  only  Son  to  be  their  Saviour.  These, 
then,  are  the  truths  respecting  the  Messiah  taught  us  by  his  be- 
ing termed  "  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God." 

§  2.  The  Son  of  Man. 

The  Messiah  is  described  as  "the  Son  of  Man,""*  This  is  an 
appellation  which  our  Lord  employs  more  frequently  than  an}^ 
other  in  speaking  of  himself,  whether  in  private  or  public,  in  the 
midst  of  his  friends  or  of  his  enemies.  The  phrase,  taken  b_y 
itself,  seems  just  a  Hebraism  for  "  man  :" — as  in  the  4th  verse  of 
the  8th  Psalm,  "  What  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ? 
and  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him  ?"  Every  one  at  all 
acquainted  with  the  use  of  parallelism  in  Hebrew  composition 
generally,  and  especially  in  Hebrew  poetiy,  must  see  that  "  man," 
and  "the  son  of  man,"  are  here  equivalent  expressions. 

To  understand  its  meaning,  when  used  as  an  appellation  of 
the  Messiah,  we  must  turn  to  a  passage  in  the  80th  Psalm,  v. 
17.  "Let  thy  hand  be  upon  the  Man  of  thy  right  hand,  upon 
the  Son  of  Man  whom  thou  madest  strong  for  thyself ;"  the 
same  person  who  is  spoken  of  in  the  15th  verse  under  another  of 
the  figurative  prophetical  appellations  of  the  Messiah — '"the 
branch"'  which  Jehovah  had  made  strong  for  himself  In  the 
passage  generally  referred  to  as  the  origin  of  the  appellation, 
Daniel  vii.  13,  the  reference,  no  doubt,  is  to  the  Messiah ;  but 
he  is  there  spoken  of,  not  as  the  Son  of  Man,  but  as  "one  like 
unto  the  Son  of  Man,"  or  having  the  appearance  of  a  man. 
While  the  expression,  a  son  of  man,  as  we  have  already  re- 
marked, is  in  itself  just  equivalent  to  man ;    the  designation, 

='  Johu  V.  20.  »«  John  iil  13,  14. 


34  THE   GOSPEL   OF   THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

"  the  Son  of  Man,"  at  once  marks  the  Messiah,  as  truly  a  man, 
and  at  the  same  time,  as  distinguished  from  all  other  men.  He 
is  so  distinguished  in  a  variety  of  ways :  as  the  perfect,  the 
moral  man — the  representative  man,  the  second  Adam — the 
God-man,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh — and  the  predicted  man, 
the  great  subject  of  Old  Testament  prophecy.'* 

§  3.  Sent  hy  the  Father. 

The  Messiah  is  farther  described  as  "  sent  by  the    Father'"" 

— "  God  sent  his  Son."     In  the  economy  of  human  redemption, 

the  Father  sustains  the    majesty  of  the  Divinity.      He   is    the 

fountain  of  authority,  the  source  of  judgment  and  of  mercy.     He 

vindicates  the  honors  of  the  Divine  character,  and   asserts  the 

rights  of  the  Divine  government ;  and  he,  too,  dispenses  pardon 

and  salvation  in  a  way  consistent  with  the  illustration  of  these 

i  honors,  and  the  maintenance  of  these  rights.     While  essentially 

//the  Father  and  the  Son  are  one,  in  the  economy  of  grace  the 

f  Father   is    greater   than    the  Son.      He    invests   him  with   the 

character  of  Mediator    and   Saviour;    he  qualifies  him  for  the 

discharge  of  its  duties ;    he  supports  him  under  its  labors  and 

diflSic.ulties ;  and  he  rewards  him  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 

work  given  him  to  do. 

When  the  Father  is  said  to  have  sent  the  Son,  the  meaning  is, 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  divinely  authorized  and  commissioned  to 
act  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world ;  to  do  and  suffer  all  that  was 
necessary  for  the  attainment  of  the  salvation  of  man,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  perfections  of  the  Divine  character,  and  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Divine  government.  Such  is  the  view  given  us  of 
the  Messiah  in  these  words  of  our  Lord — a  person  uniting  in 
himself  the  natures  of  God  and  man,  and  divinely  appointed  to 
effect  the  salvation  of  mankind. 

II. — OF  THE   DESIGN   OF  THE   MESSIAH'S   MISSION. 

The  next  topic  to  which  our  attention  must  be  directed,  is  the 
design  of  the  Messiah's  mission.  That  is  described  in  various 
ways,  all  of  them  having  a  reference  to  the  false  views  of  the 
design  of  Messiah's  mission  entertained  by  the  Jews.  It  is  de- 
scribed negatively  :  He  was  sent  "not  to  condemn  the  world." 
Then  it  is  described  positively :  First  generally — "  to  save  the 
world ;""  and  then  more  particularly,  to  deliver  them  from  the 
greatest  possible  evil—"  that  they  might  not  perish ;"  and  to 
raise  them  to  tiie  enjoyment  of  the  greatest  good — "  that  they 
might  have  everlasting  life.""  Let  us  shortly  consider  the  mean- 
ing of  these  various  descriptions  of  the  design  of  the  Messiah's 
mission. 

^'  For  a  full  illustration  of  this  descriptive  appellation,  vide  Exposition  XXII. 

"  John  iii.    17. 

"John  iii.  17.  "  John  in.  15.  17. 


PAET  II.]        THE   DESIGN  OF  THE   MESSIAH'S  MISSION.  36 


§  1.  Negatively — not  to  condemn  the  world. 

The  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission  was  not  to  condemn  oi- 
punish  "  the  world."  "  The  world  "  here  is  obviously  to  be 
understood,  as  the  Jews  used  the  terra,  of  all  mankind,  with  the 
exception  of  themselves — the  holy  nation.  They  expected  that 
the  Messiah  was  to  deliver  the  jDCople  of  Israel,  and  to  punish 
and  destroy  the  Grentile  nations.  The  deliverance  of  Israel,  and 
the  punishment  of  the  nations,  were  in  their  minds  closely  con- 
nected, and  both  were  to  be  the  work  of  the  Messiah.  One  of 
their  principal  doctors,  explaining  the  illustrious  prophecy  jn  the 
49th  chapter  of  Grenesis,  "  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from 
Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come  ; 
and  to  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  peoj^le  be,"  says,  ^  The 
sense  seems  to  me  to  be — "  The  rod  of  the  oppressor  shall  not 
depart  from  Judah,  till  his  Son  come,  who  shall  overthrow  the 
nations,  and  break  them  in  pieces,  and  make  war  on  them  all 
with  the  edge  of  the  sword."  '  Another  Rabbi  says,  "  When 
the  Messiah  comes,  he  shall  be  as  the  morning  light  to  Israel, 
but  he  shall  be  as  night  to  the  nations  of  the  earth."  Such 
views  seem  to  have  been  universal  among  the  Jews  at  the  time 
■of  our  Lord's  appearance,  as  they  are  still  among  their  unbeliev- 
ing descendants. 

§  2.  Positively — to  save  the  world. 

Now,  says  our  Lord,  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission  is  not 
the  punishment  of  the  Gentile  nations — it  is  not  the  punishment 
of  men  at  all.  He  comes  not  to  punish,  but  to  save ;  and  to 
save,  not  Israelites  merel}'',  but  men  of  every  country,  and  people, 
and  tongue,  and  nation.  He  is  sent  "to  save  the  world  ;"  to  de- 
liver mankind,  Grentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  from  the  evils  under 
which  they  are  groaning.  He  comes,  not  to  bring  evils  on  men, 
but  to  remove  evils  from  them — to  deliver  them  from  ignorance, 
and  error,  and  guilt,  and  depravity,  and  wretchedness,  in  all  their 
various  forms. 

(1.)  That  the  world  may  not  perish. 

But  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission  is  more  particularly 
described  :  he  comes  that  mankind  "may  not  perish," — that  they 
may  be  delivered  from  the  greatest  of  all  evils.  The  evils,  the 
removal  of  which  his  mission  contemplated,  are  not  the  external 
and  temporary  evils  which  press  on  one  nation,  or  even  on  the 
whole  race,  but  the  spiritual  and  eternal,  and  therefore  otherwise 
irreparable,  evils,  to  which  all  mankind  are  liable.  Man,  whether 
Jew  or  Gentile,  is  a  sinner.  He  has  broken  God's  law.  He  has 
incurred  God's  displeasure.  He  is  a  depraved  as  well  as  a  guilty 
creature  ;  "  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance 


36  THE   GOSPEL   OF  TKE    KINGDOM.  [EXP,  I. 

that  is  ill  liim,"  sunk  in  ignorance  and  error,  and  moral  pollution 
of  every  description ;  and  because  lie  is  guilty  and  deprayed,  he 
is  miserable,  exposed  to  numerous  external  eyils,  and  destitute 
of  all  real  inward  happiness.  And  this  state  of  things,  so  far  as 
man's  own  exertions  are  concerned,  so  far  as  the  exertions  of  the 
Tvhole  created  universe  are  concerned,  is  irreparable.  He  must 
sink  deeper  and  deeper  in  guilt,  and  depravity,  and  misery.  If 
the  ordinary  course  of  the  divine  government  be  maintained,  he 
must  be  "  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.""  His  im- 
mortality of  being  must  be  an  immortality  of  unmixed,  intolerable 
wretcheclness.  To  deliver  men — ^not  men  of  one  particular  nation, 
but  men  of  every  nation — ^from  this  tremendous  aggregation  of 
eyils,  tliis  state  of  perdition,  was  the  design  of  the  Messiah's 
mission. 

(2.)  That  the  world  may  have  eternal  life. 

But  mere  deliverance  does  not  form  the  sole  purpose  of  the 
mission  of  the  Son  of  God.  He  comes  that  men  might  have 
everlasting  life.  "  Life,"  though  not  directly  signifying  enjoy- 
ment, according  to  the  Hebrew  idiom  conveys  more  strongly 
than  any  other  word  the  idea  of  happiness,  as  "  death  "  does  that 
of  misery.  Everlasting  life  is  of  course  ever-during  happiness. 
The  happiness  of  a  being  like  man,  consists  in  the  Divine  favor, 
and  image,  and  fellowship ;  in  knov.dng  God,  in  loving  God,  in 
being  loved  by  God,  in  knowing  that  we  are  loved  by  God ;  in 
venerating  God,  trusting  in  God  ;  having  our  mind  confirmed  to 
his  mind,  our  wishes  subjected  to  his  pleasure,  thinking  along 
with  him,  willing  along  with  him,  choosing  what  he  chooses, 
seeking  and  finding  enjoyment  in  what  he  finds  enjoyment.  This 
is  life.  This  is  happiness.  And  the  never-ending  continuance 
of  this  is  everlasting  life.  To  obtain  this  kind  of  happiness  for 
men,  for  men  of  every  nation  under  heaven,  and  to  secure  the 
permanent  enjoyment  of  it  during  the  whole  eternity  of  their 
being, — this  is  the  great  and  glorious  object  of  the  divinely-com- 
missioned God-man — the  Messiah. 

In  three  most  important  points,  this  design  differed  from  what 
the  Jews  considered  as  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission.  Pun- 
ishment was  not  at  all  the  object  of  the  Messiah's  coining.  _  The 
deliverance  whicli  he  came  to  effect  was  not  secular,  but  spiritual ; 
and  it  was  intended,  not  for  the  nation  of  the  Jews  exclusively, 
but  for  mankind  generally.  The  object  of  his  mission  was  purely 
merciful.  His  salvation"  had  a  direct  reference  to  the  soul  and 
eternity ;  and  as  this  salvation  was  universally  needed,  so  it 
was  intended  for  mankind  of  "  every  kindred,  and  people,  and 
tongue,  and  nation." 

"  '2  Thees.  i.  9. 


PART  III.]      THE   MESSIAH   LIFTED   UP — GIVEN  BY  GOD.  37 


III.' — OF  THE  MEANS  BY  WHICH  THE  DESIGN  OF  THE  MESSIAH'S 
MISSION  WAS  TO  BE  ACCOMPLISHED  : — FIGURATIVELY,  BY  HIS 
BEING  LIFTED  UP  AS  MOSES  LIFTED  UP  THE  SERPENT  IN  THE 
WILDERNESS  ;  LITERALLY,  BY  HIS  BEING  GIVEN  BY  GOD  FOR 
AND  TO  MANKIND. 

We  now  proceed  to  attend  to  tlxe  grand  means  by  wliicli  this 
benevolent  design  of  the  MessiaL's  mission  was  to  be  accom- 


plished. The  Son  of  man  was  "  to  be  lifted  np,  as  Moses  lifted 
lip  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness.""  "  God  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  might  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."" 

Here,  as  in  the  former  case,  the  truth  is  exhibited  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  false  views  generally  entertained. by  the  Jews.  They 
expected  that  the  Messiah  was  to  accomplish  the  deliverance  of 
Israel,  and  the  destruction  of  the  nations,  by  being  exalted  or 
"  lifted  up :"  elevated  first  to  the  throne  of  David  his  father, 
and  then  to  the  throne  of  the  world.  '  Now,'  says  our  Lord, 
'  Messiah  shall  be  lifted  up ;  but  he  shall  be  lifted  up  in  a  very 
different  waj-  from  what  you  expect.  He  shall  be  lifted  up,  not 
as  David  or  Solomon  was,  to  the  throne  of  Israel,  but  "  as  Moses 
lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness."  '  There  is  a  striking 
analogy  between  the  way  in  which  the  Messiah  shall  obtain  spir- 
itual and  eternal  salvation  for  mankind,  and  the  way  in  which 
the  serpent-stung  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  were  cured  of  the 
otherwise  incurable  distemper  which  they  had  brought  on  them- 
selves by  their  unbelief  and  disobedience."" 

What  we  are  to  understand  by  the  Messiah's  being  ''  lifted  up 
as  the  brazen  serpent  in  the  wilderness,"  we  need  be  at  no  loss  to 
discover.  "And  I,"  said  our  Lord  on  another  occasion,  "and 
I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me." 
"  This,"  says  the  evangelist,  in  an  explanatory  note,  "  This  he 
said,  signifying  what  death  he  should  die.""  '  The  salvation  of 
mankind  is  to  be  obtained  hj  the  Messiah's  dying  an  accursed 
death,  dying  as  the  victim  for  human  transgressions  ;  and  by  his 
being  exhibited,  held  up,  as  the  slain  victim  for  human  trans- 
gressions :  that  is,  by  the  truth  respecting  his  vicarious  and  ex- 
piatory sufferings  being  made  known  to  men.  Oh,  how  different 
was  this  from  anything  Nicodemus  looked  for!  He  probably 
expected,  with  most  of  his  countrymen,  that  the  Messiah  was  to 
'■  abide  for  ever," — was  not  to  die  at  all.  How  must  he  have 
been  astonished,  if  he  imderstood  our  Lord's  words,  to  be  told 
that  the  Messiah  was  not  only  to  die,  but  to  die  the  death  of  a 
felonious  slave ! 

^'  John  iii.  14,  1(3. 

*''  Neander,  and  many  other  good  interpreters,  t.hink  that  Christ's  -words  end  at 
verse  1(5,  and  that  what  follows  is  the  illustrative  statement  of  the  evangelist.  The 
decision  of  this  question  has  no  bearin^^  on  tho  interpretation  of  the  passage. 

*"  Numb.  xxi.  4-9.  "  ■"  John  xii.  32,  33. 


38  THE   GOSPEL   OF   THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  L 

Let  lis,  however,  look  a  little  more  closely  into  the  mystery  of 
Divine  -wisdom  and  mercy :  Mankind  are  to  be  saved  by  the 
divine  incarnate  Saviour,  suffering  and  dying  as  a  victim  for  sin 
— dying  on  the  cross.  The  same  idea  that  is  suggested  by  the 
exj)ression,  "  The  Son  of  man  must  be  lifted  up  as  Moses  lifted 
up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,"  is  conveyed  by  the  words, 
"  God  gave  his  Son."  Some  interpreters  consider  these  words  as 
equivalent  to,  "  God  graciously  appointed  his  Son  to  be  the  sav- 
iour of  the  world.'  In  that  case,  however,  it  would  have  been 
said  that  he  gave  him  to  the  world,  not  merely  he  gave  him.  It 
is  plainly  parallel  to,  "  The  Son  of  man  must  be  lifted  up  ;"  the 
lifting  up  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  the  giving  of  the  Son  of  God, 
being  but  different  descriptions  of  the  same  great  event. 

The  meaning  of  the  phrase  is  best  illustrated  by  parallel  pas- 
sages:— "I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven. 
[f  any  man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live  for  ever :  and  the  bread 
that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the 
world."''*  "  And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  it, 
and  gave  unto  them,  saying.  This  is  my  body  which  is  given  for 
you :  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me."*'*  "  Who  gave  himself  for 
our  sins,  that  he  might  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  world, 
according  to  the  will  of  God  and  our  Father.""*"  "  K  we  believe 
on  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead;  who  was 
delivered  for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justifica- 
tion."" "  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up 
for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all 
things?"^"  "  Who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testified 
in  due  timc."^'  "  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem 
us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people, 
y.ealous  of  good  works."" 

The  meaning  of  the  words,  God  gave  his  Son,  then,  is,  '  God 
devoted  his  Son  to  death,  as  a  victim  for  the  sins  of  men,'  and 
the  first  truth  Avith  regard  to  the  manner  in  which  the  benevo- 
lent design  of  the  Messiah's  mission  was  to  be  gained,  taught  us 
l)ere  by  our  Lord,  is,  that  it  was  to  be  the  result  of  his  submit- 
ting to  death,  as  the  victim  for  the  sins  of  mankind. 

Tliis,  though  not  revealed  so  as  to  be  generally,  if  at  all,  under- 
stood till  the  prediction  was  accomplished,  is,  now  that  the  light 
of  fulfilment  has  shone  upon  them,  the  obvious  meaning  of  the 
ibUowing  ancient  oracles,  which  must  have  been  very  mysterious 
to  the  saints  under  a  former  dispensation,  and  into  the  meaning 
of  which,  even  the  prophets  themselves  would  find  it  necessary 
to  "  search  diligently."  "  God  made  to  meet  on  the  head  of  his 
righteous  servant  the  iniquities  of  us  all,  and  exaction  was  jnade, 
and  he  became  answerable ;  and  he  was  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions, and  bruised  lor  our  iniquities  ;  and  the  chastisement  of 
our  peace  was  on  him,  and  he  made  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin ; 

"  John  vi.  51.  *"  Luke  xxii.  19.  "'  Gal.  i.  4. 

"  Rom.  iv.  24,  25.  "  Horn.  viii.  32.  \         "  1  Tim.  ii.  6. 

"*  Titus  ii.  14. 


J 


PART  III.]      THE   MESSIAH  LIFTED    UP — GIVEN   BY   GOD.  39 

and  he  bare  the  sins  of  many."  "  The  Messiah  shall  be  cut  off, 
but  not  for  himself.'"^ 

The  same  doctrine  is  often  taught  by  our  Lord's  apostles,  and 
i(^,  indeed,  the  grand  peculiarity  of  the  Christian  faith : — "  Christ 
died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures."  "  He  reederaed  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  having  become  a  curse  in  our  room, 
as  it  is  written,  '  cursed  is  every  one  tliat  hangeth  on  a  tree.'  " 
"  He  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  -tree."  "  He  gave 
himself  for  us  a  sacrifice  and  an  offering,  that  he  might  bring 
us  to  God."  "  In  him  we  have  redemption  tlirough  his  blood, 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  God's  grace." 
''  He  hath  reconciled  us  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death."" 

There  is  another  important  truth  respecting  the  means  by 
which  the  benevolent  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission  was  to  be 
accomplished,  conveyed  by  the  words  of  our  Lord  : — "  The  Son 
of  Man  must  be  lifted  up,  as  the  serpent  was  lifted  up  in  the 
wilderness."  The  brazen  serpent  was  not  only  lifted  up  on  a 
pole,  but  exhibited,  that  all  the  Israelites  might  look  at  it  and  bci 
healed.  In  like  manner  the  Son  of  Man  must  not  only  be  lifted 
up  on  the  cross,  but  he  must  be  exhibited,  as  lifted  up  on  the 
cross,  that  all  men  may  believe  in  him  and  be  saved."  The 
knowledge  and  belief  of  tlie  truth,  with  respect  to  the  atonement, 
is  in  ordinary  circumstances  as  necessary  to  the  accomplishment 
of  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission,  in  the  case  of  individuals, 
as  the  atonement  itself,  and  hence  the  truth  about  the  atonement 
must  be  published  to  all  nations. 

Here,  as  in  the  former  case,  "The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the 
spirit  of  prophecy."  "By  his  knowledge,  shall  my  righteous 
servant  justify  man3^"  "Look  unto  me  all  ye  ends  of  the  earth, 
and  be  ye  saved."  "  They  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have 
pierced.'"' 

Here,  too,  the  apostolic  testimony  concurs  with  the  declaration 
of  the  ancient  prophets : — "  The  Gospel  is  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation."  "We  preach  Christ  crucified,  to  the  Jews  a 
stumbling-block,  to  the  Greeks  foolishness ;  but  unto  them  who 
are  called,  whether  Jew  or  Greek,  the  joower  of  God,  and  the 
wisdoin  of  God."  "  I  determined  to  know  nothing  among  you, 
save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruciiied."  "God  forbid  that  I 
should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 
which  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world."" 
These  are  the  grand  means  by  which  the  benevolent  design 
of  our  Lord's  mission,  the  salvation  of  mankind,  was  to  be  ac- 
complished. 

There  is  a  pecuharity  in  our  Lord's  language  on  this  subject, 
that  deserves  to  be  noticed  before  we  conclude.     He  does  not 

"  Isa.  liii.  5,  6.    Dan.  ix.  26. 

°*  1  Cor.  XV.  3.     Gal.  iii.  13.     1.  Pet.  ii.  24.     Eph.  v.  2  ;i.  7.     Col.  i.  21,  22. 
"  "  '  Exaltai-i,'  significat  collocari  in  loco  edito  et  exeelso,  ut  oinuiuin  aspectui 
pateat:  id  factum  est  Evaagelli  ])i-a}(licatioric." — Calvix  iii.  loc. 
^"  Rev.  xix.  lu.     Isa.  liii.  11 ;  xlv.  22.     Zoch.  xii.  10. 
"  Kom.  i.   1(5.     1  Co:-,  i.  •J3 ;  ii.  2.     Gal.  vi.  11. 


40  THE   GOSPEL   OF   THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

saj  the  Son  of  Man  shall  be  lifted  up,  but  "  tlie  Son  of  Man 
Tnust  be  lifted  up,"  It  is  becoming  or  necessary  that  the  Son  of 
Man  be  lifted  up  in  order  to  the  gaining  of  these  ends.  Some 
would  refer  this  to  the  necessity  of  the  death  of  Christ  for  the 
fulfilment  of  Old  Testament  predictions.  But  there  is  certainly- 
more  in  it  than  this.  The  expiation  of  sin  was  necessary  in 
order  to  its  pardon  ;  the  death  of  the  incarnate  Son  was  necessary 
in  order  to  this  expiation  ;  the  faith  of  the  truth  with  regard  to 
this  expiatory  death  is  necessary,  in  order  to  our  participation  in 
the  salvation  procured  by  it ;  and  the  exhibition  of  Christ  cruci- 
fied,— in  other  words,  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel, — is  necessary 
in  order  to  this  faith.  This  we  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  show- 
ing more  at  length  by  and  hj. 

IV. — OF  THE  MANNER  OF  OBTAINING  THE  BLESSINGS  PROCURED 
BY  THE  MESSIAH:  FIGURATIVELY,  BY  LOOKING  AT  HIM;  LIT- 
ERALLY,  BY  BELIEVING  IN  HIM. 

Let  us  proceed,  now,  to  consider  our  Lord's  statement,  re- 
specting the  manner  in  which  individuals  are  to  obtain  a  per- 
sonal interest  in  the  blessings  procured  by  the  Messiah,  That  is 
contained  in  these  words,  "  Whosoever  believeth  in  him°°  shall 
not  perish,  but  shall  have  everlasting  life.  He  that  believeth  is 
not  condemned."" 

The  Jews  expected  that,  on  the  part  of  their  nation,  nothing  was 
to  be  necessary  to  secure  a  share  in  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's 
kingdom,  beyond  their  descent  from  Abraham ;  and  that  in 
order  to  any  of  the  Gentiles  participating  with  them  in  these 
blessings,  they  must  submit  to  the  Messiah's  conquering  arms, 
and  become  prosel3^tes  to  the  Jewish  religion.  In  opposition  to 
these  false  views,  our  Lord  states,  that  it  was  only  by  believing 
in  him,  the  Messiah,  as  "  lifted  up,"  as  "  given  by  the  Father," 
that  any  Jew  could  become  a  partaker  of  the  blessings  of  his 
salvation,  and  that  every  Gentile  who  should  thus  believe  in  him, 
should  become  a  partaker  of  these  blessings. 

The  allusion  to  the  lifting  up  of  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
seems  intended  to  illustrate  not  only  the  means  by  which  the 

^°  "Discrte  exprimere  voluit,  quamvls  .ad  mortem  videamui*  nati,  certara  tanien 
offerri  liberationem  in  Cliristi  lide,  ita  mortem  qua?  alioqxii  uobis  imiuiiiet  mininie 
timendam  csso.  Et  universalcm  iiotara  apposuit,  tnmut  promiscnc  oinnes  at  vitse 
participation  em  invitet,  tum  ut  praoeidat  cxcusationeni  incredulis.  ]Midcm  ctiam 
pertinet  nomen  Mundi  quo  prius  iisus  est.  Tametsi  enira  in  mundo  nihil  I'epcrietur 
Dei  favore  dit^num,  se  tamen  toti  mundo  propitiura  ostendit,  quumsine  cxceptione 
omne3  ad  fidera  Christi  vocat,  i{\\ra  nihil  aliud  est  quam  ingrcssus  in  vitam." — 
Calvim  in /oc.  "  IIo  intended  expressly  to  state,  that  though  we  appear  to  have 
been  born  to  death,  undoubted  deliverance  is  ollVred  to  us  by  the  faith  of  Christ; 
and,  therefore,  that  we  ought  not  to  fear  death,  which  otherwise  hangfl  over  us.  And 
he  has  employed  the  universal  term  'whatsoever,'  both  to  invite  all  indiscriminately 
to  partake  of  life,  and  to  cut  off  every  excuse  from  unbelievers.  Sucli  is  also  the 
Import  of  tlie  word  'world,'  wliicli  he  formerly  used;  for,  though  nothing  Avill  bo 
found  in  'the  world,'  that  is  worthy  of  the  favor  of  God,  yet  he  shows  himself  to 
be  reconciled  to  tlie  whole  Avorld,  when  ho  invites  all  men,  without  excej^tion,  to 
the  faith  of  Clirist,  which  is  nothing  el.^e  than  an  entrance  into  life." — Rev.  W. 
/'rinf/lcH  Tra'islation.  "'  John  iii.  15,  10,  18. 


PART  lY.]      LOOKING  AT,    BELIEVING  IN,    THE   MESSIAH,  41 

Messiah  Avas  to  obtain  salvation  for  men  ;  but  also  the  manner  in 
which  men,  as  individuals,  were  to  be  interested  in  that  salva- 
tion. The  analogical  illustration,  when  fully  brought  out,  seems 
to  be  this :  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
that  whosoever  of  the  diseased  Israelites  looked  at  it  might  not 
die  but  live,  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,  that  whoso- 
ever of  the  ruined  race  of  man  believeth  in  him,  should  not 
perish  but  have  everlasting  life."  Looking  at  the  brazen  serpent, 
may  have  appeared  to  the  Israelites  a  paradoxical  cure  for  the 
serpent's  bite,  and  such  a  paradox  does  the  salvation  of  men, 
through  foith  in  a  suffering  Messiah,  appear  even  to  the  wisest  of 
men  untaught  by  tlie  Sjoirit. 

There  is  no  difficulty  in  apprehending  the  meaning  of  the 
statement,  "  Every  serpent-stung  Israelite,  who  looked  on  the 
elevated  brazen  serpent,  was  healed;"  and  there  should  be  as 
little  difficulty  in  apprehending  the  meaning  of  the  statement, 
"  Every  sinner  who  believes  in  the  Messiah,  as  lifted  up,  shall  be 
saved."  We  all  know  what  it  is  to  hole ;  and  we  all  know,  at 
least  we  all  may  know,  what  it  is  to  believe. 

"  To  believe,"  when  used  in  reference  to  a  person,  is  to 
give  credit  to  him,  to  count  true  what  he  says.  To  believe, 
when  used  in  reference  to  a  statement,  is  to  give  credit  to 
it,  to  reckon  it  true.  It  has  been  supposed  by  some,  that 
there  is  an  important  distinction  between  believing  a  person, 
and  believing  in  a  person — believing  a  thing,  and  believing 
in  that  thing;  but  a  careful  attention  to  the  use  of  the 
phrases  in  Scripture,  will  lead  to  a  different  conclusion.  To 
believe  in  Moses,  is  either  to  believe  that  there  was  such  a 
person  as  Moses,  and  that  what  is  recorded  of  him  in  the  Bible 
is  true ;  or  to  believe  what  Moses,  as  a  divine  messenger,  has 
revealed.  To  believe  in  a  future  state,  is  just  to  believe  that 
there  is  a  future  state.  To  believe  in  the  Son  of  Man  lifted  up, 
to  believe  in  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  sent  and  given  by  the 
Father,  is  just  to  count  true  what  is  stated  to  us  in  the  Gospel,  re- 
specting the  Onl)--begottcn  of  God  being  devoted  to  death  as  a 
victim  for  the  transgressions  of  men,  according  to  the  most  benig- 
nant appointment  of  his  divine  Father."" 

The  statement  of  our  Lord,  then,  is,  "  That  it  is  by  believing 
the  truth  on  this  subject  that  men  obtain  the  blessings  of  his 
salvation."  This  is  one  of  the  grand  peculiarities  of  thg  christian 
method  of  salvation,  and  it  is  very  frequently  brought  before  our 
minds  in  the  New  Testament.  I  will  quote  a  few  passages 
where  it  is  very  distinctly  taught,  that  it  is  by  believing  that 
men  obtain  possession  of  the  blessings  of  the  christian  salvation. 
"  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son" — that  is,  who  has  received  his 
testimony — "hath  everlasting  life.""  "He  that  heareth  my 
word,  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life, 
and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation.""     "  I  am  the  bread  of 

"  See  Dr.  Stewart's  "  Hints  on  the  Nature  and  Influeiicc  of  Faith." 

"  John  iii.  ^6.  "  John  v.  24. 


42  THE   GOSPEL   OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

life :  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger ;  he  that  believeth 
on  me  shall  never  thirst.'"'  "  It  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me, 
that  every  one  Avhich  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may 
have  everlasting  life.'""  "These  are  written,  that  ye  might  be- 
lieve that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God :  and  that  believ- 
ing ye  might  have  life  through  his  name.""  "  Be  it  known  unto 
you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is 
preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sin :  and  by  him  all  that 
beheve  are  justified  from  all  things,  from  whieh  they  could  not 
have  been  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.'"®  "  To  him  gave  all 
the  prophets  witness,  that,  through  his  name,  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  receive  the  remission  of  sins.'"'  "  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved?  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved.""  "The  righteousness  of  Grod" — that  is,  the 
Divine  method  of  justification — "  is  upon,"  takes  effect  on,  "  all 
them  that  believe.""     "  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith."" 

Every  one,  then,  who  believes  the  truth  respecting  Jesus 
Christ,  God's  Sou,  dying  as  a  victim  for  the  sins  of  mankind,  is 
interested  in  the  salvation  which  he  has  procured  for  men.  He 
is  nolonger  in  a  state  of  condemnation ;  he  receives  the  remission 
of  his  sins;  he  shall  never  come  into  condemnation;  he  has 
peace  and  joy  in  beheving ;  his  heart  is  purified  by  believing ; 
he  is  sanctified  by  faith  which  is  in  Christ;  and  "not  turning 
back  by  unbelief  unto  perdition,  he  believes  to  the  salvation  of  the 
soul,  which  he  in  due  time  receives  as  the  end  of  his  believing. 

The  connection  between  the  faith  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  en- 
joyment of  the  christian  salvation,  is  thus  very  clearly  stated  in 
Scripture ;  but  clearly  as  it  is  stated,  it  is  very  generally  mis- 
apprehended. Men  think  of  this  faith  of  the  Gospel  as  some 
difficult  work  which  must  be  performed  by  them,  to  give  them  a 
claim  on  God  for  tlie  blessings  of  salvation,  instead  of  thinking 
of  it  as  that  which,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  is  necessary  in 
order  to  their  possessing  these  blessings;  That  conformity  of 
3-nind  and  heart  to  God ;  that  inward  peace  and  joyful  hope,  in 
which  the  christian  salvation,  so  far  as  it  can  be  enjoyed  in  the 
present  world,  chiefly  consists,  cannot,  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  be  obtained,  but  by  the  faith  of  the  Gospel ;  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  cannot  exist  without  con- 
veying these  blessings  into  the  heart. 

It  is  not  on  account  of  our  faith  that  God  saves  us :  it  is 
through  means  of  our  faith.  Our  believing,  and  our  being  saved, 
are  not  to  be  considered  so  distinct,  as  that  the  first  must  be 
finished  before  the  other  can  be  enjoyed.  It  is  in  believing  that 
we  are  saved  ;  and  the  measure  of  our  enjoyment  of  the  christian 
salvation  depends  on  the  extent  of  our  knowledge,  and  the  firm- 
ness of  our  laith  of  the  Gospel. 

The  blessings  of  salvation  are  thus  IVecly  presented  to  all  to 

"John  vi.  ;j5.  '■■"  John  vi.  40.  "  John xx.  31. 

"  Acts  xiii.  38, 39.  "  Acts  x.  43.  '"  Acts  xvi.  30,  31. 

"  Kom.  iii.  22.  "'*  Rom.  x.  G--9.     Eph.  ii.  8. 


PART  IV.]       LOOKING  AT,  BELIEVING    IN,  THE   MESSIAH.  43 

whom  the  Gospel  comes;  and  nothing  is  necessary  to  secure 
particij^ation  in  these  blessings,  but  the  faith  of  the  truth ;  and 
that  is  necessary,  not  as  a  meritorious  condition,  but  as  an  indis- 
pensable means.  It  is  just  as  if  a  rich  feast  were  presented  to 
a  famishing  multitude,  and  it  were  said,  '  He  that  eats  of  this  feast 
shall  be  relieved  from  the  pangs  of  hunger,  and  shall  be  refreshed 
and  strengthened.'  The  eating  is  obviously  not  the  meritorious 
condition ;  but  it  is,  from  the  nature  of  things,  the  indispensable 
means  of  relief  from  hunger  and  exhaustion,  and  of  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  refreshing  and  invigorating  eifects  of  the  prepared 
viands.  Many  seem  to  think  that  the  declaration,  that  whoso-  ^ 
ever  believes  shall  be  saved,  is  a  kind  of  limitation  of  the  Grospel  i 
offer.  But  it  is  just  such  a  limitation  as  that  which  we  have  re-  ' 
ferred  to,  '  Whosoever  eats  shall  be  satisfied.'  To  say,  that  j 
whosoever  believeth  shall  be  saved,  is  just  to  say,  that  the  guiltiest 
of  the  guilty,  and  the  vilest  of  the  vile,  is  welcome  to  salvation, 
and  shall  assuredly  obtain  salvation,  if  he  will  but  receive  it  in 
the  only  Avay  in  which,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  it  can  be  re- 
ceived— ^in  the  faith  of  the  truth  respecting  Jesus  Christ,  the  in- 
carnate only  begotten  Son  of  God,  as  the  Saviour,  the  only 
Saviour,  the  all-sufficient  Saviour. 

This  is  a  most  important  truth ;  and  it  derives  striking  illus-  ! 
tration  from  the  comparison  between  the  manner  in  which  the  f  X, 
serpent-stung  Israelites  were  cured,  and  the  way  in  which  sin- 
ruined  men  are  saved.  "  Every  one  bitten,"  says  Jehovah, 
"  Every  one  bitten,  who  looks  on  the  brazen  serpent,  shall  live ;" 
and  the  sacred  historian  informs  us,  that  "if  a  serpent  had  bitten 
any  man,  when  he  beheld  the  serpent  of  brass,  he  lived."  How- 
ever frequently  he  had  been  bitten  by  the  serpents,  however  far 
advanced  the  disease  was  in  its  progress  towards  a  fatal  issue,  if 
he  looked  to  the  brazen  serpent  he  recovered.  In  like  manner, 
however  guilty,  however  depraved,  however  wretched — however 
numerous,  however  aggravated,  may  have  been  his  violations  of 
the  Divine  law — whosoever  believes  the  plain,  well-accredited 
testimony  of  God  respecting  full  salvation  through  the  death  of 
the  Just  One  in  the  room  of  the  unjust,  "shall  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  There  is  no  exception.  The  vilest  mis- 
creant on  the  face  of  the  earth,  the  most  degraded,  and  despised, 
and  miserable  of  mankind,  believing  in  Christ,  shall  be  "  saved 
in  Him  with  an  everlasting  salvation." 

No  holy  qualification  is  required  to  warrant  the  sinner  to  apply 
to  the  Saviour.     It  is  because  he  is  guilty  and  miserable,  that  ' 
the  salvation  is  provided.     The  more  guilty,  the  more  miserable, 
he  is  obviously  the  more  necessitous  ;  and  he  is  assuredly  not  the 
less  welcome.     Desert  of  anything  but  destruction  is  here  out  of  i 
the  question  altogether.     He  who  understands  and  believes  the  * 
Gospel,  must  see  with  equal  clearness,  that  any  just  claim  of 
merit  to  the  blessings  of  salvation,  on  the  part  of  the  sinner,  is 
impossible,    and   that   it    is   unnecessary.       The    invitation   is, 
"Whosoever  will,  let   him   take   of  the  water  of  life  freely." 


44  THE   GOSPEL  OF  THE  KINGDOM.  [EXP.  L 

The  promise,  "  Him  that  cometli  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out."" 

No  sin  but  the  sin  of  imbelief  bars  the  sinner's  way  to  the 
Saviour.  Even  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  rather  an  ap- 
parent than  a  real  exception.  If  the  sinner  who  hears  the  Gospel 
is  condemned,  it  is  "because  he  will  not  believe  on  the  name  of 
the  only  begotten  Son  of  God." 

The  efficacy  of  this  method  of  obtaining  a  personal  interest  in 
the  blessings  of  the  christian  salvation,  has  been  tried  in  appa- 
renth^  ver}^  desperate  cases.  Paul  was  a  blasphemer,  a  perse- 
cutor, a  first-rate"  sinner ;  but  through  the  belief  of  the  faithful 
saying,  Paul  obtained  salvation."  The  Corinthian  Christians  had 
some  of  them  been  absolute  monsters  of  wickedness ;  but  they 
were  "  washed,  they  Avere  sanctified,  they  were  justified  through 
the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God."  In- 
stances of  the  efiicacy  of  the  faith  of  the  truth  in  saving  sinners, 
happily  are  not  wanting  in  our  own  day ;  and  it  will,  till  the 
conclusion  of  the  present  order  of  things,  be  a  glorious  truth,  re- 
ceiving constantly  new  accessions  of  illustration  and  evidence, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  Christ  Jesus  crucified,  shall  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life. 

The  having  long-neglected,  or  even  the  having  despised,  this 
only  means  of  salvation,  does  not  bar  the  ungrateful  criminal 
from  now  obtaining  the  saving  of  his  soul  through  believing.  It 
is  possible,  that  some  of  the  Israelites,  when  they  heard  of  the 
plan  of  cure,  through  the  elevation  of  the  brazen  serpent,  made 
light  of  it,  hoping  for  a  recovery  by  the  use  of  ordinary  means, 
and  cherishing  infidel  doubts  as  to  the  possibility  of  their  obtain- 
ing any  good  from  looking  at  a  brazen  serpent ;  if  any  of  these, 
finding  the  disease  gaining  on  them,  raised  a  believing  eye  to 
the  divinely-erected  standard  of  salvation,  as  the  onh^  means  of 
escaping  death,  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  but  that  the  ordinary 
Jiealing  influence  would  have  gone  forth.  And  so  it  is  here. 
However  long  men  have  continued  in  unbelief,  and  impenitence, 
and  sin,  however  "stout-hearted"  they  are,  and  however  "far 
from  righteousness,"  still  it  is  "  the  accepted  time,"  still  it  is  "  the 
day  of  salvation ;"  and  we  proclaim  to  him  who  has  oftenest 
turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  voice  of  mercy,  "  to-day,  after  so  long  a 
time,  if  thou  wilt  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  thy  heart."  "Be- 
lieve "  now  "in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  For 
it  is  still  true,  "  Whosoever  bcheveth  in  him  shall  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."" 

V. — OF  THE   PRIMARY   SOURCE  OF  THIS   ECONOMY  OF  SALVATION, 
THE   LOVE   OF   GOD  TO   THE   WORLD. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  consider  the  primary  source  of  this 
economy  of  salvation,  as   stated  by  our  Lord,      The  love  of 

"  Rev.  xxii.  17.     John  vi.  37. 

7*  zouT6r.     '■"  1  Tim.  1.  10-lC.     1  Cor.  vi.  9-11.      "  Ileb.  iv.  T.     Acts  xvi.  31. 


PART  v.]   THE  LOVE  OF  GOD  THE  ORIGIN  OF  SALVATION.       45 

God — the  love  of    God  to  tlie   world.      "  God  so  loved  the 
world."" 

The  advocates  for  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement — the  doctrine 
that  the  death  of  the  incarnate  Only-begotten  of  God,  as  the 
victim  for  the  sins  of  men,  was  necessary  in  order  to  the  Divine 
mercy  manifesting  itself  to  sinners  in  the  communication  of  par- 
don and  salvation,  consistently  witli  the  righteousness  of  his 
character  and  law ;  the  advocates  of  this  doctrine,  have  often 
been  accused  of  holding  that  the  interposition  of  the  divine  Son 
was  necessary  to  produce  in  the  bosom  of  his  divine  Father,  a 
disposition  to  pity,  and  to  save,  man  ;  and,  as  it  has  been  forcibly 
put,  "that  the  compassion  of  God  rather  than  the  souls  of  men, 
was  the  purchase  made  by  the  incarnate  Son,  when  he  laid  down 
his  life  as  a  ransom."  It  has  been  said  that  they  represent  the 
Divinity,  as  a  being  of  resentments  so  fierce  that  nothing  could 
mitigate  them,  but  the  tears  and  prayers,  the  blood  and  death,  of 
his  own  Son. 

It  must  be  acknowledged,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement 
has  not  always  been  taught  in  "  the  v\^ords  which  become  sound 
doctrine,"  and  that  language  has  sometimes  been  employed  on 
the  subject,  by  good  men,  which  seemed  to  intimate  rather  that 
Christ  died,  in  order  that  God  might  be  induced  to  pity  and  save 
man,  tlian  that  he  died,  because  God  pitied  man,  and  was  deter- 
mined to  save  him. 

The  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  as  taught  in  Scripture,  how- 
ever, lays  no  foundation  for  such  conclusions.  "  God,"  accord- 
ing to  its  declarations,  "  is  love,"  perfect  in  benignity,  "  rich  in 
mercy."  In  forming  conceptions  on  this  subject,  when  v/e  err, 
it  is  by  defect,  not  by  excess.  Our  ideas  fall  beneath,  instead  of 
rising  above,  the  truth. 

There  was,  there  could  be,  no  discordance  among  the  persons 
of  the  Godhead,  in  reference  to  the  salvation  of  man.  The  will 
of  the  Godhead  is,  and  necessarily  must  be,  one.  We  are  not 
for  a  moment  to  suppose,  that  the  Father  and  the  Spirit  were 
disinclined  to  the  salvation  of  man ;  and  that  the  Son  became 
incarnate,  and  suffered,  and  died,  to  induce  them  to  comply  Avith 
his  disposition  to  shov/  favor  to  the  guilty  and  ruined  race. 
The  wondrous  economy  of  redemption  is  the  fruit  of  that  sover- ' 
eign  benignity  which  equally  belongs  to  the  Father,  and  to  the 
Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  that  econom}^,  the  Father 
sustains  the  majesty  of  Divinity.  All  is  represented  as  originat- 
ing in  him.  But  his  holiness  is  the  holiness  of  the  Divinity ;  his 
justice,  the  justice  of  the  Divinity ;  his  love,  the  love  of  the 
Divinity. 

Christ  did  not  die  that  God  might  love  man ;  he  died  because 
God  loved  man.  "God  commendeth  his  love  to  us  in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  "In  this  was 
manifested  the  love  of  God  toward  us,  because  that  God  sent  his 

"' John  iii.  16. — "  Primam  salutis  nostrse  causam  et  quasi  fontem  aperit  Chris- 
tu8, " — Calvin. 


46  THE   GOSPEL   OF   THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

only  begotten  Son  into  tlie  world,  tliat  we  might  live  through 
him.  Herein  is  love;  not  that  wo  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved 
us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.'"^  The 
atonement  is  thus  not  the  cause,  but  the  effect,  of  the  love  of 
God.  It  is  the  wonderfal  expedient  devised  by  infinite  wisdom, 
to  render  the  manifestation  of  sovereign  kindness  to  a  guilty 
race,  not  merely  consistent  with,  but  gloriously  illustrative  of, 
the  righteousness  of  the  Divine  character,  as  displayed  both  in 
the  requisitions  and  sanctions  of  that  holy  law  which  man  had 
violated. 

That  law  is  not  an  arbitrary  institution.  It  is  simply  the  em- 
bodiment of  those  principles  which  are  necessary  to  the  happiness 
of  intelligent,  responsible  beings,  while  they  continue  what  they 
are,  and  God  continues  what  he  is.  That  law  originates  not  in 
sovereignty,  but  in  that  union  of  perfect  wisdom,  holiness,  and 
benignity,  which  forms  the  moral  character  of  God ;  and  to 
uphold  that  law  is  a  necessity  of  his  nature ;  he  cannot  but 
require  truth,  righteousness,  and  benignity  of  man.  This  law 
had  been  violated  by  man.  The  consequence  was,  man  became 
liable  to  the  dreadful  consequences  of  transgression.  He  had 
sinned,  and  he  deserved  to  die.  The  hopeless,  the  everlasting 
destruction  of  the  sinner,  must  have  seemed  to  every  created 
mind  the  necessary  result  of  this  state  of  things.  But  "  God 
who  is  rich  in  mercy,"  and  infinite  in  wisdom,  devised  and 
executed  a  plan,  by  which  the  honor  of  the  law  might  be  vindi- 
cated, and  yet  the  violators  of  that  law  pardoned  and  saved  ;  by 
which  the  evil  of  sin  might  be  exhibited  to  the  intelligent  uni- 
verse in  a  light  far  stronger  than  if  the  whole  race  of  man  had 
perished  for  ever,  and  yet  an  innumerable  multitude  of  that  self- 
ruined  race  be  rescued  from  destruction,  and  "saved  with  an 
everlasting  salvation." 

The  only  begotten  Son,  in  glad  compliance  with  the  merciful 
appointment  of  his  Father,  having  taken  the  place  of  the  guilty ; 
and  in  their  nature,  and  in  their  room,  yielded  a  perfect  obedi- 
ence, in  circumstances  of  the  greatest  temptation  and  difficulty, 
to  that  law  which  they  had  violated,  thus  showing  the  reason- 
ableness and  excellence  of  all  its  requisitions ;  and  submitted  in 
their  room  to  such  sufferings  as,  in  the  estimation  of  infinite 
Avisdom  and  righteousness,  more  signally  honored  the  sanction- 
ary  part  of  the  Divine  law,  than  the  everlasting  ]3unishment  of 
sinful  men  could  have  done ; — "  God  hath  set  forth  his  Son  to  be 
a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteous- 
ness for  the  remission  of  sins,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  that  believes  in  Jesus;"  "a  just  God,  and  a 
Saviour.""        ' 

Having  thus  endeavored  to  sliow  that  the  atonement  of  Christ 
is  not  the  procuring  cause  of  God's  love  to  sinners,  but  tlie  means 
which  God  in  his  wisdom  devised  for  rendering  tlie  display  of 
his  love  consistent  with  his  righteousness,  I  go  on  to  illustrate 

'»  Rom.  V.  8.     1  John  iv.  9,  10.  "  Rom.  iii.  25,  26.     Isa.  xlv.  21. 


TART  v.]   THE  LOVE  OF  GOD  THE  ORIGIN  OF  SALVATION.      47 

somewhat  more  particularly,  tlie  great  truth  upon  which,  in  this 
part  of  the  subject,  I  wish  to  fix  your  attention :  that  the  whole 
of  that  wondrous  economy  of  salvation  unfolded  by  our  Lord, 
proceeds  from  the  love  of  God,  from  the  love  of  God  to  the 
world. 

§  1.   The  love  of  God,  the  origin  of  the  plan  of  salvation. 

We  may  begin  with  asking  in  what  could  the  plan  of  salvation 
originate  but  in  love, — ^pure  sovereign  benignity  ?  Contemplate 
the  attributes  and  relations  of  God,  and  then  contemplate  the 
character  and  circumstances  of  man.  Look  first  at  the  bestower, 
and  then  look  at  the  recipients  of  salvation,  and  say,  from  what 
it  could  flow  but  from  spontaneous  kindness  ? 

Look  upwards  to  Divinity  and  say,  if  anj'-thing  but  sovereign 
kindness  could  have  actuated  him  in  devising  and  executing  the 
plan  of  human  salvation  ?  It  could  not  be  strict  justice  that  in- 
fluenced him :  that  would  have  led  to  the  infliction  of  punish- 
ment, not  the  conferring  of  benefits ;  that  would  have  led  to 
man's  destruction,  not  his  salvation.  Selfish  considerations  are, 
from  the  absolute  independence  of  the  Divine  Being,  entirely  out 
of  the  question.  The  sources  of  the  Divine  happiness,  like  the 
sources  of  the  Divine  excellence,  are  in  the  Divine  nature.  No 
creature  can  either  advance  or  diminish  the  happiness  of  God. 
Our  gratitude,  obedience,  and  praise  for  the  benefits  of  salvation, 
cannot  increase  his  felicity.  "  Our  goodness  extendeth  not  to 
him."  "  Can  a  man  be  profitable  to  God,  as  he  who  is  wise  is 
profitable  to  himself?  Is  it  any  pleasure  to  the  Almighty  that 
thou  art  righteous ;  or  is  it  gain  to  him  that  thou  makest  thy 
way  perfect  ?"*"  And  if  tiiis  wondrous  plan  of  salvation  could 
not  originate  in  a  selfish  desire  for  our  services  and  praises,  it 
could  as  little  originate  in  a  selfish  fear  of  our  enmity,  reproaches, 
or  rebellious  attempts  against  his  government.  The  very  idea  is 
as  absurd  as  it  is  blasphemous.  "  Will  he  reprove  thee,  for  fear 
of  thee  ?  Thy  wickedness  may  hurt  a  man  as  thou  art ;  but  if 
thou  sinnest  what  doest  thou  against  him ;  or  if  thy  transgressions 
be  multiplied,  Avhat  doest  thou  to  him?""  He  can  easily  render 
all  the  attempts  Avhicli  men  and  devils  can  make  against  his  gov- 
ernment, but  so  many  occasions  for  the  display  of  his  wisdom, 
his  power,  and  his  righteousness.  Had  the  whole  sinning  race 
of  man  been  consigned  to  endless  perdition,  would  he  not  have 
gathered  through  eternity  a  revenue  of  praise  from  their  suffer- 
ings, as  illustrations  of  his  immaculate  holiness,  his  inflexible 
justice,  his  inviolable  faithfulness,  without  any  disparagement 
of  his  benignity,  which  would  indeed  have  been  manifested  in 
their  interminable  sufferings,  as  in  those  of  the  "angels  who  kept 
not  their  first  estate  ;"*'  such  inflictions  being  direct  means  of  up- 
holding that  law,  which  is  as  necessary  to  the  happiness  of  his 

80  Ps.  xvi.  2.     Job  xxii.  2,  3.  "  Job  xxxv.  6,  8.  '"'  Jude  6. 


48  THE   GOSPEL  OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

intelligent  crentures,  as  it  is  to  the  honor  of  his  character,  or  the 
stability  of  his  throne  ? 

When  we  thus  look  upward  to  God,  the  giver  of  the  blessings 
of  the  christian  salvation,  we  are  constrained  to  say,  'Nothing 
but  love  could  influence  him  in  bestowing  them.'  And  when  we 
direct  our  thoughts  to  the  recipients  of  these  benefits,  we  are 
conducted  by  a  very  short  process  of  reasoning  to  the  same  con- 
clusion. There  is  nothing  in  the  situation  or  character  of  man 
Avhich  can  lead  us  to  trace  blessings  conferred  on  him  to  an3^thing 
but  pure  benignity. 

He  is  a  creature,  and  therefore,  strictly  speaking,  he  can  have 
no  claim  on  God.  It  was  of  God's  free  sovereign  pleasure  to 
create  him,  or  not  to  create  him ;  and  when  he  created  him,  it 
was  of  his  sovereign  pleasure  that  he  made  him  a  living,  think- 
ing, immortal  being,  rather  than  an  irrational  brute,  or  an  inani- 
mate clod.  As  a  creature,  man,  in  common  with  all  creatures, 
must  be  a  pensioner  on  Divine  bounty  for  every  blessing.  But 
though  in  no  case  could  man  have  had  a  claim  on  God,  had  he 
continued  what  God  made  him,  an  innocent,  a  holy  being,  we 
may  safely  affirm  that  the  equity  as  well  as  the  benignity  of  God, 
would  have  secured  for  him  everything  necessary  to  true  and 
permanent  liappiness. 

But  man  is  a  sinner.  He  is  guilty  of  innumerable  violations 
of  that  holy  law,  one  transgression  of  which  deserves  everlasting 
destruction";  and  he  is. not,  as  the  economy  of  grace  finds  him,  a 
penitent  sinner.  No,  he  is  a  hardened  rebel,  "  going  on  in  his 
trespasses,"  receding  farther  and  farther  from  God.  When  God 
looks  down  from  heaven  on  the  children  of  men,  what  does  he 
see?  "They  have  all  gone  aside,  they  have  altogether  become 
filthy  ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one."" 

What  could  induce  God  to  spare,  what  could  induce  him  to 
save  such  beings?  Holiness,  justice,  wisdom,  had  they  not  in 
the  Divine  nature  been  conjoined  with  infinite  benignity,  would 
have  suggested  anything  rather  than  "thoughts  of  good"  towards 
such  a  polluted,  rebellious,  worse  than  useless,  mischievous,  class 
of  creatures  ;  a  set  of  beings  whom  a  mere  act  of  will  could  have 
annihilated,  or  punished  with  "everlasting  destruction."  What 
but  love,  pure  sovereign  compassion,  could  have  said,  "  Deliver 
tJiese  from  going  down  to  the  pit,  I  have  found  a  ransom."*' 

As  it  is  thus  plain,  that  nothing  but  love  could  have  been  the 
I  source  of  the  economy  of  human  salvation,  so  it  is  equally  evi- 
\  dent,  that  that  love  must  have  had  "  a  height  and  a  depth,  a  length 
and  a  breadth,"  that  exceeds  the  computing  powers  of  created 
intelligences.  Well  may  we  with  the  apostle  stand  in  adoring 
wonder  and  exclaim,  "  Behold  what  manner  of  love  !"  "  Herein," 
— "  herein"  indeed — "  is  love ;""  as  if  all  the  other  displays  of 
Divine  benignity  were  unworthy  of  regard  when  compared  with 
this 

There  are  two  ways  by  which  we  naturally  measure  the  strength 

"  Psal.  xiv.  2,  u.  «*  Job  xxxiii.  24.  "'  1  John  iii.  1 ;  iv.  10. 


PART  v.]         THE  LOVE  OF  GOD  THE  ORIGIN  OF  SALVATION.  49 

of  a  benevolent  affection :  the  intrinsic  value  of  tlie  benefits  be- 
stowed on  the  objects  of  it ;  and  the  expense,  labor,  and  suffering, 
at  which  these  benefits  are  obtained  for  them.  Let  us  apply,  or 
rather  attempt  to  apply,  these  measures  to  the  case  before  us,  and 
we  shall  be  obliged  to  confess,  that  this  love  "  passes  knowledge." 

The  salvation  which  is  by  Christ,  includes  deliverance  from 
numerous,  varied,  immense,  unending  evils.  It  is  deliverance 
from  "perishing."  It  includes  also  restoration  to  numerous,  va- 
ried, immense,  unending  blessings.  It  is  the  enjoyment  of  "  eter- 
nal life."  It  is  deliverance  from  evil,  moral  and  physical,  in  all 
its  forms,  and  in  all  its  degrees,  for  ever  and  ever ;  and  the  pos- 
session of  a  happiness  suited  to,  and  filling  to  an  overflow,  all  our 
capacities  of  enjoyment  during  the  whole  eternity  of  our  being. 
When  we  think  of  the  number,  and  variety,  and  value  of  the ' 
heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings  bestowed  on  us,  we  must  acknowl- 
edge that  it  is  "  great  Igve"  wherewith  God  loves  us ;  when  we 
reflect  on  the  inheritance,  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth 
not  away,  we  are  constrained  to  say,  the  merc}^  which  bequeathes 
it,  "is  abundant  .mercy."  This  measure  we  can  but  very  inade- 
quately apply.  Only  the  hopelessly  lost  know  what  the  salvation  ■ 
of  Christ  delivers  from.  Only  the  blessed  in  heaven  know  what 
the  salvation  of  Christ  exalts  to.  Even  they  know  these  things 
imperfectly.  Eternity  will  be  ever  disclosing  new  horrors  in  the 
one,  new  glories  in  the  other. 

If  we  attempt  to  apply  the  second  principle,  we  soon  arrive  at 
the  same  result.  To  obtain  these  blessings,  the  Son  of  God  must 
become  incarnate,  and  obey,  and  suffer,  and  die.  *  "  God  spared  > 
not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  in  our  room  as  the  victim 
for  our  transgressions.  He  made  him  who  knew  no  sin,  a  sin- 
offering  in  our  room.  He  made  to  meet  on  him  the  iniquities  of 
us  all.  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him ;  and  he  was  wounded 
for  our  iniquities,  bruised  for  our  transgressions,  and  the  chastise- 
ment of  our  peace  was  on  him.  He  who  was  in  the  form  of  God, 
and  who  thought  it  no  robbery,  to  be  equal  with  God,  made  him- 
self of  no  reputation,  took  on  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and 
humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  to  death,  even  the  death 
of  the  cross."*"  If  it  was  a  strong  proof  of  the  regard  of  Abra- 
ham to  God,  that  he  did  not  withhold  his  son,  his  only  son,  from 
him,  how  shall  we  estimate  the  love  of  God  to  a  lost  world,  which 
led  him  to  give  his  own,  his  only  begotten,  his  beloved  Son,  that 
he  might  give  himself,  a  sacrifice  and  an  offering  for  man's  sal- 
vation ! 

§  2.  The  love  of  God  to  the  world  the  origin  of  the  plan  of  salvation. 

There  is  another  idea  to  which  I  wish  for  a  little  to  turn  your 
attention  on  this  part  of  the  subject.  The  love  in  which  the 
economy  of  salvation  originates,  is  love  to  the  world.  "God  so 
loved  the  world,  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son."     The  term 

83  Rora.  viiL  32.     2  Cor.  v.  2L     Isa.  liii.  5,  6.     Phil.  ii.  6-8. 
TOL.  I.  4 


50  TUE   GOSPEL   OF   THE    KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

"  world,"  is  here  jiirit  equivalent  to  maiikind.  It  ^cins  to  be  used 
by  our  Lord  with  a  reference  to  the  very  limited  and  exclusive 
views  of  the  Jews.  They  thought  God  loved  them,  and  hated  all 
the  other  nations  of  mankind.  .These  were  their  own  feelings, 
and  they  foolishly  thought  .that  God  was  altogether  such  an  one 
as  themselves.  They  accordingly  expected  that  the  Messiah  was 
to  come  to  deliver  Israel,  and  to  punish  and  destroy  the  other  na- 
tions of  the  earth.  But  "God's  ways  were  not  their  ways,  nor 
his  thoughts  their  thoughts.  As  the  heavens  are  high  above  the 
earth,  so  were  his  w^ays  above  their  ways,  and  his  thoughts  above 
theii' thoughts."" 

Some  have  supposed  that  the  word  "  world"  here,  is  descriptive, 
not  of  mankind  generally,  but  of  the  Avhole  of  a  particular  class, 
that  portion  of  mankind  who,  according  to  the  Divine  purpose  of 
merc}^,  shall  ultimately  become  partakers  of  the  salvation  of 
Christ.  But  this  is  to  give  to  the  term  a  meaning  altogether  un- 
warranted by  the  usage  of  Scripture.  There  can  be  no  doubt  in 
the  mind  of  a  peraon  who  understands  the  doctrine  of  personal 
election,  that  those  who  are  actually  saved  are  the  objects  of  a 
special  love  on  the  part  of  God ;  and  that  the  oblation  of  the 
Saviour  had  a  special  design  in  reference  to  them.  But  there  can 
be  as  little  doubt,  that  the  atonement  of  Christ  has  a  general 
reference  to  mankind  at  large ;  and  that  it  was  intended  as  a  dis- 
play of  love  on  the  part  of  God  to  out  guilty  race.  Not  merely 
was  the  atonement  offered  by  Christ  Jesus  sufficient  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  whole  world,  but  it  was  intended  and  fitted  to  remove 
out  of  the  w^  of  the  salvation  of  sinners  generally,  every  bar 
which  the  perfections  of  the  Divine  moral  cliaracter,  and  the 
principles  of  the  Divine  moral  government,  presented.  Without 
that  atonement,  no  sinner  could  have  been  pardoned  in  consist- 
ency with  justice.  In  consequence  of  that  atonement,  every  sin- 
ner may  be,  and  if  he  believe  in  Jesus  certainly  shall  be,  pardoned 
and  saved.  Through  the  medium  of  this  atonement,  the  Divine 
Being  is  revealed  to  sinners,  indiscriminateh',  as  gracious  and 
ready  to  forgive;  and  the  invitations  and  promises  warranting 
men  to  confide  in  Christ  for  salvation,  are  addressed  to  all,  and 
are  true  and  applicable  to  all  without  exception  or  restric- 
tion. 

The  revelation  of  mercy  made  in  the  Gospel,  refers  to  men  a.s 
sinners,  not  as  elect  sinners.  Their  election,  or  their  non-election, 
is  something  of  which,  when  called  on  to  believe  the  Gospel,  they 
are  necessarily  entirely  ignorant,  and  Avith  which  they  have  nothing 
to  do.  "  The  kindness  and  love  of  God  toward  man,"  the  Divine 
philanthropy,  is  revealed.  "God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the 
world  to  himself"  He  appears  in  the  revelation  of  mercy  as  the 
God  who  "has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked;  who 
■wiUeth  all  men  to  be  saved  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth."     "  The  grace  of  God"  revealed  in  the  Gospel  "  brings  sal- 

"  Iflo.  Iv.  8,  9. 


PART  v.]    THE  LOVE  OF  GOD  THE  ORIGIN  OF  SALVATION.     51 

vation  to  all,"  without  exception,  who  in  the  faith  of  the  truth 
will  receive  it.^* 

I  am  persuaded  that  the  doctrine  of  personal  election  is  very 
plainly  taught  in  Scripture;  but  I  am  equally  persuaded  that  the 
minister  misunderstands  that  doctrine  who  finds  it,  in  the  least 
degree,  hampering  him  in  presenting  a  full  and  a  fi'ee  salvation  as 
the  gift  of  God  to  every  one  who  hears  the  Gospel ;  and  that  the 
man  abuses  the  doctrine  who  finds  in  it  anything  which  operates 
as  a  barrier  in  the  way  of  his  receiving,  as  a  sinner,  all  the  bless- 
ings of  the  christian  salvation,  in  the  belief  of  the  truth.  Indeed, 
when  rightly  understood,  it  can  have  no  such  effect.  For  what 
is  that  doctrine,  but  just  this,  in  other  words, — '  It  is  absolutely 
certain  that  a  vast  multitude  of  the  race  of  man  shall  be  saved 
through  Christ?'  And  it  is  as  certain,  that  if  any  one'  of  those 
to  whom  that  salvation  is  offered,  remains  destitute  of  it,  and 
perishes  eternally,  it  is  entirely  owing  to  his  own  obstinate  refusal 
of  what  is  freely,  honestly,  presented  to  him.  The  kindness  of 
God,  as  manifested  in  the  gift  of  his  Son,  is  kindness  to  the  race 
of  man  ;  and  when,  as  an  individual,  I  credit  tlie  kindness  of  God 
to  man,  so  strangely  displayed,  so  abimdantly  proved,  I  cannot 
find  any  reason  why  I  should  not  depend  on  this  kindness,  and 
expect  to  be  saved  even  as  others. 

Whenever  a  man  hesitates  about  placing  his  dependence  on  the 
merc}^  of  God,  because  he  is  not  sure  whether  he  be  elected  or 
not,  he  gives  clear  evidence  that  he  does  not  yet  understand  the 
Gospel.  He  does  not  apprehend  "the  manifestation  of  the  love 
of  God  to  man."  When  he  sees  God  in  Christ  reconciling  the 
world  to  himself,  "he  does  not  need  to  ask,  Is  the  plan  of  mercy 
such  as  I  am  warranted  to  embrace  ?  may  I  not  somc^how  be  ex- 
cluded from  availing  myself  of  it?  These,  and  similar  sugges- 
tions, which  draw  away  his  mind  from  the  voice  of  God  to  the 
speculations  of  his  own  mind,  are  no  more  regarded."  He  sees 
God  rich  in  mercy,  ready  to  forgive ;  just,  and  the  justifier  of  the 
ungodly.  He  canoQt  but  place  his  confidence  in  him.  "  Jehovah," 
as  it  has  been  happily  said,  "by  t!ie  manifestation  of  wliat  he  has 
done,  especially  in  sending  Christ,  and  delivering  him  up,  the  just 
in  the  room  of  the  unjust,  pleads  his  own  cause  with  such  subdu- 
ing pathos,  that  there  is  no  more  power  of  resistance ;  but  the 
person,  who  is  the  object  of  the  demonstration,  yields  himself  up 
to  the  authority  and  glory  of  the  truth."'^  The  sinner,  thus  cor- 
dially believing  the  Gospel,  gladly  and  gratefully  receives  "the 
Saviour  of  the  world"  as  his  Saviom-,  and  trusts  that  by  the  grace 
of  God  he  shall  partake  of  "the  common  salvation." 

VI. — OF  THE  GUILT  AND  D^IlNGER  OF  THOSE  WHO  DO  NOT  AVAIL 
THEMSELVES  OF  THIS  ECONOMY  OF  SALVATION. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  statement  in  the  text  respecting  the 
guilt  and  the  danger  of  those  who  will  not,  by  believing  the  word, 

8S  Tit,  iii,  4,     2  Cor.  v.  19.     Ezek,  xxxiii,  IL     1  Tim.  ii,  3,  4.     Tit.  ii.  IL 
M  Hogg  of  Alyth — View  of  the  Economy  of  Grace,  pp.  14,  15. 


52  THE   GOSPEL  OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  receive  the  salvation  which  it  reveals 
and  conveys.  These  are  very  stiLkingly  stated  in  the  verses  now 
before  us : — "  He  that  belie veth  not  is  condemned  already,  be- 
cause he  hath  not  beheved  on  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God,  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  has  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light,  because 
their  deeds  are  evil.'"" 

"  He  that  believeth  not,"  is  a  general  description  which  applies 
to  all  who,  while  they  have  an  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  meaning  and  evidence  of  the  revelation  of  mercy,  do 
not  give  credit  to  its  declarations,  whether  this  originates  in  prof- 
ligacy, inconsideration,  or  pride,  in  any  of  its  varieties ;  whether 
it  take  the  negative  form  of  merely  not  believing,  or  the  positive 
form  of  discrediting  and  denying,  the  Divine  testimony.  The 
infidel — ^the  person  who  rejects  the  divine  authority  of  the  chris- 
tian revelation — is  no  doubt  an  unbeliever ;  and  the  person,  too, 
who,  while  he  admits  that  the  New  Testament  is  a  divine  revela- 
tion, yet  denies  its  most  characteristic  doctrines,  such  as  the  divinity 
and  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  radical  depravity  of  human 
nature,  and  the  necessity  of  divine  influence,  in  order  to  the  pro- 
duction, and  maintenance,  and  progress  of  true  holiness  in  the 
human  heart,  is  also  an  unbeliever.  But,  besides  these,  there  are 
multitudes  who  would  resent  keenly  any  attempt  to  class  them 
with  infidels  and  heretics,  who  yet  are,  in  the  Scripture  sense  of  the 
word,  unbelievers.  Every  man  to  whom  "  the  word  of  this  salva- 
tion" comes,  who  does  not  really  believe,  because  God  has  said  it, 
that  "He  has  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and  that  life  is  in  his  Son  ;" 
that  the  "  wages  of  sin  is  death,  and  the  gift  of  God  eternal  life, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord ;"  he  who  does  not  so  count  this 
"a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,"  as  to  place  his 
own  individual  hope  of  final  happiness  on  the  free  grace  of  God 
thus  revealed,  and  as,  under  the  influence  of  "  the  love  of  God 
shed  abroad  in  the  heart"  by  the  faith  of  the  Gospel,  to  "  present 
himself  to  God  a  living  sacrifice;"  that  person,  however  correct 
his  speculative  views  may  be  as  to  the  evidence,  and  even  as  to 
the  substance,  of  christian  truth,  is  an  unbeliever ;  and  with  regard 
to  all  to  whom  the  appellation  unbeliever  can  with  propriety  be 
applied,  it  is  the  declaration  of  our  Lord  that  they  are  "condemned 
already." 

These  words  of  our  Lord  admit  of  two  modes  of  interpretation, 
according  to  the  meaning  which  is  considered  as  belonging  to  the 
principal  word  in  the  declaration,  "condemned,"  The  primary 
meaning  is,  to  be  sentenced  to  punishment,  in  opposition  to  being 
acquitted  or  pardoned.  Supposing  this  to  be  its  meaning  in  the 
passage  before  us,  our  Lord's  words  convey  this  important  truth, 
'  While  he  who  believes  the  testimony  of  God  concerning  his  love 
to  mankind,  manifested  in  his  devoting  his  Son  as  a  victim  for 
their  transgressions,  "  is  not  condemned,"  but  pardoned  and  ac- 
cepted as  righteous — justified  through  believing;  he  that  does  not 
»«  John  iii,  18-21. 


PART  VI.]  SIN   AND   DANGER   OF   UNBELIEVERS.  58 

believe  is  "  already/'  even  now,  condemned — sentenced  to  pun- 
ishment — doomed  to  destruction.'  This  proposition  may  be  un- 
derstood as  conveying  one  or  other  of  two  closely-connected,  yet 
still  distinct  ideas :  either  the  unbeliever  continues  to  lie  under 
the  sentence  of  condemnation  which  he  had  previously  incurred 
as  a  violator  of  the  Divine  law,  or  the  unbeliever  subjects  himself, 
by  the  very  act  of  unbelief,  to  a  new  sentence  of  condemnation. 
Both  these  propositions  are  truths,  and  important  ones. 

When  the  Gospel  comes  to  a  man,  it  finds  him  already  a  sinner, 
doomed  by  the  holy  law  of  God  to  that  death  Avhich,  under  his 
government,  is  the  "  wages  of  sin."  The  Gospel  presents  to  the 
man  a  full  and  free  pardon ;  that  pardon  can,  from  the  nature  of 
the  case,  be  received  only  in  the  faith  of  the  truth ;  and,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  the  unbeliever  continues  without  it ;  he  remains 
as  he  was  before  it  came  to  him — a  condemned  sinner. 

From  what  follows,  however,  we  are  strongly  disposed  to  think, 
that,  supposing  the  word  "  condemn"  to  refer  here  to  the  sentence 
of  condemnation,  the  reference  is  not  so  much  to  the  old  con- 
demnation which  remains,  as  to  the  new  condemnation  which  is 
incurred.  The  unbeliever  is  condemned,  not  only  for  what  he 
had  done  previously  to  the  revelation  of  mercy  being  made 
known  to  him,  but  he  is  emphatically  condemned,  because  he  has 
rejected  this  revelation  of  mercy;  "because  he  has  not  believed 
on  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God;"  trampling,  as  he 
does,  at  once  on  tlje  authority  of  God,  as  manifested  in  the  com- 
mandment which  he  has  given  to  believe  on  his  Son,  and  on  the 
grace  of  God,  as  manifested  in  his  "  not  sparing  his  Son,"  but 
giving  him  for  us  on  the  cross,  and  to  us  in  the  Gospel ;  not  only 
is  he  condemned,  inasmuch  as  he  continues  in  condemnation  in 
consequence  of  his  unbelief,  but  he  is  condemned,  inasmuch  as  he 
incurs  a  new  condemnation  on  account  of  it." 

He  is  condemned  "already.""  That  may  signify,  either  'He 
is  even  now  condemned;  in  not  beheving,  he  contracts  guilt ;  he 
subjects  himself  to  punishment ;' — oi ,  '  He  is  already  sentenced 
to  punishment.  Not  only  will  he  be  condemned  at  last,  but  the 
sentence  of  condemnation  is  already  passed ;  and  if  it  be  not  re- 
versed, the  judgment  of  the  last  day  will  only  confirm  that  sen- 
tence.' It  may  be  said,  where  is  the  doom  of  the  unbeliever  to 
be  found  ?  we  reply,  it  is  to  be  found  in  that  book,  according  to 
which  the  sentences  of  the  great  day  will  be  regulated.  "  He  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned.""^ 

*'  "  Henceforward,  he  who  is  contiemned  must  not  complain  of  Adam  and  his 
inborn  sin;  'the  seed  of  the  woman,'  promised  by  God  to  'bruise  the  head  of 
the  serpent,'  is  now  come,  and  has  atoned  for  sin,  and  taken  away  condemnation ; 
but  he  must  cry  out  against  himself,  for  not  having  accepted  and  believed  in  this 
Christ,  the  devil's  head-bruiser  and  sin-strangler.  If  I  do  not  believe  the  same, 
sin  and  condemnation  must  continue;  because  he  who  is  to  deliver  me  from  it  is 
not  taken  hold  of;  nay,  it  will  be  a  doubly  great  and  heavy  sin  and  condemna- 
tion that  I  will  not  believe  in  the  dear  Saviour  by  whom  I  might  be  helped,  nor 
accept  his  redemption." — Luther. 

"^  "  Prfeteritum  verbi  tempus  f/Kparucuc  posuit,  quo  melius  exprimeret  de  omni- 
bus incredulis  actum  esse." — Calvin.  "  Mark  xvi.  16. 


54  THE   GOSPEL   OF   THE   KINGDOM.      '  [EXP,  I. 

Proceeding  still  on  the  principle  that  "  condemn"  means  here 
sentenced  to  punishment,  the  19th  verse  must  be  considered  as 
explanatory  of  the  Divine  judicial  sentence  announced  in  the  18th 
verse,  and  as  a  vindication  of  it  from  every  imputation  of  undue 
severity  or  injustice.  "  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light 
has  come  into  the  world,  and  that  men  have  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil. '  According  to  this  mode 
of  interpretation,  "condemnation"  is  equivalent  to  'the  cause  of 
condemnation:'  this  is  the  reason  why  the  unbeliever  is  con- 
demned. "Light"' — that  is,  truth,  and  its  evidence — holy  benig- 
nant truth,  calculated  to  make  men  wise,  and  good,  and  happy — 
this  "has  come  into  the  world  ;"  a  plain  and  well-accredited  rev- 
elation has  been  made  of  it.  It  appeared,  embodied  in  the  person 
of  the  incarnate  Son,  "  God  manifested  in  flesli,"  the  revealer  of 
truth,  the  author  of  salvation ;  and  of  him  as  the  image  of  God, 
we  have  an  accurate  representation  "in  the  word  of  the  truth  of 
the  Gospel." 

If  men,  to  whom  this  revelation  comes,  continue  in  ignorance, 
and  guilt,  and  depravity,  and  misery,  it  is  not  because  they  have 
not  the  means  of  obtaining  the  knowledge,  the  favor,  the  image, 
and  the  fellowship  of  God.  These  are  brought  very  near  them, 
and  pressed  on  their  acceptance.  The  true  account  of  their  con- 
duct is,  "  they  love  darkness  rather  than  light ;"  and  it  shows  that, 
however  miserable  they  are,  and  are  likely  to  be,  they  themselves 
are  the  authors  of  all  that  misery,  by  obstinately  refusing  what 
the  Divine  kindness  has  provided  for  them ;  they  prefer  igno- 
rance to  knowledge,  error  to  truth,  sin  to  holiness ;  and,  in  effect, 
misery  to  happiness. 

It  is  added,  as  the  reason  why  they  act  so  irrational  as  well  as 
wicked  a  part,  "because  their  deeds  are  evil."  "Deeds"  here 
are  not  to  be  restricted  to  external  actions,  nor  are  we  to  suppose 
that  the  persons  referred  to  by  our  Lord  are  exclusively  the 
openly  wicked  and  notoriously  profligate.  The  word  "  deeds"  is 
to  be  interpreted  with  a  reference  to  that  law  to  which  man  is  sub- 
ject, which  is  spiritual,  "  a  discerncr  of  the  thoughts  and  intents 
of  the  heart ;"  and  includes  evil  desires  and  affections,  as  well  as 
what  are  more  properly  denominated  "  deeds."  Paul  enumerates, 
among  the  "works""' or  deeds  of  the  flesh,  "hatred,  wrath, 
envy."  "  The  old  man  and  his  deeds'''  is  descriptive  of  the  whole 
frame  of  habits,  whether  internal  or  external,  which  characterize 
our  fallen  unchanged  nature.  When  our  Lord  says  "  their  deeds 
are  evil,"  it  is  equivalent  to,  'they  are  depraved  and  unholy  ;'  and, 
consequently,  the  words  are  a  declaration  that  all  unbelief  of  the 
Gospel  has  a  moral  cause,  and  that  tliat  cause  is  evil;  that,  if  men 
do  not  believe  it,  it  is  not  at  all  because  the  statements  it  contains 
are  unintelligible,  or  the  evidence  on  which  they  rest  defective, 
but  it  is  because  they  love  sin,  and  are  determined  to  live  in  it." 

'*  fpya. 

"  I  earnestly  reeomtneiul  to  the  reador'u  perusal  Dr.  Wardlaw's  illustration  of 
these  verses,  iu  his  able  little  work,  entitled  "Man  Uesponsible  for  his  belief." 


PART  VI.]     SIN  AND  DANGER  OF  UNBELIEVERS.  55 

Sucli  is  tlie  mode  in  wliicli  these  words  liave  been  ordinarily 
interiDreted,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  sense  thus  brought 
out  is  coherent  and  important,  perfectly  harmonious  with  the 
general  scheme  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  New  Testament,  and 
well  fitted  to  serve  the  purpose  which  our  Lord  had  in  view  in 
lus  discourse  to  Nicodemus. 

At  the  same  time,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  does  not  ex- 
actly express  our  Lord's  meaning.  I  apprehend  that,  throughout 
the  whole  discourse,  our  Lord  uses  the  word  "condemn"  as  equiv- 
alent to  '  punish.'  He  emploj^s  it  as  an  antithesis,  not  to  '  pardon' 
or  '  acquit,'  but  to  "  save."  "  For  God  sent  his  Son  into  the 
world,  not  to  conde.mn^'^  that  is,  not  to  punish,  "the  world,  but  to 
save  the  world ;"  not  to  inflict  evil,  but  to  confer  happiness.  In 
the  36th  verse,  "  to  be  saved,"  as  the  certain  effect  of  believing 
in  Christ,  is  described  as  "  having  everlasting  life  ;"  and  what  is 
here  called  "judgment"  or  "condemnation,"  the  effect  of  unbe- 
lief, is  described  as  "having  the  wrath  of  (jod  abiding  on  a  per- 
son." This  variety  of  signification  not  imfrequently  belongs  to 
the  word  as  employed  in  the  New  Testament.""  On  this  principle 
of  interpretation,  which,  upon  the  whole,  we  prefer,  our  Lord's 
meaning  may  be  thus  expressed  :  '  He  that  believeth  is  not  pun-  • 
ished  ;  he  does  not  j)erish ;  no  :  he  is  "  saved,"  "  he  has  everlast- 
ing life."  By  his  faith  he  enters  on  the  enjoyment  of  the  salva- 
tion which  the  Gospel  announces.  But  he  who  does  not  believe, 
he  is  "  punished,"  "  already  punished."  ' 

Some  would  interpret  the  word  "  already"  as  equivalent  to 
*  he  is  as  sure  of  punishment  as  if  he  were  alread}'""  punished ; '  as 
we  say  of  a  man  condemned  to  death,  or  laboring  under  an  in- 
curable disease,  '  he  is  a  dead  man.'  I  rather  think  the  meaning 
is,  'in  not  believing  the  Gospel,  he-  puniskes  himself.'  A  state 
of  unbelief  is  necessarily  a  state  of  perdition.  He  shuts  himself 
out  from  the  enjoyment  of  true  happiness,  which  is  to  be  obtained 
by  man  only  in  the  faith  of  the  truth.  It  is  true  that  he  Avill  be 
punished  more  severely  by  and  by ;  but  he  is  even  now  punisked, 
"because  he  does  not  believe  on  the  name  of  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God." 

"  And  this  is  the  condemnation,"  or  rather  '  punishment.'  In 
this  consists  the  miser}^,  "Light  has  come  into  the  world." 
Light  is  the  emblem  of  knowledge  in  opposition  to  ignorance ;  of 
truth  in  opposition  to  error ;  of  holiness  in  opposition  to  depravity ; 
of  happiness  in  opposition  to  misery.  "Light  has  come  into  the 
world,"  is  just  equivalent  to,  '  The  means  of  obtaining  knowledge, 
wisdom,  pardon,  holiness,  and  happiness,  have  been  furnished  to 
men.'  But  "  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  the  light."  The  un- 
believer obstinately  refuses  to  avail  himself  of  these,  and  puniskes 
himself  by  excluding  himself  from  the  enjoyment  of  all  these 
blessings.  He  prefers  ignorance  to  knowledge,  error  to  truth,  sin 
to  holiness  ;  and  thus,  in  efl'cct,  misery  to  happiness.  Is  not  suck 
a  person  "  punished  already"  in  the  necessary  consequences  "of 

'"  Acts  vii.  7.     'J  Thess.  ii.  12.     Ileb.  xiii.  4.     Ecv.  svi.  5. 


56  THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE   KINGDOM.  [EXP.  I. 

his  wilful  unbelief?  For  it  is  wilful.  The  cause  is  not,  that  the 
revelation  is  too  obscure  to  be  understood,  too  weakly  supported 
to  be  credited ;  it  is,  that  "  their  deeds  are  evil,"  the  whole  frame 
of  their  sentiments,  and  dispositions,  and  habits,  is  depraved. 

How  this  operates  in  preventing  men  from  believing  the 
Gospel  is  explained  by  our  Lord  in  the  20th  and  21st  verses. 
"  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh 
to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved.  But  he  that 
doeth  truth  cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  be  made 
manifest  that  they  are  wrought  in  God." 

In  these  verses,  our  Lord  refers,  I  apprehend,  directly  to  the 
different  reception  his  Gospel  was  to  meet  with  from  different 
classes  of  his  countrymen.  Such  of  them  as  were  entirely  car- 
nal in  their  desires  and  expectations  in  reference  to  the  Messiah, 
would  reject  him  and  his  doctrine.  They  would  not  "  come  to 
the  light  lest  their  deeds  should  be  reproved"  or  exposed.  They 
would  not  embrace' — nay,  they  would  not  even  examine — a  sys- 
tem which,  instead  of  promising  to  gratify  their  fond  carnal  ex- 
pectations, required  them  to  relinquish  them ;  and  wliich  offered 
only  a  holy  spiritual  happiness,  for  which  they  had  no  rehsh. 
They  had  no  desire  to  be  awakened  from  their  dreams ;  and 
therefore,  they  tried  to  extinguish  the  light  which  threatened  to 
break  their  repose.  On  the  other  hand,  those  among  the  Jews 
who  "did  truth,"  that  is,  whose  characters  were  formed,  and 
whose  conduct  was  guided,  by  that  comparatively  obscure  revela- 
tion of  truth  which  they  had  received ;  such  men  as  the  apostles, 
who  with  the  exception  of  Judas,  seem  all,  however  imper- 
fect and  incorrect  their  notions  might  be,  to  have  been  looking 
for  something  more  in  the  Messiah  than  a  merely  temporal  de- 
liverer; who  were  "Israelites  indeed,  in  whom  there  was  no 
guile  ;"  men,  whose  knowledge  and  faith  were  very  limited,  but 
who  lived  under  the  influence  of  the  will  of  God,  so  far  as  they 
knew  it ;  such  men  would  gladly  hail  "  the  day-spring  from  on 
high  visiting  them,"  and  "  come  unto  the  light,  that  their  deeds 
might  be  made  manifest,  that  they  were  wrought  in  God,""  that 
is,  in  conformity  to  God's  will.  They  would  readily  avail  them- 
selves of  the  means  of  discovering  how  far  they  were  right,  and 
of  having  their  whole  frame  of  sentiments  and  affections  brought 
into  a  more  complete  conformity  to  the  Divine  will.  Such  ap- 
pears to  me  the  meaning  and  reference  of  this  portion  of  our  Sa- 
viour's discourse. 

Before  concluding,  it  may  serve  a  good  purpose  to  bring  to- 
gether, in  a  brief  statement,  the  great  truths  whether  taught  in 
this  passage  or  elsewhere,  respecting  the  fatal  consequences  of 
refusing  or  neglecting  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  merciful  provis- 
ions of  the  Divine  economy  of  salvation.  They  may  be  all  re- 
duced, I  think,  to  the  three  following:  1st,  The  unbeliever  con- 
tinues under  the  sentence  of  condemnation  which  he  has  already 

"  It  is  an  ingenious  thought  of  (Campbell,  tlmt  these  words  were  intended  as  a 
mild  rebuke  to  JN'icodemus  for  coming  "  by  night." 


PART  VI.]     SIN  AND  DANGER  OF  UNBELIEVERS.  57 

incurred  by  his  other  violations  of  tlie  Divine  law ;  2d,  He  ex- 
cludes himself  from  the  enjoj^ment  of  those  benefits  which  can 
be  obtained  only  by  the  faith  of  the  truth ;  and  8d,  He  exposes 
himself  to  a  new  and  heavier  sentence  of  condemnation  on  ac- 
count of  his  unbelief,  which  is  disobedience  to  the  great  com- 
mandment of  God  under  the  new  economy,  direct  opposition  to 
the  favorite  purpose  of  God,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  the 
salvation  of  sinners  through  the  mediation  of  his  Son.  Let  us 
very  briefly  illustrate  these  three  remarks : — 

1st,  The  unbeliever  continues  under  the  sentence  of  condem- 
nation which  he  has  already  incurred  by  his  other  violations  of 
the  Divine  law.  The  man  called  to  believe  the  Gospel  is  already 
a  sinner.  "  For  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God,"  i.  e.  'have  lost  the  Divine  approbation."'  The  notion  of 
a  universal  pardon — if,  by  this,  anything  else  is  meant  than  that, 
by  the  atonement  of  Christ,  all  bars  in  the  Avay  of  the  salvation 
of  men,  arising  from  the  law  or  justice  of  God,  are  removed,  and 
pardon  freely  offered  to  all — it  is  a  baseless,  and  delusive,  and  ruin- 
ous dream.  "  Whatsoever  things  the  law  says,  it  says  to  them 
under  the  law,  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  the  whole 
world  be  brought  in  guilt}^  before  God.'""*  There  is  but  one  way 
of  obtaining  deliverance  from  this  burden  of  guilt.  Men  must 
believe  in  Jesus,  that  they  may  obtain  the  forgiveness  of  sin ;""" 
if  they  do  not,  their  guilt  remains.  There  is  no  expiation  for  sin 
but  the  atonement  of  Christ,  no  saving  interest  in  that  atone- 
ment but  through  believing.  The  unbeliever  must  continue 
under  the  power  of  guilt,  just  as  the  patient,  under  the  influence 
of  disease,  who  refuses  to  use  the  only  and  the  effectual  remedy. 
But  this  is  not  all, 

2d,  The  unbeliever  excludes  himself  from  those  benefits  which 
can  be  obtained  only  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  can 
be  enjoyed  only  in  the  belief  of  the  truth.  The  believer,  "  being 
justified  by  faith,  has  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  by  whom  also,  he  has  access  by  faith  into  this  grace 
wherein  he  stands,  and  rejoices  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God ;  and 
joys  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  His  heart  is  pu- 
rified through  believing.  "  This  is  the  victory  which  overcometh 
the  world,  even  his  faith,"  and  he  has  "joy  and  peace  in  believ- 
ing."' Through  the  faith  of  the  truth  he  is  conformed  to  the 
Divine  image,  made  to  think  along  with  Godj  and  will  along 
with  God.  He  thus  obtains  a  permanent  source  of  powerful 
motive  to  duty,  and  of  abundant  consolation  and  suffering.  In 
the  faith  of  the  truth,  "  he  has  in  him  a  well  of  living  water 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  Now,  from  all  this,  the  un- 
believer wilfully  excludes  himself.  He  cannot,  just  because  he 
is  an  unbeliever,  participate  in  these  exalted  blessings ;  and  he 
must,  just  because  he  is  an  unbeliever,  continue  under  the  press- 
ure of  the  corresponding  evils.     Fear,  remorse,  and  all  the  misery 

»«  Rom.  iii.  23.  »^  Rom.  iii.  19.  '""  Gal.  ii.  16. 

'  Rom.  V.  1,  11.     Acts  XV.  9.     1  John  v.  4.     Rom.  xv.  13. 


58  THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE  KINGDOM.         [EXP.  I, 

of  untamed  passions,  and  unsatisfied  desires — those  vultures  of 
the  mind — ^must  be  his  portion.     But  even  this  is  not  all. 

3d,  The  unbeliever  exposes  himself  to  a  new  and  lieavier  sen- 
tence of  condemnation  on  account  of  liis  unbelief  That  not  to 
believe  a  Divine  revelation' — the  terms  of  which  are  level  to  our 
apprehension,  and  the  evidence  of  which  would  be  satisfactory  to 
our  reason,  were  it  carefully  and  candidly  weighed,  is  criminal, 
and  criminal  in  a  high  degree,  is  just  about  as  evident  as  any 
principle  in  morals  can  be.  That  unbelief  is  a  sin,  and  a  great 
one,  involving  deep  guilt,  and  exposing  to  correspondingly  severe 
punishment,  is  very  obviously  the  doctrine  of  Scripture.  To  de- 
spise the  Divine  invitation,  to  disobey  the  Divine  command,  can- 
not surely  be  innocent  or  safe.  The  following  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture place  in  a  very  strong  light  the  sinfulness  of  unbelief,  and 
the  awful  responsibility  which  it  involves.  '-And  when  he  is 
come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and 
of  judgment ;  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me."*  "  And 
he  said  unto  them,  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth,  and  is  baptized, 
shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned,"* 
"  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life :  and  he  that 
believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him."'  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath 
the  witness  in  himself :  he  that  believeth  not  God  hath  made  him 
a  liar ;  because  he  believeth  not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his 
Son."^  "  The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  Avith  his 
mighty  angels  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that 
know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power ;  when 
he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in 
all  them  that  believe  (because  our  testimony  among  you  was  be- 
lieved), in  that  day.'"" 

There  is  no  part  of  the  christian  system  more  unpalatable  to 
worldly  men  than  this, — '  That  if  a  man,  however  correct  in  his 
manners,  however  amiable  in  his  temper  and  character, — do  not 
believe  the  Gospel,  he  must  perish  everlastingly.'  It  seems  to 
them  a  hard  saying,  and  they  cannot  receive  it.  But  let  us  look 
at  the  case  as  it  really  is,  and  we  must  be  persuaded,  that  this 
Divine  appointment  is  in  the  highest  degree  reasonable  and  right. 
We  may  borrow  an  illustration  from  the  case  of  the  Israelites. 
I  can  suppose  that,  among  the  murmurers  against  Moses  and  God, 
there  was  a  man,  very  respectable  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the 
term,  who,  on  being  stung  by  a  serpent,  concluded  that  *  a  chance 
had  happened  hiin,'  and  used  the  ordinary  means  of  cure;  and  on 
hearing  vhat  Moses  had  done  and 'proclaimed,  smiled  inwardly 
at  the  folly  of  those  who  could  expect  to  be  cured  by  looking  at 
a  brazen  serpent ;  and  determined  that  he  should  die  sooner  than 

2  John  xvi.  8,  0.  '  JIailc  \vi.  15,  16.  *  John  iii.  3G. 

'  1  John  V.  10.  °  2  Thcss.  i.  7-10. 


PAET  VI.]  SIN  AND  DANGER  OF  UNBELIEVEER.  59 

degrade  himself  bj  fanatical  foll}^  Would  there  have  been  any- 
thing hard  in  allov.dng  this  man  to  suffer  the  naturiil  results  of 
his  ungodly  pride  ?  And  yet,  if  that  man  had  been  left  to  die, 
it  would  have  been  just,  because  he  wanted  faith.  All  have 
sinned.  The  most  amiable  and  usefid  man  in  the  world  is  a  sin- 
ner. The  interests  of  intelligent  creatures,  equally  with  the  honor 
of  God,  require  that  sin  should  not  go  without  a  distinct  mark  of 
Divine  disapprobation.  Every  sinner  deserves  to  be  punished. 
Grod  has  provided,  at  immense  cost,  a  method  for  saving  sinners. 
He  has  given  a  plain  account  of  this  to  men,  accompanied  with 
satisfactory  evidence  tliat  that  account  comes  from  him.  He  has 
so  arranged  it,  as  that  without  the  belief  of  this  account,  the  in- 
dividual sinner  cannot  obtain  the  advantage  of  this  only  method 
of  salvation.  Is  there  anything  wrong,  anything  hard  in  this? 
And  if,  as  very  t)ften  liappens,  amiable,  respectable,  worldly  men, 
because  in  this  method  of  salvation  there  is  something  that  shocks 
their  prejudices,  and  is  at  war  with  their  pride  and  other  propen- 
sities, choose  to  remain  ignorant  amid  the  means  of  information, 
and  harden  themselves  in  unbelief,  in  the  face  of  evidence, — are 
they  not  guilty  of  impiety  in  one  of  its  v.'orst  forms  ?  and  if  there 
is  power  in  the  arm  of  God,  can  it'be  more  appropriately  put  forth 
than  against  men,  who  treat  the  God  of  truth  as  if  he  were  a  liar 
— the  all- wise  God  as  if  he  were  a  fool,' — 'who  trample  on  Divine 
condescension,  and  defy  Divine  vengeance  ? 

We  conclude  with  again  proclaiming  the  glad  tidings,  and,  in 
the  name  of  God,-  calling  on  all  to  believe  them.  "  Hear  and  your 
souls  shall  live."  "  All  things  are  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled  us 
to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of 
reconciliation ;  to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them  ;  and 
hath  committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation.  Now;  then 
we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you 
by  us :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God. 
For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin  ;  that 
we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  "  We 
then,  as  workers  together  with  him,  beseech  you  also  that  ye  re- 
ceive not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain.  For  he  saith,  I  have  heard 
thee  in  a  time  accepted,  and  in  the  day  of  salvation  have  I  suc- 
cored thee :  behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now  is 
the  day  of  salvation."  "Wisdom  crieth  without;  she  uttereth 
her  voice  in  the  streets:  she  crieth  in  the  chief  place  of  concourse, 
in  the  openings  of  the  gates :  in  the  city  she  uttereth  her  words, 
saying,  How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye  love  simplicity  ?  and 
the  scorners  delight  in  their  scorning,  and  fools  hate  knowledge? 
Turn  you  at  my  reproof:  behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto 
you,  I  will  make  known  my  words  unto  ybu.  Because  I  have 
called,  and  ye  refused ;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no 
man  regarded :  but  ye  have  set  at  nought  all  ■  my  counsel,  and 
would  none  of  my  reproof:  I  also  v.dll  laugh  at  your  calamity;  I 
will  mock  when  your  fear  cdrneth ;  when  your  fear  "cometh  as 


60  NOTES.  [EXP,  I. 

desolation,  and  your  destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind ;  wlien 
distress  and  anguish  cometh  upon  you.  Then  shall  they  call 
upon  me,  but  I  will  not  answer;  they  shall  seek  me  early,  but 
they  shall  not  find  me ;  for  that  they  hated  knowledge,  and  did 
not  choose  the  fear  of  the  Lord :  they  would  none  of  my  counsel ; 
they  despised  all  my  reproof:  therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the  fruit 
of  their  own  way,  and  be  filled  with  their  own  devices.  For  the 
turning  away  of  the  simple  shall  slay  them,  and  the  prosperity 
of  fools  shall  destroy  them.  But  whoso  hearkeneth  unto  me 
shall  dwell  safely,  and  shall  be  quiet  from  fear  of  evil.'" 


Note  A,  p.  25, 

" 'J7  BacTtXsln  tov  0eov. — "AvmOsv.  The  meaning  of  j?«ct.  t.  deov, 
kingdom  of  God,  must  here  be  explahied.  The  Jewish  theologians  re- 
garded the  heavenly  world  of  spirits  either  under  the  image  of  a  family 
of  God,  "ifeir  NibiDS,  or  they  considered  it  under  the  image  of  a  state ; 
— the  angels  as  princes  and  citizens,  God  as  the  king.  Again,  the 
Jewish  theologians  knew  that  their  external  theocracy  was  designed  to 
represent  a  royal  priesthood,  and  people  consecrated  to  God,  Exod.  xix. 
6.  Now,  on  account  of  this  destination,  they  regarded  their  theocracy 
as  an  earthly  image  of  that  heavenly  realm  of  spirits,  and  named  it 
W\xra  n^isb^,  heavenly  state.  But  as  it  was  obvious  that  the  ancient 
theocracy  did  not  fully  realize  this  elevated  destination,  and  as  the  proph- 
ets had  pointed  to  the  Messianic  time  as  that  in  which  the  theocracy 
should  be  glorified,  and  brought  nearer  to  its  true  state,  the  Messianic 
kingdom  received,  sensu  eminentiori,  the  name  of  CJ^'JS  rflslp?3  .  So  it  is 
already  in  Daniel  vii.  in  the  Chald.  Targum  on  Isa.  xl.  0,  in  the  Medrasch 
on  Schir  Ilaschirim,  and  in  many  other  places.  Synonymous  with  this 
term  were  also  the  expressions,  i<>'b"^S  st^'^,  higher  world,  ^yr\  obiS, 
future  world,  z.'byi^'\''_  5<^?^n"i ,  the  Jerusalem  above.  All  that  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine  permits  the  Christian  to  hope  concerning  his  fellowship  with 
Christ  in  a  future  life,  the  Israelite  expected  from  the  Messianic  king- 
dom In  this  the  idea  of  an  hereafter  was  disclosed  to  them ;  for  the  dead 
were  then  to  rise,  in  order  to  participate  in  it.  This  meaning  of  the 
word,  peculiar  to  the  Old  Testament,  now  passed  over  into  the  writings 
of  the  New  Testament ;  only  with  such  modifications  as  were  consistent 
with  the  fact,  that  the  Messianic  period  had  actually  commenced  with 
Christ,  According  to  the  revelation  of  the  New  Testament,  we  must 
now  distinguish  two  divisions  of  the  Messianic  period ;  the  one,  in  which 
it  is  something  that  develops  itself  internally,  and  the  other  when  it  will 
appear  externally  visible  and  glorified,  at  the  end  of  time.  In  the  one 
point  of  view,  then  ,'?"</.  t.  6.  is  something  internally /Jrfse;?;;  in  the  other 
aspect,  it  is  something  externally /(/iwrc,  though  both  arc  essentially  the 
same,  and  the  latter  is  only  the  highest  completion  of  the  former.  Among 
the  recent  writers,  Olshausen  has  apprehended  the  conception  of  §aa.  t, 

'  2  Cor.  V.  18-21 ;  vi.  1,  2.     Trov.  i.  20-33. 


EXP.  I.]  NOTES.  61- 

oi'iQ,  in  the  most  spiritual  manner,  Comm.  zum.  N.  T.  Th.  I.  s.  150.  In 
the  most  general  sense,  we  should  translate :  The  Messianic  kingdom ; 
but,  at  the  same  time,  it  will  be  necessary  to  keep  in  view  the  develop- 
ment given  above,  in  order  to  be  reminded  of  the  different  references 
involved  in  the  expression.  'IdeTr,  according  to  the  Hebrew  idiom,  as 
well  as  ysveaOni,  means  to  experience,  Psal.  Ixxxix,  49  :  xvi.  10 ;  infra  iii. 
36  ;  viii.  51,  52,  &c.  "Avmdsv  may  be  the  same  with  ovoap^dev^  from 
heaven,  v.  31;  xix.  11.;  James  i.  17.  So  Orig.,  Theophyl.,  Erasm. 
Philo  also,  de  Gig.  ed.  Fr.  p.  285,  uses  the  expression  cifudev  qpdoaoqiETy 
to  designate  a  heavenly  mode  of  thought,  for  which  Mangey  unnecessarily 
wishes  to  substitute  dfoi^wj.  The  ex  6sov  ye**'.,  i.  13,  might  then  be  com- 
pared with  it.  But  it  is  better  in  the  sense  of  ni^Xtv^  for  so  Nicodemus 
understood  it,  v.  4,  since  SevisQoy  stands  there  in  the  place  of  it;  and  in 
regard  to  this  point  simply,  Christ  could  not  have  been  misunderstood 
by  Nicodemus,  for  the  conversation  was  carried  on  in  the  Aramaean  lan- 
guage, in  which  there  could  be  no  word  of  a  double  meaning  used  ;  this 
manner  of  apprehending  it  is  also  confirmed  by  the  Syriac  and  Coptic 
translations,  by  the  Vulgate,  and -by  almost  all  modern  interpreters. 
The  phrase,  then,  corresponds  to  (ifityErvrjcng  and  nuXiyyevsahx,  1  Pet. 
i.  3  ;  Tit.  iii.  5.  Birth  gives  a  new  existence.  Christ  therefore  means  to 
say  :  He  who  wishes  to  enter  into  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  the  Messiah, 
must  receive  a  new  existence,  a  new  pi'inciple  of  life." — ^Tholuck. 


Note  B,  p.  27. 

"  Many,  like  Calvin,  take  spirit  as  epexegetical  of  water :  aquae 
spirituales  non  fluviales,  and  appeal  to  the  hendiadys.  Matt.  iii.  11.  So 
also  in  Winer,  Ex.  Stud.  p.  140.  Others,  like  Grot,  and  Teller,  under- 
stand a  hendiadys  reversed :  spiritus  aquae  instar  emundans.  Some,  as 
Cocc.  and  Lampe,  understand  by  v'5w^  the  obedienta  pura  of  Christ. 
Zuinglius'  intelligit  per  spiritum  coelestem  operationem  spiritus  Dei ;  per 
aquam  cognitionem,  claritatem,  lucem  coelestem.  Others,  like  Beza, 
Beausobre,  and  Herder,  supposed  that  Christ  referred  to  the  then  well- 
known  rite  of  John's  baptism,  or  that  of  proselytes  ;  and,  as  Beaus.  says, 
it  may  be  translated  without  hesitation  :  Si  quelq'un  n'est  ne  non  seule- 
ment  de  I'eau,  mais  aussi  de  I'esprit,  '  If  any  one  is  not  born,  not  only  of 
water,  but  also  of  the  Spirit.'  Some  also  think  of  a  mystical,  ethereal 
element — the  higher  water — out  of  which  the  spiritual  body  of  man  is 
formed  ;  so  Schubert  (in  v.  Meyer  Blatter  fur  h.  Wahrh.  II.  76.  Ueber 
einige  Bed.  des  Wortes  Wasser  in  der  Schrift,)  and  also  the  Ev.  Schul- 
lehrerb.  Heisen  in  a  Dissert,  von  1727,  shows  that  the  Rabbins  spoke  of 
a  heavenly  water  in  a  mystical  sense,  and  he  believes  that  allusion  is 
here  made  to  the  history  of  creation,  where  The  Spirit  moved  upon  the 
face  of  the  waters.  Finally,  according  to  Erasm.  nvevfia  is  to  be  under- 
stood of  the  air;  Christ  places  figuratively  the  two  purest  spiritual 
elements  in  opposition  to  the  gross  earthly  birth.  The  view  of  Olshausen 
is  peculiar  :  '  The  ideas  of  birth  and  creation  are  very  nearly  allied  ;  as  in 
the  creation  water  appears  as  the  passive  material,  and  Spirit  as  the  form- 
ing power,  so  also  in  the  yerrr^^^Kit  t^  vdocjog  x.  nv.,  being  born  of  water, 
the  Spirit  is  the  creative  power  of  regeneration,  whilst  water  is  the  fem- 
inine principle,  in  repentance  the  purified  element  of  the  soul,  which 
becomes,  as  it  were,  the  mother  of  the  new  man The  inter- 
pretation, then,  which  refers  this  to  baptism,  is  entirely  correct,  only  it 


62  NOTES.  [EXP.  I. 

must  be  understood  ns  intimating,  not  the  sacrament  but  the  idea  of  bap- 
tism.' " — TiioLUCK.     Tliis  view  of  Olshausen  is  strangely  mystical. 

*  NoTK  C,  p.  27. 

"This  passage  is  not  without  difficulty,  and  different  interpretations  of 
it  have  been  given,  which  I  shall  briefly  notice.  They  are  principally 
three.  By  '  flesh,'  most  interpreters  understand  natural  depravity  ;  and 
by  '  spirit,'  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  first  place  ;  and  in  the  second  place, 
tliat  gracious  disposition  of  mind  which  is  implanted  by  the  Spirit.  Ac- 
cording to  this  view,  the  meaning  is  as  follows  :  He  that  is  born  of 
depraved  men  is  himself  depraved ;  but  he  that  is  born  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  is  of  a  divine  disposition ;  as   if  the   sentence  had  run  thus : 

{iyeyBi-vtjfiivoi  in  t^^  (jaQxhg,  aaoxixog  inn  'xul  6  yeyst'i'ijuii'oc  Ix  lou  nvev- 

ftuToc,riifvftuTt>t(i;lau.  'He  that  is  bom  of  the  flesh  is  fleshly;  and  he 
that  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spiritual.'  This  interpretsition  is  quite  agree- 
able to  the  usage  of  the  Scriptures,  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament. 
Others,  however,  suppose  that  our  Lord,  in  these  words,  has  a  reference  to 
the  opinion  entertained  by  the  Jews,  that  they,  in  consequence  of  their 
descent  from  Abraham,  were  the  objects  of  God's  distinguished  love  and 
favor,  and  were  the  only  heirs  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  that  by  '  flesh,' 
therefore,  we  are  to  understand  the  nature  of  man  simply,  or  natural 
nativity,  and  by  '  spirit,'  spiritual  nativity  ;  and  that,  therefore,  our  Lord's 
meaning  is  this  :  He  who  is  born  of  men  is  a  man, — that  is,  by  the  mere 
privilege  of  birth,  a  man  has  nothing  peculiar,  besides  human  nature  and 
the  external  rights  of  kinsmanship ;  but  he  who  is  born  and  changed  by 
the  Divine  Spirit  has  a  divine  disposition  of  mind,  which  is  necessary  in 
order  to  entering  into  the  divine  kingdom.  Our  Lord  added  these  words, 
to  show  that  no  one  by  birth  has  the  right  of  citizenship  in  the  Messiah's 
kingdom,  but  that  this  is  received  only  by  those  divine  dispositions  im- 
planted by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that,  therefore,  regeneration  was  neces- 
sary to  the  Jews.  This  intei-prctation  is  not  inconsistent  with  Scripture 
usage,  and  it  is  by  far  the  most  agreeable  to  the  context  and  the  subjecit 
matter ;  it  is  approved  by  Semler,  and  greatly  commended  by  J.  F. 
Bahrdt,  a  Leipsic  divine.'  Once  more,  others  suppose  that  by  "Spirit' 
we  are  to  understand  spirit  in  general,  therefore,  according  to  the  law 
of  disjunctives,  by  the  word  '  flesh'  we  are  to  understand  body,  and  that 
in  these  words  our  Lord  meant  to  give  an  example,  to  shov/  what  kind 
of  generation  he  intended,  namely,  not  natural,  but  spiritual  generation, 
productive  of  spiritual  effects,  not  the  propagation  of  bodies,  but  the 
transformation  of  souls ;  and  that  his  meaning  was  this :  Like  is  born 
of  like,  of  flesh  is  born  flesh,  of  body  that  which  is  corporeal,  of  spirit 
that  which  is  spiritual ;  that  generation  is  not  by  body,  therefore  it  is 
not  corporeal,  but  by  spirit,  therefore  it  is  spiritual.  Erasnuis  interpret- 
ed the  passage  in  this  way,  and  the  interpretation  of  Chrysostom  is 
much  the  same.'  But  interpret  it  how  you  niay,  it  stands  true ;  that  a 
transformation  of  the  human  spirit  may  be  efTectecl,  and  really  is  cU'ectcd, 
by  the  Divine  Spirit." — Tittmann. 

Note  D,  p.  29. 

"'Earthly  things,'  ru  luiyF.ut^  denote  things  that  are  well  known,  and 

'  Prol.  FcBt.  Nat  Chr.  a  1773,  pnblice  proposita. 
^  Ilom.  XXV.  ill  Jo.  Toni.  viii.  0pp.  p.  144. 


EXP.  I,]  NOTES.  •  63 

more  easy  to  be  understood  :  'Heavenly  things,'  iti  e.iovoi'wiu^  are  things 
of  a  more  abtruse  nature,  less  known,  and  more  difficult  to  be  under- 
stood. The  latter,  indeed,  are  generally  explained  of  things  pertaining 
to  the  kingdom  of  gi'ace  and  glory  ;  the  former,  of  worldly  things  ;  the 
connection,  however,  seems  opposed  to  this  interpretation.  '  Earthly 
things,  are  things  ivhich  occnr  on  earth  and  before  ovr  eyes ;  and  again, 
things  which  may  be  easily  Icnoivn  and  understood  by  all ;  they  are  such 
things  as  those  which  our  Lord  had  hitherto  communicated  to  Nico- 
demus  ;  such  as  :  The  necessity  of  a  change  of  mind  on  the  part  of  the 
Jews,  and  of  their  learning  to  sec,  and  think,  and  act  differently,  if  they 
would  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah ;  these  things  every  one 
could  easily  understand  who  was  acquainted  with  the  perverse  opinions 
and  manners  of  the  Jews  ;  and  therefore  they  are  called  'earthly  things.' 
Heavenly  things,  therefore,  are  properly  things  which  are  done  in  Heaven, 
and  again,  things  which  are  secret,  and,  even  if  revealed,  difficult  to  be  under- 
stood. Of  this  nature  are  the  things  which  our  Lord  immediately  proceeds 
to  inculcate  ;  such  as  :  The  Messiah  is  the  Son  of  God ;  the  Messiah  shall  die 
upon  the  cross  ;  and  by  his  death  shall  procure  redemption,  not  for  the  Jew- 
ish nation  only,  but  for  the  Gentiles  likewise,  and  for  the  whole  human  race ; 
these  things  were  inovoavKx  to  the  Jews  of  that  period,  that  is,  they  were 
high  and  mysterious  doctrines  ;  Paul  several  times  culls  them  '  myster- 
ies,' iitv(iTi'jotiji^  and  Peter'  calls  them  'things  hard  to  be  understood,' 
dvatnijin^  things  which  they  could  not  digest,  and  which  were  altogether 
contrary  to  their  opinion  and  expectation ;  since  they  seem  at  that  time 
•  to  have  had  little  or  no  understanding  of  the  divine  natui-e  of  the  Messiah, 
of  his  death,  and  of  a  salvation  extending  to  the  whole  human  race  ;  they 
supposed,  rather,  that  he  would  be  a  most  illustrious  secular  prince,  that 
he  would  never  die,  but  would  reign  for  ever,  conferring  happiness  on 
the  Jewish  nation  only,  but  destroying  tlie  other  nations." — Tittman. 

Note  E,  p.  30. 

"  Ilia  quidem  Qiristi  cum  Deo  Patre  conjunctio  omnino  perpetua  fuit, 
semperque  continuata  est,  posteaquam  is  ex  caelo  descendit  et  versari  in 
terra  coepit ;  ut,  quamvis  in  terra  habitaret,  tamen  etiamnunc  in  caelo 
esse  iure  diceretur,  tamquam  in  domicilio  proprio  et  suo.  c.  viii.  29  ;  x. 
38  ;  xiv,  9-11 ;  xvi.  15  ;  xvii.  Verumtaraen  hoc  loco  in  verbis,  '  0  ibf  iv 
T(3  oiquvm,  proprietatem  participii  praesentis  temporis  morosius  urgere 
nolim.  Qui  enlm  cum  camerario,  erasmo,  rapiieljo,  bengelio,  ernestio, 
multisquc  aliis,  o  ibf  pro  og  ^t"  positum  putant,  et  sic  interpretantur : 
'  Qui  erat  in  caelo,  antequam  ad  terram,  descenderet,'  ii  sane  nihil  faciunt, 
quod  Usui  loquendi  repugnet ;  (Graeci  enim  hoc  participio  saepe  sic  utun- 
tur,  ut  vim  habeat  imperfecti ;  cf  etiam  lo.  ix.  25 ;  xix.  38 ;  Luc.  xxiv. 
44;  2  Cor.  viii.  9.)  nee  leve  huic  sententiae  praesidium  parant  e  verbis 
ipsius  Christi  To.  VL  62 ;  Si  videritis  homine  natum  co  adscendentem.,  ubi 
Hie  ERAT antea  {l')nnv  i]*-  to  Tr^ofF^ioi').  Ac  dc  pondere  quod  in  Chi'isti 
verbis  inest,  hacc  interpretatio  nihil  detrahit.  Idem  enim  ille,  qui  iam 
ad  terram  descenderat,  erat  in  principio,  et  erat  apud  Dcum  ;  (lo.  i.  1,  2.) 
eratque  gloria  praeditus  apud  Patrem  ante  mundum  conditum,  h.  c.  ab 
aeterno,  c,  xvii.  5." — Knappus.  Dr.  Pye  Smith's  Dissertation  on  this 
verse,  in  his  Scripture  Testimony,  book  iv.,  chap,  iii.,  sect,  i.,  is  deserving 
of  careful  perusal. 

8  2  Peter  iii.  16. 


EXPOSITION    II. 


OUR  LORD'S  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA. 
*  John  iv.  4-42. 

"  I  AM  found  of  them  wlio  sought  me  not,"  is  the  language  of 
the  Messiah  in  the  prophetic  word,  many  ages  before  he  made 
his  appearance  among  mankind;  and  the  oracle  has  been  fre- 
quently verified.  His  saving  blessings  are  not  only  always  un- 
merited by  those  on  whom  they  are  conferred,  but  they  are  often 
unsought ;  and  of  all  who  form  a  part  of  his  peculiar  people,  it 
may  be  as  truly  said  as  of  his  apostles,  "  It  was  not  ihey  who 
chose  Mm,  it  was  lie  who  chose  themr '  When  they  were  going 
on  in  their  folly  and  sin — when  they  were  alike  ignorant  of,  and  , 
careless  about,  him  and  his  salvation,  He,  to  use  the  apostle's 
peculiarly  appropriate  word,  "  apprehended'"'  them,  aroused  their 
attention,  poured  light  into  their  darkened  minds,  opened  their 
understandings  to  understand  the  truth,  and  their  hearts  to  re- 
ceive the  love  of  that  truth,  so  as  to  be  saved  by  it.  We  have  a 
beautiful  illustration  of  these  remarks  in  that  part  of  the  Lord's 
historj",  on  the  consideration  of  which  we  are  about  to  enter. 

We  were  lately  engaged  in  illustrating  the  remarkable  conver- 
sation which  took  place  between  our  Lord  and  Nicodemus,  a 
ruler  of  the  Jews.  The  course  of  our  expositions  calls  us  now 
to  turn  your  attention  to  a  not  less  interesting  conversation  be- 
tween the  same  illustrious  person  and  a  Samaritan  woman. 
There  is  a  striking  contrast  between  the  characters  and  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  two  individuals  with  whom  our  Lord  con- 
versed ;  the  one  a  Jew — a  man  of  rank,  a  senator,  a  man  of 
learning,  a  doctor  of  the  law,  and  apparently  a  man  of  unblem- 
ished reputation  ;  the  other  a  Samaritan — a  woman  of  the  lower 
ranks,  for  she  came  to  draw  water — a  woman  of  very  limited 
information,  and  apparently  of  loose  habits,  or,  to  say  the  least, 
of  doubtful  character.  But  the  Samaritan  woman  does  not  seem 
to  be  farther  from  the  kingdom  of  God  than  the  Jewish  senator ; 
and  the  Saviour's  "  meekness  of  wisdom"  is  equally  displayed  iu 
his  treatment  of  both. 

The  general  interest  wliich  the  preaching  of  Jesus  had  excited 
in  Judea,  and  especially  the  circumstance  of  Ids  baptizing  great 

'  Jolin,  XV.  IC.     Ovx  t'/uif  /le  iieM^aaOe,  u'k'k'  iyd  i^eXE^dfiTjv  v/xdc. 
''  KaTaafie.     Phil.  iii.  12. 


EXP,  II.]        CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.  65 

multitudes,  tlirougli  the  instrumentality  of  his  disciples,  attracted 
the  notice  of  the  Jewish  rulers,  who  are  called  "  the  Pharisees" 
here  and  in  some  other  places  in  the  gospels,  probably  because 
the  majority,  and  the  most  influential  part  of  the  Sanhedrim, 
belonged  to  that  sect ;  and  seems  to  have  suggested  to  them  the 
iiccessit}^  of  taking  some  steps  to  prevent  the  progress  of  one 
whose  views  plainly  were  very  difierent  from  theirs,  and  whose 
growing  influence  over  the  minds  of  the  people  might  be  dan- 
gerous to  their  authorit}^* 

Our  Lord  being  aware  of  this,  knowing  that  his  hour  was  not 
yet  come,  and  that  much  was  yet  to  be  done,  before  he  closed  his 
work  on  earth  by  his  expiatory  death,  instead  of  waiting  till  he 
should  be  driven  out  of  Judea,  left  that  district  of  his  own  accord;, 
and  retired  into  Galilee,  which,  being  remote  from  Jerusalem,  and 
\inder  the  government  of  Herod  the  Tetrarch,  was  less  immedi- 
ately under  the  eye,  and  less  directly  subject  to  the  power,  of  the 
Sanhedrim.  In  going  from  Judea  into  Galilee,  our  Lord''s  most 
direct  route  lay  through  Samaria — not  the  city  of  that  name, 
which  was  then  known  by  another  name,  Sebaste,  but  the  prov- 
ince of  which  that  city  was  once  the  capital,  and  which  still  re- 
tained the  name — a  district  of  Palestine,  bounded  on  the  south 
by  Judea,  and  on  the  north  by  Galilee,  on  the  west  by  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea,  and  on  the  east  by  the  river  Jordan.  It  was  pos- 
sible to  go  from  Judea  into  Galilee,  by  crossing  the  Jordan,  and 
passing  through  Perea;  but  this  was  a  very  circuitous  route, 
tliough  some  of  the  stricter  Jews  seem  to  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  taking  it,  to  avoid  intercourse  with  the  Samaritans.  The 
direct  road  lay  through  Samaria." 

This  region,  at  the  original  settlement  of  the  Jews  in  Canaan, 
had  been  allotted  to  Ephraim  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh.'' 
From  the  time  of  the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes,  its  inliabitauts  had 
generally  ceased  to  worship  at  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  and  fol- 
lowed first  the  corrupted  form  of  religion  established  by  Jeroboam, 
the  son  of  Nebat  f  and  then  the  Gentile  idolatries  introduced  by 
his  successors.  After  the  great  body  of  the  ten  tribes  had  been 
carried  captive,  and  these  regions  left  almost  uninhabited,  the 
king  of  Assyria  planted  in  them  a  colony  of  various  nations  from 
the  c;4.^tcrn  part  of  his  empire,  who,  mingling  with  the  few  orig- 
inal inhabitants,  formed  to  themselves  a  strange  medley  of  a 
religion,  by  mixing  together  the  principles  and  rites  of  Judaism 
and  those  of  oriental  idolatries — "fearing  Jehovah,"  as  the  in- 
spired historian  remarks,  "and  serving  their  graven  images.'" 
At  the  time  of  the  return  from  the  Babylonian  captivity,  the 
Samaritans,  after  having  their  alliance  refused  by  the  Jews,  be- 
came their  bitterest  enemies,  and  the  most  active  oj^posers  of  the 
re-building  of  their  temple  and  capital.^  At  a  subsequent  period, 
Manasseh,  the  son  of  Jaddua,  the  high  priest,  contrary  to  the 
law,  married  the  daughter  of  Sanballat,  the  chief  of  the  Saraar- 

3  John  iv.  1,  2.  •»  John  iv.  3,  4.  ^  Josh,  xvi.,  xvii. 

s  1  Kings  xii.  25-33.  ^  2  Kings  xvii.  24-41.  '  Ezra  iv.  Neh.  iv.,  vi 

VOL.  I.  5 


(j6  conversation  with  woman  of  SAMARIA.        [EXP.  II, 

itaus,  and  when  the  Jews  lusisted  ou  his  repudiating  his  wife,  or 
renouncing  the  sacred  office,  he  fled  to  his  fatJier-in-law,  who  gave 
him  an  honoraolc  reception ;  and,  by  the  permission  of  Alex- 
ander the  Great,  built  a  temple  to  Jehovah,  in  which  Manasseh 
and  his  posterity  officiated  as  high  priests,  in  rivalry  to  the 
divinely-instituted  ritual  at  Jerasalem.* 

The  Samaritans  received  as  divine  the  five  books  of  Moses, 
and  probably,  also,  some  at  least  of  the  prophetic  oracles ;  but 
Ihcy  did  not  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the  historical  books, 
as  written  bj  the  Jews,  whom  they  regarded  as  their  worst  ene- 
mies. The  natural  consequence  of  all  these  circumstances  was, 
that  the  Jews  and  the  Samaritans  regarded  each  other  with  a 
much  more  rancorous  dislike  than  either  of  them  did  the  idola- 
trous nations  by  which  they  were  surrounded." 

In  passing  through  this  region,  our  Lord  and  his  disciples 
arrived  in  the  neighborhood  of  one  of  its  toAvns  one  day  about 
noon,  which  in  that  country  is  intensely  hot,  and  weary  with  his 
journey  he  sat  down,  "  thus'^^^ — that  is,  like  a  fatigued  jaerson  as 
he  was,  near  a  celebrated  well,  which  took  its  name  from  the 
Patriarch  Jacob — while  liis  disciples  went  into  the  town  to  buy 
provisions.  The  proper  name  of  the  town  seems  to  have  been 
Shechem,  or  Sj^chem,  but  it  was  commonly  called  Sychar  by  the 
Jews — which  appears  to  have  been  a  species  of  reproachful  nick- 
name— the  word  signifying  ''idolatrous,"  or  "drunken."  The 
town  is  still  in  existence,  and  is  now  called  Nablus,  a  corruption 
of.Neapolis.'^ 

This  toAvn  w^as  remarkable  for  being  in  the  neighborhood  of 
that  piece  of  ground  which  Jacob  seems  first  to  have  purchased 
from  the  descendants  of  Hamor,  and  afterwards,  when  some 
Amorites  had  taken  possession  of  it,  to  have  recovered  as  his 
right  by  a  successful  appeal  to  arnus — and  which  he  lift  as  a 
legacy  to  his  favorite  son  Josej^h."  We  have  no  reason  to  doubt 
that  the  well  which  bore  his  name,  was  indeed  dug  by  his  orders, 
and  that  out  of  it  he  and  his  family  drank  while  residing  in  thi^ 
neighborhood. 

While  oui"  Lord  was  sitting  alone,  and  worn  out  with  fatigue, 
by  Jacob's  well,  under  the  burning  heat  of  an  almost  vertical 
sun,  "  a  woman  of  Samaria," — that  is,  not  a  native  of  the  city  of 
Samaria,  but  an  inhabitant  of  the  Samaritan  region,  and  a  pro- 
fessor of  the  Samaritan  religion, — came  out  from  the  neighboring 
town  to  draw  water.  Jacob's  well,  which  still  exists,  is  about  a 
mde  from  Naplousc,  but  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the  ancient  town 
extended  further  in  the  direction  of  the  well  than  the  modern 
one. 

'  1  Mac.  iii.   10;  Job.  Antiq.  xii.  5,  5. 

'"  Vide  Kcliuidi  Dissert.  Miscell.  Diss.  iii.  and  vii. 

"  OvTt.)^.  Ucv.  iii.  Ki;  orig.  "Sic  uti  qiialiscunque  loci  oppoitunitaa  ferebat, 
iiiue  poinpa,  solus,  et  qui  noii  pne  sc  ferret  expcctationcm  Sainaritidis,  sod  iners 
lassitudiiiis  causa  quietein  vellct  ca]>ore." — Bknokl. 

'*  Relandi  Paleatina,  p.  1,009.     Uobinbon'.s  Researches,  iii.  96. 

'<*  Gen.  xxxiii.  I'J ;  xlviii.  22,    Jos,  xxiv.  32. 


EXP.  II.]        CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.  6? 

On  tliis  woman,  bearing  her  pitclier,  approacliing  the  well,  our 
Lord  requested  of  her  a  draught  of  water: — He  said  to  her, 
•'  Give  me  to  drink.""  The  request,  though  it  seems  to  us  a  very- 
natural  one,  appears  to  have  struck  her  with  surprise.  She  knew 
the  extreme  dislike  which  Jews  cherished  towards  Samaritans; 
she  knew  that,  though  they  would  buy  and  sell  witli  Samaritans, 
it  was  accounted  a  sin  by  them  to  have  any  friendly  intercourse 
with  that  people.  "The  Jews,"  says  the  evangelist, — for  the 
words  are  plainly  an  explanatory  note  introduced  by  him, — "The 
Jews  have  no  dealings  with  the  Samaritans."'^ 

The  general  tone  of  feeling  on  this  subject  may  be  judged  of 
by  the  following  extracts  from  the  Jewish  Rabbins : — "  It  is 
prohibited  to  eat  the  bread,  and  to  drink  the  wine,  of  a  Samaritan. 
If  any  one  receive  a  Samaritan  into  his  house,  and  minister 
to  him,  he  will  cause  his  children  to  be  carried  into  captivity. 
He  who  eats  the  bread  of  a  Samaritan,  is  as  if  he  ate  swine's 
flesh."'" 

Aware  of  this  extreme  antijjathy,  the  Samaritan  woman  ex- 
presses her  amazement  that  a  jjerson,  whom,  from  his  dress  and 
dialect,  she  perceived  to  be  a  Jew,  should  deign  to  ask,  or  even 
receive,  a  favor  from  a  Samaritan.  "  IIow  is  it,  that  thou  being 
a  Jew,  askest  drink  of  me,  which  am  a  woman  of  Samaria  ?"" 
It  is  impossible  for  us  to  say  precisely  what  was  the  temper  in 
Avhich  these  v/ords  were  spoken.  It  depends  very  much  on  the 
tone  and  manner  in  which  they  were  uttered,  whether  they  were 
the  expression  of  simple  surprise,  or  malignant  exultation. 

Whatever  were  the  woman's  feelings  toward:5  the  Saviour,  his 
feelings  towards  her  were  those  of  compassion  and  kindness, 
Tlis  thoughts  were  "  thoughts  of  good,  and  not  of  evil."  "  If 
thou  knewest,"  said  he  meekly;  "if  thou  knewest  the  gift  of 
God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  Give  mo  to  drinic,  thou 
wouldest  have  asked  of  him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee 
living  water."'* 

By  "the  gift  of  God,""  that  which  God  gives  freely,  we  ap- 
prehend we  are  to  understand  tiie  blessings  of  the  Christian  sal- 
vation— the  knowledge  of  the  true  character  of  God — the  pardon 
of  sin — genuine  holiness — conformity  of  mind  and  will  to  God — - 
real  happiness,  suited  to  our  various  capacities  of  enjoyment,  and 
(mduring  throughout  the  eternity  of  our  being :  in  one  word, 
that  "  eternal  life,"  through  Christ  Jesus,  which  is  "  the  gift  of 
God."'"     If,  then,  the  Samaritan  woman  bad  known  the  nature 

'^  John   iv.  7.  '-'  John  iv.  S. 

'^  See  Lightfoot,  Schottgeu,  and  Lampe.  The  general  dislike  to  strangers, 
which  was  a  proverbial  characteristic  of  the  Jews,  is  strikingly  portrayed  in  the 
words  of  the  Roman  poet — 

"  Non  raonstrare  vias,  eadein  nisi  sacra  colenti, 
Qusesitum  ad  fontem.  solos  deducere  verpos." — Juvunal. 

This  general  dislike  was  sharpened  in  the  case  of  the  Samaritans,  by  the  peculiar 
relations  of  the  two  nations. 

^'  John  iv.  9.  "  John  iv.  10.  "  T//v  dijpcdv  tov  Qeov. 

"  Rom.  vi.  23. 


68  CONVEESATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMAEIA.        [EXP.  II. 

and  excellence  of  this  gift  of  God,  and  if  slie  had  known  that  he 
who  had  requested  her  to  give  him  a  draught  of  water  was  in- 
deed the  Messiah — the  promised  Saviour — the  author  of  this  sal- 
vation— the  person  by  whom  God  was  to  bestow  this  gift  on  man- 
]^m^ — instead  of  hesitating  about  complying  with  his  request, 
she  would  immediately,  in  her  turn,  have  become  a  petitioner ; 
and,  in  answer  to  her  petition,  she  would  have  found  no  hesitat- 
ing delay,  but  would  have  received  from  him,  what  well  deserves 
the  name  of  "  living  water,"  as  calculated  to  quench,  and  satisfy 
completely,  the  thirst  for  happiness. 

This  is  plainly  our  Lord's  meaning ;  but  it  was  not  apprehend- 
ed by  the  Samaritan  woman.  "  Little  did  she  think" — to  borrow 
the  words  of  an  old  divine^ — "  little  did  she  think  of  the  glories 
of  him  who  stood  right  against  her.  He  who  sate  on  the  well 
had  a  throne  placed  above  the  head  of  the  cherubim ;  in  his 
arms,  who  then  rested  himself,  was  the  sanctuary  of  peace,  where 
wearied  souls  were  to  lay  their  heads,  and  dispose  their  cares,  and 
then  turn  them  to  joys,  and  to  gild  their  thorns  with  glory  ;  and 
that  holy  tongue,  which  was  parched  with  heat,  streamed  forth 
rivulets  of  holy  doctrine,  which  were  to  water  all  the  world — to 
turn  our  deserts  into  paradise."" 

The  woman  replied,  "  Sir,  thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with,"' 
and  the  well  is  deep ;  from  whence,  then,  hast  thou  this  living 
water  ?  Art  thou  greater  than  our  father  Jacob,  who  gave  us 
the  well,  and  drank  thereof  himself,  and  his  children,  and  his 
cattle  ?""  The  phrase  "  living  water"  literally  signifies  water 
issuing  firesh  from  the  fountain,  as  contrasted  with  water  stagnant, 
and  as  it  were  dead,  in  a  reservoir.  Understanding  the  word  in 
this  sense,  the  woman's  meaning  may  be  thus  brought  out — 
'  Spring  water  must  be  got  either  here,  or  somewhere  else  in  the 
neighborhood.  You  cannot  get  it  here,  for  the  well  is  deep,** 
and  you  have  no  means  of  drawing  water ;  and  it  is  not  probable 
that  you  are  in  thLs  respect  greater  than  Jacob,  whom  we,  as  well 
as  you  Jews,  claim  for  our  ancestor, — that  you  are  better  ac- 
quainted with  the  vicinity  than  he  was,  so  as  to  know  of  a  better 
fountain  of  spring  water  than  that  which  he  bequeathed  to  us, 
and  out  of  which  he  and  his  family  were  accustomed  to  drink.' 
Or,  as  the  practice  of  figurative  speech  is  common  among  the 
Orientals,  perhaps  the  force  of  her  reply  may  be — '  You  make 
great  promises,  but  I  see  no  evidence  that  you  can  perform  them. 
If  you  can  give  me  what  will  in  any  respect  answer  to  your 
words,  you  must  be  a  gTcater  personage  than  Jacob — which  I 
much  doubt.' 

Our  Lord  proceeds  to  make  a  statement,  fitted  and  intended  to 
render  it  still   more  plain   that,  he   was  speaking  figuratively. 

*'  Jeremy  Taylor.  "  "Thou  liast  no  bucket." — dvr'Aj/fia. — Campbell. 

"  John  iv.  11,  12.  Opt/x/xara.  Ileaychius  exphiius  it  thus;  linoKJjfiada,  npoiiara, 
'kKva.     Kypke  renders  it  domcsticos.     It  is  one  of  the  a-ai,  'Atyofteva. 

^*  Travellers  tell  us  the  well  ia  105  feet  deep,  containing  at  different  seasons 
more  or  less  water.  Maundrell,  in  March,  found  15  feet  of  water  in  it;  Robinson, 
in  June,  found  it  dry. 


EXP.  II.]        CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.  69 

"  Whosoever  drinketh  of  this  water  shall  thirst  again  :  but  who- 
soever drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never 
thijst ;  but  the  water  that  I  shall  give  hirn  shall  be  in  him  a  well 
of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life.""  The  "water" 
spoken  of  by  our  Lord  has  been  explained  by  some  of  his  doc- 
trine ;  and  by  others  of  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  We 
think  it  far  more  natural  to  understand  it  as  coincident  in  mean- 
ing with  the  "  gift  of  God,"  as  equally  with  that  phrase  referring 
to  the  christian  salvation  in  all  its  extent.  This  salvation  is  of 
such  a  nature,  as  not  only  to  give  immediate  relief  to  him  who 
receives  it,  but  to  satisfy  him  permanently.  Howsoever  his  ca- 
pacities of  enjoyment  may  be  enlarged,  there  is  in  this  salvation 
what  will  fill  these  capacities  to  an  overflow  for  ever.  This  is  the 
idea  so  beautifully  expressed  by  this  living  water  being,  in  the 
person  avIio  had  drank  it,  "a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  ever- 
lasting life." 

It  may  be  said  figuratively  of  all  earthly  sources  of  enjoyment, 
as  well  as  literally  of  Jacob's  well,  "  He  that  drinketh  of  this 
water  shall  thirst  again."  It  is  the  living  waters  of  "  the  salva- 
tion that  is  in  Christ  with  eternal  glory,"  which  alone  can  quench 
for  ever  the  thirst  for  happiness.  To  borrow  again  the  language 
of  the  eloquent  theologian  formerly  quoted — "  Here  we  labor, 
but  receive  no  benefit;  we  sow  many  times,  and  reap  not;  or 
reap,  and  do  not  gather  in  ;  or  gather  in,  and  do  not  possess  ;  or 
possess,  and  do  not  enjoy ;  or  if  we  enjoy,  we  are  still  unsatisfied  : 
it  is  with  anguish  of  spirit,  and  circumstances  of  vexation.  A 
great  heap  of  riches  makes  neither  our  clothes  more  warm,  our 
meat  more  nutritive,  nor  our  beverage  more  pleasant.  It  feeds 
the  eye,  but  never  fills  it.  Like  drink  to  a  hydropick  person,  it 
increases  the  thirst  and  promotes  the  torment.  But  the  grace  of 
God  fills  the  furrows  of  the  heart ;  and,  as  the  capacity  increases, 
it  grows  itself  in  equal  degrees,  and  never  suffers  any  emptiness 
or  dissatisfaction,  but  carries  content  and  fulness  all  the  way ; 
and  the  degrees  of  augmentation  are  not  steps  and  near  approach- 
es to  satisfaction,  but  increasings  of  the  capacity.  The  soul  is 
satisfied  all  the  way,  and  receives  more,  not  because  it  wanted 
any,  but  that  it  can  now  hold  more,  being  become  more  receptive 
of  felicity  ;  and  in  every  minute  of  sanctification,  there  is  so  ex- 
cellent a  condition  of  joy,  that  the  very  calamities,  afflictions,  and 
persecutions  of  the  world,  are  turned  into  felicities,  by  the  activ- 
ity of  the  prevailing  ingredient :  like  a  drop  of  w^ater  falling  into 
a  tun  of  wine,  it  is  ascribed  into  a  new  family,  losing  its  own  na- 
ture by  a  conversion  into  the  more  noble.  For,  now  that  all  pas- 
sionate desires  are  dead,  and  there  is  nothing  remancat  that  is 
vexatious,  the  peace,  the  serenity,  the  quiet  sleeps,  the  evenness 
of  spirit,  and  contempt  of  things  below,  remove  the  soul  from  all 
neighborhood  of  displeasure,  and  place  it  at  the  foot  of  the 
throne,  whither,  when  it  is  ascended,  it  is  possessed  of  felicities 
eternal.     These  were  the  waters  which  were  given  us  to  drink, 

"  John  iv.  IS,  14. 


70  CONVERSATIOX  ^^ITH  V.'OM.^JST  OF  SAMARIA,        [EXP.  II. 

when,  with  the  rod  of  God,  the  rock,  Christ  Jesus,  was  smitten. 
The  Sphit  of  God  moves  forever  upon  these  waters  ;  and,  when 
the  angel  of  the  covenant  had  stirred  the  pool,  whosoever  de- 
scends hither  shall  find  health  and  peace,  jojs  spiritual,  and*  the 
satisfaction  of  eternity.""* 

We  can  scarcely  believe  that  the  woman  still  thought  our 
Lord  was  speaking  literally.  She  must  have  seen  that  he  was 
using  figurative  language,  and  that  the  living  water  he  spoke  of, 
was  something  else  than  water  fresh  from  the  spring.  But  she 
seems  to  have  considered  him  as  a  person  who  was  amusing  him- 
self, b}^  attempting  to  awaken  in  her  expectations  he  could  not 
gratify,  and  therefore  she  replies  to  him  in  a  sarcastic  jest : — "  Sir, 
give  me  this  water,  that  I  thirst  not,  neither  come  hither  to 
draw.""-' 

It  was  the  purpose  of  our  Lord  "  to  manifest  himself  to  this 
woman  in  another  way  than  he  does  to  the  world."  It  was  his 
determination  to  make  her  acquainted  with  his  true  character, 
and  to  put  her  in  possession  of  the  blessings  of  his  salvation. 
Instead  of  replying  to  her  jesting  request,  he  bids  her  "go  and 
call  her  husband."'^  This  led  her  to  state  that  she  '  had  no  hus- 
band ;''^  and  this  statement  drew  from  our  Lord  a  declaration, 
which  must  have  overwhelmed  the  woman  with  astonishment  and 
shame,  as  it  showed  that  this  mysterious  stranger  was  intimately 
acquainted  with  all  the  circumstances  of  her  history,  which  had 
not  been  a  very  honorable  one.  "Thou  lias  well  said,  I  have 
no  husband :  for  thou  hast  had  five  husbands ;  and  he  whom 
thou  now  hast  is  not  thy  husband:  in  that  say  est  thou  truly."'" 
Whether  these  five  husbands,  whom  this  woman  had  had  in  suc- 
cesssion,  had  all  died,  or  whether  one  or  more  of  these  marriages 
had  been  dissolved  by  divorce,  it  is  needless  to  inquire,  for  it  is 
impossible  to  know.  It  seems  plain,  from  the  circumstance  of 
her  living  in  concubinage  v/ith  a  man  to  whom  she  was  not  mar- 
ried, which  is  the  most  obvious  meaning  of  the  words,  "  He  whom 

'"  Jeremy  Taylor.  °'  John  iv.  15. 

"John  iv.  16.  =»  John  iv.  17. 

'"  John  iv.  18.  What  strange  dreams  learned  men  pass  off  for  interpretations 
of  Scripture,  was  perhaps  never  more  strikingly  manifested  tlian  in  the  following 
remarks  of  the  erudite,  acute,  pious,  and  generally  judicious  Hengstcnberg  (Diss. 
on  the  Authenticity  of  the  Pentateuch,  l)is.  1.) : — "  13y  the  divine  guidance,  the 
higher  relations  of  this  woman's  people  are  portrayed  in  her  inferior  relations, 
and  on  tliis  very  account  she  is  chosen  by  Christ  as  the  national  representative. 
8he  hud  had  five  husbands,  and  he  wliom  she  now  had  was  not  hor  husband.  Ho 
had  not  thought  her  wortliy  to  be  united  to  hiin  in  wedlock.  And  thus  also  her 
people.  They  had,  in  eavlier  times,  entered  into  a  five-fold  spiritual  marriage 
with  their  idols  ;  tliis  marriage  was  dissolved ;  the  people  sought  for  a  marriage 
with  Jehovah,  but  this  was  refused,  because  tliey  did  not  belong  to  Israel.  The 
King  of  A.ssyria  (2  Kings  xvii.  lil)  brought  colonists  from  exactly  five  nations — 
from  Babylon,  Cuthnh,  Ava,  Ilamatli,  and  Sepharvaim — and  each  of  these  nations 
had  their  peculiar  deity,  or,  according  to  tlie  language  of  tlic  ancient  East,  their 
husband."  "This  similarity,"  suys  the  learned  German,  with  great  gravity,  "of 
the  relations  of  the  ])eople  and  of  the  woman,  is,  indeed,  too  remarkable  alto- 
gether to  be  disregarded  without  levity."  Kotwitiistandint;,  we  do  feel  it  impos- 
sible to  repress  a  smile.  It  would  bo  difiicult  to  find,  even  in  Origen  or  Cocceius, 
anything  more  fanciful  tlinn  this. 


EXP.  II.]        CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.  71 

tlioii  now  hast  is  not  tTiy  husband,"  that  she  was  a  person  of 
loose  morals,  and  disreputable  charactei'. 

Self-knowledge  is  necessary  to  prepare  for  the  right  apprehen- 
sion of  divme  things.  The  knowledge  which  our  Lord  dis- 
covered of  this  woman's  character  and  history,  persuaded  her  that 
he  must  have  supernatural  means  of  information,  and  accordingly 
she  said  to  him: — "Sir,  I  perceive  that  thou  art  a  prophet ;'"' 
and,  not  improbably,  glad  of  an  opportunity  of  shifting  the  dis- 
course from  a  subject  so  painfid  and  discreditable  to  her,  she  in- 
troduces the  great  point  of  controversy  between  the  Jews  and 
the  Samaritans,  that  she  might  hear  his  opinion  respecting  it. 
It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  persons  living  in  sin,  not  merely  to 
pretend,  but  really  to  have,  an  interest  in,  and  a  zeal  for,  what 
they  call  their  religion.  Speculation  about  theological  doctrine 
is  often  found  in  unnatural  union  with  habitual  neglect  of  moral 
duty  ;  and  among  the  endless  tortuosities  of  the  depraved  human 
heart,  this  is  one,  to  seek  in  polemical  discussions  respecting 
orthodoxy  and  heterodoxy,  protection  from  the  shafts  of  convic- 
tion, for  plain  violation  of  the  law  of  God.  "  Who  can  under- 
stand the  errors  "  of  that  "  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked  " 
thing,  the  human  heart  ? 

Anxious  as  it  were  to  get  rid  of  so  uncomfortable  a  theme,  she 
proposes  to  Jesus,  as  a  prophet,  the  great  question  between  the 
Jews  and  the  Samaritans,  respecting  the  projDcr  place  of  perform- 
ing public  worship  to  Jehovah.  We  have  no  reason  to  think 
that  this  woman  had  any  conscientious  anxiety  as  to  the  resolu- 
tion of  this  question.  The  subject  seems  introduced  by  her 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  turning  aside  a  conversation  which  was 
likely  to  lead  into  details  in  no  way  agreeable  or  creditable  to 
her: — "Our  fathers  worshipped  in  this  mountain;  and  ye  sa}', 
that  in  Jerusalem  is  the  place  where  men  ought  to  worship."" 

To  "worship"  plainly  means  here  'to  perform  the  solemn 
rites  of  public  worship.'  In  the  laws  of  Moses,  which  the  Jews 
and  Samaritans  equally  acknowledged  as  divine,  it  was  distinctly 
stated  that  after  Israel  had  entered  into  Canaan,  there  should  be 
a  particular  place  appropriated  for  this  purpose,  where  alone 
public  worship  could  be  lawfully  celebrated.'^  So  far  both  parties 
were  agreed  ;  but  the  Jews  insisted  that  Jerusalem  Avas  the  proper 
place  for  this  purpose,  while  the  Samaritans  obstinatel}^  stood  up 
for  Gerizim. 

"  Our  fathers,"  says  the  Samaritan  woman,  "  worshipped  in  this 
mountain."  It  is  not  easy  to  say  exactly  who  those  lathers  are, 
to  whom  she  refers.  It  is  possible  she  refers  to  those  remote  an- 
cestors, Abraham  and  Jacob,  who  erected  altars  at  Shechem, 
on  or  near  Mount  Gerizim ;  or  to  the  Israelites,  who,  immedi- 
ately after  their  coming  into  Canaan,  had  the  Divine  blessing 
pronounced  on  them  from  that  mountain,  and  for  300  years  were 
accustomed  to  worship  in  that  neigliborhood,  at  Shiloh ;  or  to 
their  more  immediate  ancestors,  who   had  built   a    temple  on 

"  John  iv.  19.  ^''  John  iv.  'JO.  "  Deut.  xii.  5-14. 


72  CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.        [EXP.  II. 

Mount  Gerizim,  "wtiere  services,  similar  to  tliose  of  the  Jewish 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  were  performed.  That  temple  had  indeed 
been  destroyed  by  John  Hyrcanns,  about  160  jears  before  this, 
but  it  is  not  improbable  that  it  had  been  rebuilt,  though  with  less 
magnificence  ;  at  any  rate,  public  Divine  worship  appears  to  have 
been  still  performed  there. 

The  Jews,  on  the  other  hand,  held  that  "  Jerusalem  was  the 
place  where  men  ought  to  worship,"  and  they  had  good  ground 
for  so  holding.  David,  by  whose  direction  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant, the  symbol  of  the  Divine  presence,  was  brought  to  Jerusa- 
lem, was  a  prophet,  and  acted  under  Divine  direction.  The 
particular  site  of  the  temple  was  fixed  by  a  miraculous  sign.^* 
The  temple  was  thus  built  in  strict  accordance  with  Divine  reve- 
lation. Jehovah  solemnly  declared  to  Solomon : — "  I  have 
hallowed  this  house  which  thou  hast  built,  to  put  my  name 
there  for  ever ;"  "  I  have  chosen  Jerusalem,  that  my  name  may 
be  there.'"'  The  Psalmist  says,  "  He  chose  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
the  Mount  Ziou  which  he  loved.  And  he  built  his  sanctuary 
like  higli  palaces,  like  the  earth  which  he  had  established  for 
ever.'""  "  The  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion ;  he  hath  desired  it  for 
his  habitation.  This  is  my  rest  for  ever :  here  will  I  dwell ;  for 
I  have  desired  it."" 

Such  were  the  opinions  of  the  Samaritans  and  Jews,  respect- 
ing the  proper  place  of  worship,  and  such  were  the  grounds  on 
which  their  respective  opinions  were  founded.  It  was  obviously 
the  design  of  the  Samaritan  woman  to  engage  our  Lord  in  the 
discussion  of  this  controversy ;  but  he  in  a  good  degree  waived 
it,  turning  her  attention  to  a  subject  of  infinitely  greater  import- 
ance than  the  place  of  worship,  even  the  nature  of  acceptable 
worship  ;  and  assuring  her  that  the  time  was  at  hand,  when  all 
controversies  in  reference  to  the  place  of  public  worship  would 
become  obsolete,  and  would  lose  their  interest: — "  Woman,"  said 
iie,  "believe  me,  the  hour  cometh  when  ye  shall  neither  in  this 
mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father."^'  The 
meaning  of  these  words  plainly  is,  '  The  time  is  just  at  hand 
when  the  solemn  public  worshij)  of  God  "  the  Father,"  the  com- 
mon Father  of  his  human  family,  shall  not  be  confined  to  any  one 
place,  and  when  of  course  the  controversy  whether  Gerizim  or 
Jerusalem  has  the  better  claim  to  that  honor,  shall  be  super- 
seded.' Some  have  supposed  that  a  particular  period  is  referred 
to  as  the  ultimate  limit  of  that  order  of  things,  in  which  the 
solemn  public  worship  of  Jehovah  was  restricted  to  a  particular 
place.  In  this  case  the  reference  is  probably  to  the  fall  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  but  I  do  not  know  that  more  is  meant  than  merely,  '  Yet 
a  very  little  while,  and  this  state  of  things  shall  be  no  more.' 

"Ye  worship  ye  know  not  what:  we  know  what  we  worship  : 
for  salvation  is  of  the  Jcws."^"     In  saying  that  the  Samaritans 

'*  1  Chron.  xvi.  2G,  <fec  '■"'  1  Kings  ix.  3.     2  Chron.  vi.  6. 

="  Psalm  Ixxviii.  08,  69.  "  I'salm  cxxxii.  13,  14. 

"  John  iv.  21.  "  John  iv.  22. 


EXP.  II.]        CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.  73 

worshipped  tliey  knew  not  wliat,  we  appreliend  our  Lord  refers 
not  so  mucli  to  the  object  of  worship,  as  to  the  manner  of  wor- 
ship : — '  In  worshipping  God,  ye  are  not  guided  by  his  will  as  to 
the  place  of  his  worship  ;  you  have  no  divine  authority  for  wor- 
shipping at  Gerizim.  On  the  other  hand,  we  Jews  know,  on 
good  grounds,  that  in  worshipping  at  Jerusalem,  we  are  acting 
in  compliance  with  the  Divine  will.'  These  words  are  just 
equivalent  to,  '  In  the  question  between  you  and  the  Jews,  you 
are  wrong,  and  they  are  right ;  you  are  ignorant,  and  they  are 
well-informed.' 

He  adds  as  a  reason,  "  for  salvation  is  of  the  Jews."  "  Salva- 
tion "  here  seems  equivalent  to  'the  Saviour' — that  is,  the  Mes- 
siah. In  this  way  the  word  is  used  in  Luke : — "  Lord,  now 
lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word : 
for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation."  "  And  all  flesh  shall 
see  the  salvation  of  God  ;"*"  and  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles — • 
"  So  hath  the  Lord  commanded  us,  saying,  I  have  set  thee  to  be 
a  light  of  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation  unto 
the  ends  of  the  earth.""  '  The  Messiah  is  to  arise  from  among 
the  Jews,  and  therefore  the  true  mode  of  worshipping  Jehovah  is 
to  be  found  among  them.' 

But  that  question,  as  to  tbe  proper  place  of  worshipping 
Jehovah — though,  without  doubt,  the  Jews  were  right,  and  the 
Samaritans  wrong' — was,  as  a  practical  question,  very  soon  to 
cease  to  be  of  much  interest.  For,  continues  our  Lord,  "  The 
hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall  wor- 
ship the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth :  for  the  Father  seeketh 
such  to  worship  him.""  '  Under  that  order  of  things  which  is 
just  about  to  be  established,  and  in  which  the  Divine  Being  is  to 
be  remarkably  manifested  as  the  "  Father "  of  men,  the  great 
question  will  not  be,  where  he  is  to  be  worshipped,  but  how.  The 
worshipper  at  Jerusalem  will  not  be  accounted  a  true  worshipper 
because  he  worships  there,  nor  the  worshipper  at  Gerizim  a  false 
worshipper  because  he  worships  there ;  the  worshipper  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,  wherever  he  worships,  whether  in  Jerusalem  or 
Gerizim,  or  anywhere  else — whether  in  Canaan,  or  in  any  other 
country — he,  he  alone,  is  the  genuine  worshipper.' 

"  To  "  worship  in  spirit^''''  is  to  worship  spiritually  ;  to  "■  worship 
in  truth,''^  is  to  worship  truly.  They  are  not  two  different  kinds 
of  worship ;  they  arc  two  different  aspects  of  the  same  worship  : 
to  worship  spiritually,  is  in  opposition  to  the  performance  of  mere 
external  rites,  to  give  to  God  the  homage  of  an  enlightened  mind, 
and  an  affectionate  heart;  to  know,  admire,  esteem,  love,  trust, 
and  submit  to  him  ;  and  to  worship  him  truly,  is  either  to  wor- 
ship him  according  to  the  truth' — that  is,  in  a  manner  suited  to 
the  revelation  he  has  made  of  his  character ;  or  really,  not  merely 
in  appearance,  but  in  substance — not  in  pretence  only,  but  in  sin- 
cerity.    Such — such  alone — are  the  acceptable  worshippers.     The 

"  Luke  iL  29,  SO ;  iii.  6.  "  Acts  xiii.  47.  24  John  iv.  23 


74  CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.        [EXP.  II. 

Father  seeketli  tliese  for  his  -worshipper?."  These  are  the  "wor- 
shippers  Avhom  he  acknowledges.  The  worshipper  at  Jerusalem, 
without  this,  will  not  be  accepted.  The  worshipper  at  Gerizim, 
with  this,  will  not  be  rejected.  The  economy,  whose  great  char- 
acters were  externality  and  typism,  is  about  to  close ;  the  econ- 
omy, whose  great  characters  are  spirituality  and  reality,  is  about 
to  take  place. 

"  God  is  a  Spirit :  and  they  that  worshi]:»  him  must  worship  him 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.""  The  Father  seeketh  those  who  worship 
in  spirit  and  truth  as  his  Avorshippers.  They  arc  the  objects  of 
his  choice  and  preference  ;  and  the  reason  is  plain — he  himself  is 
spiritual — "  God  is  a  Spirit."  These  words  are  ccjuivalent  to — 
'  God  is  a  living,  intelligent,  active  being.'  And,  from  Vis  nature 
as  God,  he  must  possess  all  those  attributes  in  the  greatest  pos- 
sible, or  rather,  in  an  infinite,  measure.  He  is  the  author  and 
fountain  of  life  ;  he  knows  everything,  and  is  infinitely  wise  ;  he 
is  the  great  original  power  in  the  universe,  "  who  worketh  all 
things  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will ;"  "  who  doth  ac- 
cording to  his  will  in  the  armies  of  heaven,  and  among  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth  ;"  whose  arm  none  can  "stoy,  and  to  whom 
none  dares  say,  "  what  doest  thou  ?""  Worship,  to  be  acceptable 
to  him,  must  be  suited  to  his  nature.  It  must  be  spiritual ;  it 
must  be  the  worship  of  man  as  an  intelligent  being — the  worship 
of  the  mind  and  of  the  heart ;  it  must  be  true  worship,  not  false, 
like  that  of  the  idolater;  not  merely  external  and  apparent,  like 
that  of  the  formal  ceremonialist;  not  insincere,  like  that  of  the 
hypocrite.  "  How  has  the  lofty  truth,  the  world-historical  import 
of  this  saying  of  Christ,  been  lost  sight  of  by  those  who  have 
taken  it  as  an  isolated  expression,  apart  from  its  connection  with 
christian  theism,  and  A\'itli  the  whole  divine  process  for  the  de- 
velopment of  christian  life  ;  by  those  abstract,  naked,  one-sidedly- 
intellectual  deists  and  pantheists,  who  have  dreamed  that  they 
could  incorporate  it  into  their  discordant  sj^stem  by  their  spiritual 
fetichism,  which  substitutes  the  deification  of  an  idea  for  the 
spiritual,  truthful,  adoratioji  of  God  as  a  Spirit.  The  aristocracy 
of  education,  the  one-sided  intellectualism  of  the  ancient  world, 
was  uprooted  by  Christ  when  he  uttered  this  great  truth  to  an 
uneducated  woman,  who  belonged  to  an  ignorant  and  unculti- 
vated people."" 

These  sublime  truths,  to  which  nothing  comparable  is  to  be 
found  in  the  writings  of  the  most  accomplished  of  the  heathen 
sages,  were,  no  doubt,  but  imperfectly  understood  by  the  Samar- 
itan woman.  She  was  jjrobably  mortified  at  his  determining  the 
question  so  decidedly  against  her  country  ;  and  though  she  does 
not  contradict  him,  she  refers  the  settlement  of  the  controversy  to 

*'  Even  under  the  former  economy,  such  alone  were  acceptable  worshippers 
in  the  true  sense  of  the  word.  I'sal.  1.  7-23.  Isa.  i.  11-20.  ilii'.-ih  vi.  6-8.  Amos 
V.  21-'J4.  "  John  iv.  24. 

*'  Morus'  Dissertation  "  Do  Deo,  Spiritii,  atl  [)opularem  intelligcnliam  accom- 
modate describendo"  inay  he  consulted  with  advantage. — Disscrtt.  Thcolocf.  ct  Fhi- 
loloff.,  Vol.  i.,  i;iss.  X.,  i).'328.  "  Ncauder. 


EXP.  II.]        CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.  75 

the  Messiab,  wlio,  on  his  coming,  would  "restore  all  things" — set 
all  things  to  rights.  "  I  know,"  said  she,  "  that  the  Messiah 
coraeth,"  or  is  coming;  (the  words,  "who  is  called  Christ,"  form 
an  explanatory  note  of  the  Evangelist,  showing  that  the  Gospel 
Avas  originally  published  among  those  who  did  not  understand 
Hebrew  ;)  "  when  he  is  come,  he  will  tell  us  all  things,"" 

It  seems  probable  that  the  expectation  of  the  speedy  appear- 
ance of  the  Messiah  w^as  general  at  this  period  among  the  Samar- 
itans, as  well  as  the  Jews.  The  former  do  not  seem  to  have 
mingled  the  political  element  with  their  expectations  ;  and  antici- 
pated in  him  a  teacher  as  well  as  a  deliverer.  That  expectation, 
probably,  was  founded  on  the  oracle:  "The  Lord  thy  God  Avill 
raise  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet  from  the  midst  of  thee,  of  thy  breth- 
ren, like  unto  me  ;  unto  him  ye  shall  hearken."" 

Our  Lord,  Avith  infinite  condescension  and  kindness,  revealed 
his  true  character  to  this  poor  woman,  and  assured  her  that  He 
was  the  Messiah,  whose  coming  she  was  expecting,  and  that  this 
was  the  instruction  which  was  to  be  expected  from  him : — "  I 
that  speak  unto  thee  am  he."*^  Our  Lord  was  very  cautious  of 
owning,  in  so  many  words,  his  Messiahship  among  the  Jews,  for 
two  reasons — they  Avere  ready,  either  to  stir  up  insurrection,  and 
take  him  hy  force,  and  make  him  their  leader,  or  to  accuse  him 
to  the  Roman  government  as  a  seditious  person.  There  was  no 
such  hazard  here.  The  Samaritan  woman  believed  our  Lord's 
declaration,  and,  we  can  have  no  doubt,  asked  and  obtained  the 
living  water ;  but,  impatient  to  impart  intelligence  so  important 
and  so  delightful  to  her  fellow-citizens,  "  she  left  her  pitcher,  and 
ran  back  into  the  city." 

Just  about  this  time  his  disciples  returned  with  the  provisions 
they  had  obtained ;  and  though  they  were  amazed  that  their 
Master  should  have  entered  into  familiar  conversation  with  a  Sa- 
maritan Avoman,  being  under  the  influence  of  their  national  prej- 
udice, which  held  it  unAvorthy  of  a.  Avise  man  to  talk  with  a 
woman,^°  and  unfit  for  a  Jcav  to  be  familiar  AAdth  a  Samaritan,  yet 
such  Avas  their  reverence  for  him,  that  they  did  not  presume  to 
make  any  remark  on  his  conduct."^ 

On  arriving  at  the  city,  the  AV'omau  invited  her  felloAv-citizens 
to  come  along  Avitli  her,  and  see  a  person  who  had  discovered  a 
per:fect  acquaintance  with  her  history,  and  A\*ho,  she  had  reason  to 
think,  Avasthe  long-promised  Messiah  : — "  Come,  see  a  man  Avhich 
told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did;  is  not  this  the  Christ?"'^ 
Struck  with  her  statements,  many  of  them  accompanied  her  in 
her  return  to  the  aa^cII." 

MeauAvhile  our  Lord's  disciples,  seeing  their  Master  apparently 
absorbed  in  thought,  urged  him  to  partake  of  the  provisions  they 
had  brought."     He  replied  to  their  friendly  requests  : — "  I  have 

*''  John  iv.  25.  ""  Dent,  xviii.  15.  '"'  John  iv.  26. 

'"^  "He  who  instructs  his  daughter  in  the  law  is  like  one  that  plays  the  fool." — 
Talmud,  Tr.  tiota,  f.  20.  •""  John  iv.  27. 

'■-  John  iv.  23,  29.         "  John  I  v.  50.         "  John  iv.  31. 


76  CONVERSATION  WITH  WOM^VN  OF  SAI^IARIA.         [EXP.  II. 

meat  to  eat  that  ve  linow  not  of.""  Our  Lord's  meaning  plainly 
is,  '  Something  of  which  you  aro  ignorant  has  occurred,  which 
has  delighted  and  invigorated  me,  so  as  that  I  have  no  appetite 
for  natural  food.' 

His  disciples,  though  even  already  they  must  have  been  in  some 
measure  accustomed  to  his  enigmatical  form  of  speech,  understood 
him  literally,  and  supposed  that,  in  their  absence,  some  person 
might  have  furnished  him  with  food."  To  remove  their  misap- 
prehension, our  Lord  subjoins  : — "  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of 
him  that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his  work;"  that  is,  the  work  he 
has  entrusted  me  with.  '  In  performing  the  great  work  com- 
mitted to  me,  I  find  more  pleasure  than  even  in  my  necessary 
food;  success  in  that,  is,  in  my  apprehension,  the  richest  feast.' 

At  this  moment,  the  multitude  of  Samaritans  appear  to  have 
been  seen  leaving  the  city,  and  coming  towards  them.  On  per- 
ceiving them,  our  Lord  thus  addressed  the  disciples : — 

"Say  not  ye.  There  are  yet  four  months,  and  then  cometh 
harvest  ?  Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Lift  up  your  eyes  and  look 
on  the  fields ;  for  they  are  white  already  to  harvest.  And  he 
that  reapeth  receiveth  wages,  and  gatheretli  fruit  unto  life  eter- 
nal: that  both  he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reapeth  may  rejoice 
together.  And  herein  is  that  saying  true,  one  soweth,  and  an- 
other reapeth.  I  sent  you  to  reap  that  whereon  ye  bestowed  no 
labor :  other  men  labored,  and  ye  are  entered  into  their  labors."" 

*  It  is  a  common  saying  among  you,  When  the  seed  is  cast  into 
the  ground,  in  four  months  we  shall  have  harvest ;  but  lift  up 
your  eyes,  and  say,  if,  though  we  have  but  commenced  sowing, 
it  be  not  harvest  already  ;  are  not  this  people  really  a  people  pre- 
pared for  the  Lord  ?'"  It  is  likely  our  Lord  refers  here  not  only 
to  what  had  just  occurred,  but  also  to  the  great  success  which 
had  attended  his  labors,  and  those  of  his  disciples,  in  Judea. 

"  And  he  that  reapeth  receiveth.  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto 
life  eternal :  that  both  he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reapeth  may 
rejoice  together,'"*"  q.  d.,  '  This  is  a  work  in  which  it  is  indeed  a 
privilege  to  be  engaged.'  "  The  reaper,"  that  is,  the  person  who 
succeeds  in  converting  men  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  "he  receiveth 
wages,"  he  obtains  a  glorious  reward;  and  "the  fruit  he  gathers 
shall  be  to  life  eternal."  This  either  refers  to  his  reward  being  an 
eternal  one,  or  rather,  denotes  that  those  who  are  converted  by 
his  means,  the  fruits  of  his  ministry,  shall  be  saved  everlastingly; 
.<o  tliat  the  sower,  he  who  used  means  for  their  salvation,  and  did 
not  see  their  complete  success,  and  he  that  reapeth — that  is,  who 
has  been  the  means  of  their  conversion — may,  in  their  everlasting 
salvation,  find  a  common  enjoyment. 

The  proverb,  "  one  soweth,  and  another  ]-capcth,"  was  fulfilled 
in  the  case  of  our  Lord's  disciples — other  men  had  labored,  and 
they  had  entered  into  their  labors:  "I  sent  you  to  reap  that 
whereon  ye  bestowed  no  labor ;  other  men  labored,  and  ye  are 

"  John  iv.  3'i.  '"  Johu  iv.  33,  "  John  iv.  35-38. 

"  John  iv.  35.  '^   John  iv.  36. 


EXP.  II.]        CONVERSATION  WITH  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA.  77 

entered  into  their  labors.'""  It  was  owing  to  John's  preliminary 
labors  that  their  preaching  had  been  so  successful.  This  was, 
very  lihely,  said  by  our  Lord,  to  repress  the  vanity  of  his  disci- 
ples, who  might  be  flattered  by  the  great  multitudes  that  in  Judea 
had  been  induced  to  submit  to  baptism.  Some  interpreters  have 
supposed  that  these  words  are  prophetic,  and  refer  to  what  took 
place  when  his  disciples  entered  into  his  labors,  as  well  as  those 
of  John  the  Baptist,  and  the  ancient  prophets,  thus  including  the 
abundant  harvest  of  vast  multitudes,  both  of  Jews  and  Samaritans. 

Many  of  the  Samaritans  were  induced,  by  the  report  of  their 
towns- woman,  to  believe  in  Christ  Jesus  as  the  Messiah ;  which 
almost  necessarily  leads  us  to  the  conclusion,  /that,  in  so  short  a 
narrative,  many  circumstances  which  took  place  must  have  been 
omitted.  These  converts,  on  coming  to  our  Lord,  earnestly  re- 
quested him  to  remain  with  them  some  time."  "With  this  request 
our  Lord  graciously  complied,  and  continued  with  them  two  days. 
These  two  days  were  no  doubt  busily  employed  by  him,  in  in- 
structing them  in  the  word  of  the  kingdom.  Whether  he  per- 
formed any  miracles  here  we  cannot  certainly  say ;  there  being 
no  mention  of  them  is  not  certain  evidence  that  they  were  not 
wrought.  At  any  rate,  by  means  of  his  discourses,  a  great  num- 
ber of  additional  disciples  were  gained  to  his  cause. 

The  "creed,"  or  profession  of  faith  of  the  Samaritans,  deserves 
notice : — "  We  know  that  this  is  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of 
the  worldJ'"^'^  They  seem  to  have  been  freer  from  prejudice  as  to 
the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission  than  the  Jews.  This  may  have 
arisen  from  the  principal  prediction  of  the  Messiah,  recognized  by 
them,  distinctly  stating,  "  That  to  him  should  the  gathering  of  the 
jpeopks  be.'"" 

The  passage  we  have  been  considering  is  replete  with  practical 
instruction. 

Let  us  be  gTatefal  that  we  live  under  the  spiritual  dispensa- 
tion ;  let  us  improve  our  privileges ;  let  us  recollect  that  they 
bring  with  them  a  heavy  responsibilit}^,  and  that  a  carnal,  nomi- 
nal, hypocritical  professor  of  Christianity  will  be  punished  much 
more  severely  than  a  carnal,  nominal,  hypocritical  Jew  or  Samaritan. 

Let  ministers  and  others  engaged  in  cultivating  the  spiritual 
harvest  beware  of  becoming  "weary  in  well-doing;"  "in  due 
season  they  shall  reap  if  they  faint  not."  Let  them  imbibe  the 
spirit,  and  imitate  the  conduct,  of  their  Lord  and  Master. 

And  let  all  seek  to  know,  not  only  from  the  testimony  of  others, 
bat  from  their  own  experience,  that  Jesus  is  indeed  the  Christ,  the 
divinely-commissioned  and  qualified  Saviour  of  the  world.  It  is 
only  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world  that  any  of  us  can  ever  have 
access  to  him  as  our  own  Saviour.  But  if  we  do  not  through 
faith  receive  him  as  our  own  Saviour,  it  will  avail  only  to  our 
deeper  condemnation  that  he  was  made  known  to  us — it  may  be 
acknowledged  by  us,  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

«<'  John  iv.  37,  ;;8.         6i  John  iv.  39-41.        «-  John  iv.  42.  "  Gen.  xlix.  10. 


EXPOSITION    III. 


OUR  LORD'S  DEFENCE  OF  HIS  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE 
SABBATH-DAY. 

John  v.  17-47. 

To  understaud  aright  the  very  interesting  passage  which  has 
now  been  read,  it  is  of  importance  that  Ave  keep  steadily  in  view 
who  it  is  that  makes  these  statements,  and  what  were  the  circum- 
stances in  Avhich  he  was  placed  when  he  made  them.  The  speaker 
is  Jesus  Christ,  the  incarnate  Only -begotten  of  God ;  the  divine, 
and  the  divinely-appointed  and  qualified.  Saviour  of  men ;  "the 
Word,  who  Avas  in  the  be.sn'nniug,  Avho  was  Avith  God,  Avho  Avas 
God;"  Avho  had  become  "flesh,  and  dAvelt  among  men,  full  of 
grace  and  truth,"  possessing  and  displaying,  amid  all  the  weakness 
of  the  nature  he  assumed,  and  the  debasement  and  suffering  of 
the  state  to  Avhich  he  submitted,  a  glory  peculiar  to  himself — "the 
glory  as  of  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father."'  If  this  be  not 
steadily  kept  in  vicAv,  many  of  the  statements  contained  in  this 
discourse  Avill  be  imintelligible,  and  apparently  inconsistent. 

The  circumstances  in  which  this  illustrious  speaker  Avas  placed 
Avhen  he  uttered  this  discourse,  must  also  be  attended  to,  if  Ave 
Avould  rightly  understand  it.  On  the  Sabbath-day,  the  day  ap- 
propriated by  Divine  command  to  cessation  from  labor,  Jesus 
Christ  had  miraculously  cured  a  man  who  had  labored  for  thirty- 
eight  years  under  a  paralytic  affection ;  and  had  commanded  him, 
as  an  evidence  of  the  completeness  of  his  cure,  to  take  up  the  bed. 
on  Avhich  he  lay,  and  carry  it.  On  this  account,  he  Avas  cliarged 
by  the  JcAvish  rulers  Avith  the  violation  of  the  rest  of  the  Sabbath, 
Avhich,  under  that  economy,  Avas  not  only,  in  a  religious  point  of 
vicAV,  a  sin,  but,  in  a  civil  point  of  vieAV,  a  crime,  exposing  him 
Avho  was  guilty  of  it  to  the  punishment  of  death. 

This  Avas  a  charge  repeatedly  brought  against  our  Lord  by  his 
enemies ;  and  his  ordinary  mode  of  meeting  it  Avas  by  pleading 
the  character  of  the  Avorks  Avhich  he  perf  )rmed.  They  Avero  acts 
of  mercy :  and  it  Avas  admitted,  even  by  themselves,  that  the  laAv 
of  the  Sabbath  was  not  violated  by  such  acts,  hoAvevcr  laborious 
and  troublesome.  Of  this  mode  of  vindication  we  have  various 
instances: — "And  he  said  unto  them.  What  man  shall  there  be 
among  you  that  shall  have  one  sheep,  and  if  it  Ihll  into  a  jnt  ou 

'  Jolin  i.  1,  14,  16,  18. 


EXP.  III.]      WORKIKG  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.  79 

the  Sabbatli-day,  will  lie  not  lay  hold  on  it,  and  lift  it  out  ?  How 
much  then  is  a  man  better  than  a  sheep?  "Wherefore,  it  is  lawful 
to  do  well  on  the  Sabbath-days.'"  "And  behold,  there  was  a 
woman  which  had  a  spirit  of  infirmity  eighteen  years,  and  was 
bowed  together,  and  could  in  no  wise  lift  up  herself.  And  when 
Jesus  saw  her,  he  called  her  to  him,  and  said  unto  her,  Woman, 
thou  art  loosed  from  thine  infirmity.  And  he  laid  his  hands  on 
her :  and  immediately  she  was  made  straight,  and  glorified  God. 
And  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue  answered  with  indignation,  be 
cause  that  Jesus  had  healed  on  the  Sabbath-day,  and  said  unto  the 
people.  There  are  six  days  in  which  men  ought  to  work ;  in  them 
therefore  come  and  be  healed,  and  not  on  the  Sabbath-day.  The 
Lord  then  answered  him,  and  said.  Thou  hypocrite,  doth  not  each 
one  of  you  on  the  Sabbath  loose  his  ox  or  his  ass  from  the  stall, 
and  lead  him  away  to  watering?  And  ought  not  this  woman, 
being  a  daughter  of  Abraham,  whom  Satan  had  bound,  lo,  these 
eighteen  years,  to  be  loosed  from  this  bond  on  the  Sabbath-day  ? 
And  when  he  had  said  these  things,  all  his  adversaries  were 
ashamed:  and  all  the  people  rejoiced  for  all  the  glorious  things 
that  were  done  by  him.'" 

In  the  case  before  us,  however,  for  the  purpose  of  unfolding  the 
truth  with  regard  to  his  own  pei-sonal  dignity  and  official  charac- 
ter, he  chose  to  follow  a  different  course.  He  takes  at  once  far 
higher  ground,  and  distinctly  intimates  that  he,  as  well  as  his 
Father,  is  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath. 

"My  Father,"  said  he,  "worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work."* 
The  meaning  of  these  words,  and  their  force  as  a  defence  of  our 
Lord's  conduct  in  healing  the  impotent  man  on  the  Sabbath  day, 
have  been  variously  understood.  Some  consider  them  as  ecjuiva- 
lent  to — '  The  works  which  I  perform  are  not  only  my  works, 
but  my  Father's ;  my  Father  works  while  I  work ;  the  healing 
of  this  impotent  man  is  not  so  much  my  work,  as  the  work  of 
my  Father :'  as  he  says  elsewhere : — "  The  Father,  that  dwelleth 
in  me,  he  doeth  the  works."  '  In  blaming  me,  then,  you  blame 
God.  The  work  which  I  have  done  is  one  which  nothing  short 
of  Divine  power  could  accomplish ;  and  to  represent  it  as  an  un- 
lawful deed  is  the  height  of  impiety.' 

This  is  quite  an  appropriate  and  an  unanswerable  defence ; 
but  we  doubt  if  the  words,  fairly  interpreted,  express  this  mean- 
ing. ^  The  idea  they  natm-ally  suggest,  and  which,  from  the  im- 
pression made  on  the  minds  of  the  Jews,  the  idea  they  seem  to 
have  suggested,  is  : — '  My  Father  hitherto,  from  the  creation  of 
the  world,  has  continued  to  work  on  the  Sabbath-day ;  and  I  also 
work  on  the  Sabbath-day.'  Though  God  on  the  seventh  day 
rested  fron  the  work  of  creation, — the  giving  being  to  new  orders 
of  creatures, — he  is  continually  employed  in  the  preservation  and 
government  of  the  world.  The  great  machine  of  the  universe 
does  not  stand  still  on  the  Sabbath-day  ;  the  mighty  and  the  mi- 
nute processes  of  nature  experience  no  interruption  :  the  sun  rises 
2  Matt.  xii.  11,  12.  3  Luke  xiii.  11-17.  'John  v.  IV. 


80  WORKING  MIIlACLEvS  ON"  THE  SABBATH-DAY.       [EXP.  III. 

and  sets,  the  grass  grows,  tlie  river  rolls  on,  the  blood  circulates, 
on  the  Sabbath,  as  well  as  on  the  other  days  of  the  week. 
'  What  my  Father  does,'  says  our  Lord,  '  I  do :'  He  works  on  the 
Sabbath-day,  and  I  work  on  the  Sabl)ath-day ;  and  who  dare  call 
in  question  either  his  right  or  mine  to  do  so?  ' 

Our  Lord  here  obviously  claims  a  two-fold  equality  with  the 
Father.  He  does  the  same  works  Avith  him;  and,  like  him,  he 
works  perpetually. 

Instead  of  being  overawed  by  this  statement,  made  by  one 
who,  by  his  miracles,  had  clearly  proved  that  he  was  a  divine 
messenger,  the  JeAvish  rulers  Avere  exasperated  by  it,  and  thought 
that  they  had  now  found  an  additional  and  a  stronger  reason  for 
seeking  to  bring  him  to  capital  punishment.  He,  in  their  estima- 
tion, had  not  only  -^dolated  the  law  of  the  Sabbath,  but  been 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  blasphemy,  in  saying  "that  God  was  his 
proper'  Father,  thus  making  himself  equal  with  God."* 

It  is  quite  plain  that  our  Lord's  argument  has  no  force,  if  his 
claim  of  sonship  is  not  thus  to  be  understood.  It  were  at  once 
impious  and  absurd  for  those  Avho  are  termed  "  sons  of  God,  in 
the  sense  in  which  the  JcAvish  magistrates  received  this  appella- 
tion, or  in  the  sense  in  Avhich  the  term  is  applied  to  all  good  men, 
to  argue  in  this  way,  '  I  have  a  right  to  do  AA^hatever  God  does.' 
It  is  obvious  that  our  Lord  did  claim  sonship,  in  a  sense  peculiar 
to  himself — sonship,  in  a  sense  A\^hich  implied  identity  of  nature, 
and  equality  of  authority.  '  My  Father  Avorks  on  the  Sabbath- 
daj'",  and  Avho  dare  find  fault  Avith  him  ?  I  Avork  on  the  Sabbath- 
day,  and  who  dare  find  fault  Avith  me  ? 

The  Jewish  rulers,  not  believing  him  to  be  Avhat  he  AA^as,  an 
incarnation  of  God,  and  the  divine,  and  the  divinely-appointed, 
Saviour  of  the  world,  considered  this  assertion  as,  in  itself,  a 
greater  crime  than  that  for  which  it  had  been  brought  forAvard 
us  a  defence.  To  the  crime  of  Sabbath  violation,  he  had,  in  their 
estimation,  added  that  of  blasphemy ;  for,  in  calling  God  "  his 
Father,"  he  had  claimed  identity  of  nature  Avith  him,  thus  "  mak- 
ing himself  equal  with  God." 

Such  was  the  inference  they  drew  from  his  words,  and  it  ap- 
l)ears  that  it  Avas  a  fair  inference.  He  does  not  accuse  them  of 
misrepresenting  his  meaning ;  he  does  not  protest  against  their 
construction  of  his  words.  He  goes  on  to  state  the  truth  Avith  re- 
gard to  his  person  and  office,  and  the  evidence  on  Avhich  it  rested, 
and  thus  to  vindicate  himself  equally  from  the  charge  of  Sabbath 
violation  in  having  healed,  by  his  divine  poAver,  an  impotent  man 
on  that  day,  and  of  blasphem}^,  in  making  an  assertion  which,  by 
necessary  implication,  was  a  claim  of  equality  Avith  God. 

I. — THE   DOCTRINE. 

The  general  idea  pervading  the  whole  discourse  is  this: — 
'  There  exists  a  perfect  unity  of  mind,  and  Avill,  and  operation, 

'  I610V.  «  John  V,  18. 


PART  I.]  THE   DOCTEINE.  81 

between  the  Father  and  the  Son.'  The  works  of  the  Son  are 
really  divine  works  ;  so  that,  neither  can  he  be  justly  accused  of 
Sabbath  violation  for  working  on  the  Sabbath-day,  nor  of  blas- 
phemy, in  making  himself  equal  with  God. 

"  The  Sou  can  do  nothing  of  himself,  but  what  he  seeth  the 
Father  do.'"  These  words  have  sometimes  been  explained,  as  if 
they  meant,  '  The  Son,  as  the  mediatorial  servant  of  the  Father, 
does  nothing  but  according  to  the  will  of  the  Father.'  This  is 
true;  but  it  does  not  seem  to  be  the  truth  here  stated.  Our 
Lord's  defence  is  not,  that  his  works  were  divinely -appointed 
works,  but  that  they  were  divine  works.  The  meaning  seems  to 
be,  '  The  Son  can  do  nothing  separately  from  the  Father.'* 

The  word  "can""  is,  I  apprehend,  to  be  understood  in  its 
strict  meaning  of  physical  impossibility.  It  is  true,  that  from  the 
moral  perfection  of  the  God-man,  Christ  Jesus,  he  was  morally 
incapable  of  doing  anything  inconsistent  with  the  will  of  his 
Father.  But  here  the  question  is  about  an  act  of  physical  power 
— ^the  miraculous  cure  of  the  impotent  man — and  the  meaning 
seems  to  be,  '  It  is  impossible  for  the  Son  to  exercise  divine  power 
separate  from  the  Father;  when  the  Son  works,  the  Father 
works  also.' 

To  "see,"  here,  is  just  equivalent  to  'to  know' — to  know  in- 
tuitively. When  the  Son  exerts  his  divine  power,  it  is  always 
in  the  conscious  knowledge,  arising  from  the  possession  of  the 
same  divine  nature,  that  it  is  the  will  of  the  Father  that  it  should 
be  so  exerted ;  and  as  in  this  way  the  Son  can  do  nothing  but 
what  the  Father  does,  so,  on  the  other  hand,  "  what  things 
soever  the  Father  doeth,  these  also  doeth  the  Son  likewise."" 
He  does  only  what  he,  by  the  possession  of  the  same  divine 
nature,  is  conscious  that  the  Father  is  doing;  and  he  does  all 
that  the  Father  does  "  likewise,"^'  in  the  like  manner,  doing  not 
only  what  He  does,  but  doing  it  as  He  does  it ;  that  is,  in  a  way 
comporting  with  the  absolute  perfection  of  their  common  divine 
nature. 

All  is  of  the  Father — all  is  by  the  Son.  Did  the  Father  create 
the  universe?  So  did  the  Son.  Does  the  Father  uphold  the. 
universe  ?  So  does  the  Son.  Does  the  Father  govern  the  uni- 
verse ?  So  does  the  Son.  Is  the  Father  the  Saviour  of  the 
^vorld  ?  So  is  the  Son.  Surely  the  Jews  did  not  err  when  they 
concluded  that  our  Lord  made  himself  equal  with  God.  Surely 
he  who  is  so  intimately  connected  with  God,  that  he  does  what 
God  does,  does  all  that  God  does,  does  all  in  the  same  manner  in 
which  God  does  it ;  surely  such  a  person  cannot  but  be  equal 
with  God. 

Our  Lord  adds,  "For  the  Father  loveth  the  Son.""  There 
is  an  ineffable,  infinite  affection  of  the  Father  to  the  Son,  neces- 

'  John  V.  19. 

•  "  Candor  est  lucis  seterniB.  Attende  candorem  Bolis.  In  cselo  est  et  expandit 
candorem  per  terras  omnes :  Si  separas  candorem  soils  a  sole,  separa  Verbura  a. 
Patre." — Augustin. 

"  dvvarai.  '"  John  v.  19.  "  6/iotuf.  "John  v.  20. 

VOL.    I.  6 


82  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

sarily  springing  out  of  tlieir  common  possession  of  infinite  excel- 
lence; and  this  love  is  manifested  in  the  Father's  "showing  the 
Son  all  that  he  doeth'"'  in — if  I  may  venture  on  the  expression 
■ — his  having  no  secrets  with  liim. 

The  idea  seems  to  be  this,  that  the  love  of  the  Father  and  of 
the  Son,  their  perfect  complacency  in  each  other,  is  manifest  in 
that  perfect  knowledge  which  the  Son  has  of  the  period  at  which, 
the  purpose  for  which,  and  the  manner  in  which,  the  divine 
power  equally  possessed  by  them  is  to  be  put  forth.  '  Is  it  in 
consequence  of  this  perfect  knowledge,'  as  if  our  Lord  had  said — 
*  that  in  this  case  I  have  exerted  divine  power  while  my  Father 
was  exerting  it.' 

And  he  adds,  '  still  further— still  more  extraordinary  manifesta- 
tions of  this  communit}^  of  knowledge,  will,  and  operation  of 
the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  will  be  made.'  "  He  will  show  you 
gi-eater  works  than  these,  that  ye  may  all  marvel,""  or,  so  "that 
ye  shall  all  marvel;"  that  is,  we  apprehend,  '  The  Son,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  perfect  knowledge  of  the  mind,  and  will,  and  opera- 
tions of  his  divine  Father,  will  yet  make  still  more  remarkable 
displays  of  that  divine  power  which  is  equally  his  Father's  and 
his  own, — such  displays,  as  will  fill  with  amazement  all  who  wit- 
ness them.""* 

What  these  displays  were  to  be,  appears  from  what  follows. — 
He  had  healed  an  impotent  man,  but  he  was  soon  to  raise  to  life 
some  who  had  been  dead ;  nay,  at  a  future  period  he  was  to  raise 
to  life  all  the  dead,  and  act  as  the  Grovernor  and  Judge  of  all 
mankind. 

Such  intimate  knowledge  of  all  the  designs  and  operations  of 
the  Almighty  and  Eternal  God ;  such  a  knowledge  as  may  be 
compared  to  acute  vision  ;  such  intuition  of  the  Divine  plan  of 
operation,  together  with  the  putting  forth  the  divine  energies 
necessary  to  carry  this  plan  into  execution, — surely  this,  if  any- 
thing can,  proves  the  proper  divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 

"  For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them  ; 
even  s©  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will.'""  These  words  seem 
an  illustration  of  the  statement  made  in  the  close  of  the  19th 
verse, — "  whatsoever  things  the  Father  doetli,  these  also  doeth 
the  Son  likewise  ;"  as  well  as  a  specimen  of  "the  greater  things" 
than  the  healing  of  the  impotent  man. 

"  For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them  ; 
even  so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will."  The  Father  raiseth 
up  the  dead  and  quickeneth  them, — that  is,  '  God  possesses  the 
power,  and  that  power  is  peculiar  to  Divinity,  of  raising  up  and 
giving  life  to  the  dead.'  It  is  one  of  the  peculiar  characteristics 
of  the  living  and  true  God,  that  lie  is  "the  God  that  quickeneth 
the  dead."     Unto  God  the  Lord  belong  the  issues  from  death.'", 

"John  V.  20.  "John  v.  '20. 

"  Ilnjc  ostensio  est  iiitinia;  unitatis.     Couferunt  hue,  Psal.  xlv.  5.     'Docebit  te 
ros  stupcndas  dcxtera  tua.'  " — Bgnoel. 
"  John  V.  21.  "  Rom.  iv.  17.     Psal.  Ixviii.  20. 


PART  I.]  THE   DOCTRINE.  83 

"  Why  should  it  be  counted  an  incredible  thing,  that  Ood  should 
raise  the  dead,'"^  says  the  apostle,  obviously  intimating  that  it 
might  well  be  accounted  an  inci'edible  thing  that  qh.j  one  else 
should  raise  them.  Now,  this  power  is  claimed  by  our  Lord  in 
the  most  absolute  manner, — the  power  not  only  of  raising  up, 
but  of  quickening,  and  of  raising  up  and  quickening  whom  he 
will. 

He  "has  life  in  himself,  as  the  Father  has  life  in  himself,"  so 
that  he  can,  not  merely,  like  the  apostles,  acting  as  the  instru- 
ments of  divine  power,  or  rather  as  its  heralds,  declare  that  power 
shall  be  manifested  in  raising  this  or  that  person  from  the  dead, 
but  he  can  resuscitate  and  re-animate  whomsoever  he  will.  It  is 
apower  inherent  in  him,  which  he  can  exert  whenever  he  chooses, 
with  regard  to  all  the  dead,  he  has  but  to  speak  the  Avord,  and 
they  live. 

But  not  only  is  the  Son  thus  possessed,  as  a  divine  person,  of 
the  same  power  as  the  Father,  but  in  the  economy  of  salvation, 
the  Father  has  appointed  him  to  iill  such  offices,  and  to  perform 
Buch  v/orks,  as  are  competent  only  to  one  who  is  possessed  of 
divine  perfections,  and  he  has  done  this  for  the  express  purpose 
that  men  should  yield  to  his  Son  the  same  religious  homage 
as  they  do  to  himself.  "  For  the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but 
hath  committed  all  judgment  to  the  Son :  That  all  men  should 
honor  the  Son,  even  as  they  honor  the  Father.  He  tliat  honoreth 
not  the  Son,  honoreth  not  the  Father  which  hath  sent  him."'" 

The  sum  of  our  Lord's  statements,  in  what  goes  before,  seems 
to  be  this, — '  The  Son  is,  equally  with  the  Father,  possessed  of 
divine  perfections. — His  works  are,  equallj^  with  the  Father's, 
divine  works.'  The  sum  of  the  statement  that  follows,  seems  to 
be — '  In  the  economy  of  man's  salvation  the  Father  has  appointed 
him  to  manifest  his  own  divine  perfections,  so  that  men  may  be 
led  to  honor  him,  even  as  they  honor  the  Father.' 

The  word  "judge,""  may  be  understood  either  in  a  more  con- 
fined, or  in  a  more  extended  sense.  In  the  first  case,  it  is  equiv- 
alent to  '  finally  to  determine,'  and  refers  to  what  we  ordinarily 
term  "  the  last  judgment,"  which  is  to  follow  the  general  resur- 
rection, and  in  which  all  men  arc  to  "  receive  according  to  the 
deeds  which  they  have  done,  whether  they  be  good  or  evil."'' 
In  the  second  case,  it  is  equivalent  to  '  to  govern — ^to  rule.'^^ 
The  last  sense  includes  the  first,  and  therefore  we  are  inclined  to 
prefer  it,  being  disposed  to  take  the  words  in  the  most  extended 
sense  they  will  bear. 

Under  the  economy  of  grace,  the  whole  administration  of  the 
Divine  moral  government  is  put  into  the  hands  of  the  incarnate 
Son — the  glorified  God-man,  Christ  Jesus.  "Jehovah  has  said 
to  our  Lord,  Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand;'"'  and  there  he  sits  and 
reigns,  and  must  continue  to  reign,  till  all  his  enemies  arc  made 

""  Acts  xxvi.  8.  ■'  John  v.  22,  23.  '"  Kpivei.  "'  2  Cor.  v,  10. 

"  Psal.  xcvi.  13;  xcviii.  9;  ex.  0.     Isa.  ii.  4;  xi,  3.     Mic.  iv.  3.     Rev.  xix.  11, 
='  Psal.  ex.  1. 


84  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

his  footstool.  He  has  obtained  "a  name  above  every  name." 
"  Angels,  principalities,  and  powers  being  made  subject  to  liim."" 
The  Father  administers  government  imder  the  new  economy, 
not  directly,  but  by  the  Son  ;  he  hath  committed  all  government 
to  the  Son.  Ever^^thing  connected  with  the  government  of  the 
church  and  of  the  world,  inclusive  of  the  final  distribution  of  re- 
wards and  punishments,  has  been  entrusted  to  him. 

It  has  sometimes  been  said,  with  something  like  a  sneer,  by 
the  Unitarian  enemies  of  the  doctrine  of  our  Lord's  proper  di- 
vinity,— '  It  would  seem,  according  to  your  views,  that  this  ap- 
pointment was  a  very  unnecessar}^  thing ;  nothing  being  given 
to  the  Son  except  what,  according  to  you,  he  alwaj^s  possessed.' 
But  surely  it  does  not  require  much  acuteness  to  see  the  distinc- 
tion between  the  possession,  and  the  exercise,  of  a  power,  "to 
observe  the  distinction  between  an  original  ground  of  suitableness 
in  the  capacity  and  qualifications  of  an  agent  for  a  given  purpose, 
and  a  consequent  investment  of  that  agent  with  a  particular  func- 
tion appropriated  to  that  purpose."" 

The  design  of  the  Father  in  appointing  the  Son  to  be  in  refer- 
ence to  all  creatures  the  Supreme  Euler,  is  "  that  all  may  honor 
the  Son  as  they  honor  the  Father."  He  has  appointed  him  to 
an  of&ce,  the  discharge  of  the  functions  of  which,  absolutely  re- 
quires divine  perfections,  that  in  the  display  of  these  he  may  ap- 
pear entitled  to,  and  may  receive,  divine  homage.  "  That,"^'  may 
either  be  considered  as  equivalent  to,  '  in  order  that,'  or  '  so  that,' 
as  indicating  the  design  of  God,  or  as  indicating  the  conclusion 
which  ought  to  be  drawn  from  the  fact.  Surely  our  Lord  has 
here  very  distinctly  told  us  who  and  what  he  is.  For,  after  hav- 
ing attributed  to  himself  works  obviously  divine,  he  here,  in  ex- 
press words,  claims  for  himself  divine  worship — worship  equal  to 
that  rendered  to  the  Father. 

The  word  rendered  "  to  honor,""  does  not  of  itself  convey  the 
idea  of  Avorship.  But  to  honor  God,  is  to  worship  him.  Every 
mark  of  respect,  inferior  to  worship,  would  be  not  honor,  but 
insult  to  Him.  To  honor  God  is  to  worship  him ;  and  to  wor- 
ship God,  is  just  to  think,  and  feel,  and  act,  towards  him,  in  con- 
formity to  the  revelation  he  has  made  of  himself.  He  has  re- 
vealed himself  as  infinitely  great,  excellent,  and  good' — the  crea- 
tor, preserver,  proprietor,  governor,  of  all  things.  To  think, 
feel,  and  act  in  conformity  to  this  revelation ;  in  other  words, 
supremely  to  esteem,  reverence,  love,  and  trust  in  God,  and  to 
express  these  sentiments  in  obedience  and  submission,  this  is  to 
worship  God. 

To  "honor  the  Father,"  expresses  that  modification  of  relig- 
ious worship  which  rises  out  of  tlie  revelation  which  God  has 
made  of  himself  in  the  paternal  character.  God  lias  made  him- 
self known  as  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  as  our  God  and  Father  in  him ;   as  God  loving  the  world, 

"  Phil  ii.  9.     Eph.  i.  21.     1  PoL  iii.  22.  "  Pye  Smith. 

"•  Iva.  ■"  Ti/xum. 


PART  I.]  THE   DOCTRINE,  85 

God  reconciling  the  world  to  himself.  Now,  he  is  not  honored 
in  this  character,  unless  we  look  to  him  with  unsuspecting  con- 
fidence for  every  blessing  we  need  for  time  and  eternity,  through 
the  mediation  of  his  Son, 

To  "  honor  the  Son,"  is  just  to  regard  the  Son  with  those  sen- 
timents and  feelings  which  correspond  with  the  revelation  made 
of  him  as  "the"  eternal  "Word,"  "the  brightness' of  his  Father's 
glory,"  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,"  the  divinely-appointed  and 
the  divinely-qualified,  Eedeemer  of  men. 

The  honor  which  it  is  the  will  of  the  Father  should  he  given 
to  the  Son,  is  the  same  honor  that  is  due  to  himself,  "  that  all 
should  honor  the  Son  as  they  honor  the  Father."  It  is  not  an 
honor  resembling  that  due  to  himself;  but  it  is  honor  equal  to 
that  due  to  himself,  the  same  honor  that  is  due  to  himself.  He 
is  to  be  worshipped  as  the  true  God,  possessed  of  all  divine  per- 
fections, the  creator,  preserver,  proprietor,  governor,  saviour,  and 
judge  of  the  world. 

That  the  honor  here  referred  to,  is  really  the  honor  of  divine 
worship,  is  plain  from  the  reasons  on  which  the  claim  is  founded. 
God  is  his  proper  Father ;  he  is  God's  proper  Son  ;  there  is  iden- 
tity of  nature.  He  is  equal  with  God  ;  he  has  divine  powers  and 
prerogatives  ;  equally  with  the  Father,  he  has  the  power  of  raising 
and  quickening  whom  he  will ;  equally  with  the  Father,  he  is 
the  ruler  and  judge  of  the  universe.  These  are  the  grounds  on 
which  a  claim  is  made,  that  the  Son  should  be  honored  as  the 
Father. 

It  is  added,  "  He  that  honoreth  not  the  Son,  honoreth  not  the 
Father  which  hath  sent  him."  It  is  the  will  of  the  Father,  that 
all  men  should  honor  the  Son  as  they  honor  himself;  and  if  this 
will  be  not  complied  with,  the  Father  is  dishonored.  The  Father 
wUls  to  be  honored  and  worshipped  through  the  Son ;  his  will  is 
to  be  worshipped  by  men  as  the  Father  of  our  Lord,  and  our 
Father  in  him.  Now  this  cannot  be  done  unless  we  honor  the 
Son.  Indeed  the  Father  cannot  be  honored  in  any  other  way 
than  by  honoring  the  Son.  He  who  does  not  honor  the  Son, 
does  not  acknowledge  God  as  the  Father,  such  as  he  has  mani- 
fested himself  in  his  Son  ;  he  does  not  acknowledge  the  paternal 
love  towards  us,  manifested  in  sending  his  own  Son ;  he  does  not 
place  his  confidence  in  the  Father,  just  because  he  has  not  faith 
in  the  Son  ;  he  cannot  love  the  Father,  for  he  does  not  acknowl- 
edge the  love  of  the  Father.  He  cannot  obey  the  Father,  be- 
cause he  wants  those  aids,  which  can  be  supplied  only  by  faith  in 
the  Son.  It  is  in  the  Son  that  the  Father  manifests  himself: — 
"  He  who  has  seen  the  Son,  has  seen  the  Father,""'  and  he  Mdio 
has  not  seen  the  Son,  has  not  seen  the  Father.  So  closely  con- 
nected are  the  worship  of  the  Father,  and  that  of  the  Son,  that 
the  one  cannot  exist  without  the  other. 

The  proper  interpretation  of  the  paragraph  which  follows, 
(verse  24-29,)  depends  on  the  right  resolution  of  the  question, 

"  John  xiv.  9. 


86  WORKING  MIRACLES  OX  THE  SABBATH-DAY.       [EXP.  III. 

■wlietlier  the  leading  words  in  it,  "death,"  "life,"  and  "resurrec- 
tion," are  to  be  understood  literally  or  figurativel}'.'^' 

There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt,  that  "death"  is  often  in 
the  New  Testament  used  to  describe  that  state  of  moral  corrup- 
tion and  spiritual  inactivity  in  which  all  men  are  by  nature ;  and 
"  life"  to  describe  that  state  of  holy  activity  and  enjoyment,  into 
which  they  are  brought  by  the  faith  of  the  Gospel ;  and  that  the 
transition  from  the  one  state  into  the  other  is  sometimes  repre- 
sented as  a  resurrection  ;  and  some  interpreters  have  considered 
the  passage  before  us  as  one  of  those  in  which,  under  these  sig- 
nificant figures,  the  power  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ,  when  under- 
stood and  believed,  to  effect  a  gTcat  and  most  salutary  change  on 
the. character  and  condition  of  mankind,  is  brought  before  the 
mind. 

On  carefully  examining  the  passage,  however,  I  am  persuaded 
that  the  words  are  to  be  understood  in  their  literal  signification, 
and  that  they  do  not  refer  to  the  conversion  of  the  irregenerate, 
but  to  the  resuiTection  of  the  dead.  The  reasons  which  have  in- 
duced me  to  form  this  judgment,  are  the  following: — 

Unless  the  context  absolutely  requires  it,  we  are  never  to  de- 
part from  the  literal  signification  of  words  and  phrases,  when 
they  afford  a  true  and  consistent  meaning. 

On  the  principle  of  figurative  interpretation,  it  seems  impossi- 
ble to  attach  distinct  ideas  to  such  expressions  as,  "  all  who  are 
in  their  graves  shall  come  forth,  some  to  the  resurrection  of  life, 
and  some  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation." 

The  context  obviously  not  only  admits  of,  but  seems  to  re- 
quire, the  literal  interpretation  of  these  words.  Jesus  Christ  had 
performed  a  miracle  of  mercy  on  the  Sabbath-day,  and  the  Jew- 
ish rulers  accused  him  of  Sabbath  violation.  The  question  be- 
tween him  and  them  referred  to  his  right  to  perform  works  on  a 
day  set  apart  by  Divine  authority  to  cessation  from  labors.  In 
answer  to  their  objection  he  might  have  done,  what  he  did  on 
other  occasions,  have  urged  the  character  of  the  works  he  per- 
formed. It  was  a  work  of  mercy,  and  therefore  no  violation  of 
the  law  rightly  understood.  But  he  chose,  as  we  have  seen,  to 
occupy  other  and  higher  ground.  From  liis  possession  of  the 
same  divine  power  as  that  displayed  by  his  Father  in  the  uphold- 
ing and  governing  of  the  Avorld,  he  argues  his  right  of  exercis- 
es This  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  questions  iu  exegesis.  Tlie  mystical  or  spirit- 
ual interpretation  is  comparatively  modern.  It  is  that  of  most  of  the  rationalistic 
interpreters,  such  as  Amnion,  Eckermann,  and  Eichorn.  The  literal  is  that 
adopted  by  the  more  ancient  Greek  and  Latin  interpreters,  as  Chrysoatom  and 
Tertullian,  and  Ly  such  modern  interpreters  as  Storr,  Tittmann,  and  Schott. 
Some  very  good  interpreters,  as  Calvin,  Lamp;'-,  Luckt'-,  and  Neaiuler,  endeavor  to 
conjoin  the  two  interpretations  ;  I  think  not  very  successfully.  The  only  serious 
difficulty  in  the  way  of  adopting  tlie  exegesis  which,  upon  the  wliolo,  seems  the 
preferable  one,  rises  out  of  the  use  of  the  perfect  in  the  close  of  the  24th  verse, 
where  we  should  have  exj)ected  the  future;  but  in  proplietic  statements,  the  per- 
fect often  stands  for  the  future;,  to  indicate  the  absolute  certainty  of  the  event. 
As  Tholuek  says,  "  Ho  wlio  has  become  a  believer  in  the  Son  is  regarded  by  God 
as  already  holy  and  glorified  for  all  cternit}-,"  llotn.  viii.  30.  A  very  good  view 
of  the  arguments  for  boih  modes  of  iutorpretfttiou  is  Given  by  Tittmann  in  loc. 


PAET  I.]  THE   DOCTEINE.  87 

ing  that  power  on  the  Sabbatli-day,  as  well  as  on  other  days,  just 
as  liis  Father  exercised  it.  The  Jews  understood  this  as  claim- 
ing equality  with  God,  and  they  seem  rightly  so  to  have  under- 
stood it,  for  our  Lord  does  not  com])]ain  either  of  their  misappre- 
hending or  misinterpreting  his  meaning.  AYhat  follows,  then,  is 
our  Lord's  explanation  and  vindication  of  the  assertion,  which 
the  Jews  considered  as  blasphemy,  that  he  was  equal  with  God, 
that  he  had  the  same  power  that  God  has.  To  say,  what  ac- 
cording to  the  figurative  mode  of  interpretation  our  Lord  says, 
that  the  doctrine  which  he  had  been  commissioned  of  God  to 
teach,  if  understood  and  believed,  would  elFect  a  salutary  change 
in  the  character  and  condition  of  mankind,  so  great  and  wonder- 
ful, that  nothing  short  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  could  afford, 
an  adequate  figurative  representation  of  it,  would  have  been  to 
state  a  truth,  but  a  truth  which  seems  to  have  no  direct  bearing 
on  the  obvious  object  of  our  Lord's  discourse ;  whereas  to  say, 
what  the  words,  literally  interpreted,  plainly  convey,  that  he  was 
possessed  of  the  same  divine  i^ower  with  the  Father, — ^power 
which  he  had  manifested  in  the  performance  of  miracles,  and 
would  still  farther  manifest  in  the  performance  of  still  greater 
miracles,  immediately  or  very  soon,  in  not  only  curing  diseased 
men,  but  quickening  dead  men,  and  ultimately  in  raising  to  life 
all  who  had  ever  died, — ^this  was  just  to  make  the  assertion  which 
the  circumstance  required,  and  which  his  previous  statements 
led  to  expect. 

On  these  grounds  we  are  disposed  to  prefer  the  literal  inter- 
pretation of  this  passage,  to  the  mystical,  or  even  to  the  mixed, 
interpretation  of  it.  Let  us  proceed  to  examine  it  somewhat 
more  closely. 

"  Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  He  that  heareth  my  word,  and 
believeth  on  him  who  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not 
come  into  condemnation ;  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life."^" 
To  "hear,"  is  often,  in  Scripture,  used  to  denote,  to  attend,  to 
believe,  to  obey;  for  exam.ple — "This  is  my  beloved  Son:  hear 
ye  him."  He  that  hears  Christ's  word  is  just  he  who  attends  to, 
Avho  believes,  who  obej'S  him,  as  a  divine  teacher,' — ^who  considers 
all  that  he  says  as  divinely  true,  and  as  divinely  true  because  he 
says  it. 

To  "  hear  the  word"  of  Christ,  and  to  "  believe  on,"  or  to  "  be- 
lieve him  who  sent  him,"  is  substantially  the  same  thing,  for  our 
Lord  himself  says — "  My  doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent 
me :  He  that  receiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that  sent  me." 

Now,  our  Lord's  assertion  is,  that  every  one  who,  by  receiving 
as  true  his  doctrine,  as  the  doctrine  of  a  divinely-commissioned 
t<3acher,  gave  credit  to  Him  whose  messenger  he  was,  should 
become  the  subject  of  that  divine  power,  which  he  in  common 
with  his  Father  possessed.  He  "  hath,"  that  is,  he  shall  assur- 
edly have,  "  eternal  life,"  he  shall  be  made  capable  of,  and  shall 
in  due  time  enter  on,  a  state  of  everlasting  holy  activity  and 

'"  John  V.  24. 


88  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

enjoyment.  "  He  shall  not  come  into  condemnation."  The 
word  rendered  ''condemnation,""  properly  signifies  'judgment;' 
but  here,  as  in  many  other  parts  of  Scripture,  especially  of  the 
Gospel  by  John,  is  equivalent  to  '  condemnation  or  punishment' 
The  meaning  is :  '  He  shall  not  be  condemned  or  punished.' 
On  the  contrary,  "he  is  passed,"  that  is,  shall  pass,  "from 
death  to  life.""-  These  words  are  often,  perhaps  ordinarily,  ex- 
plained of  conversion ;  but  in  their  conunection  here,  it  seems 
more  natural  to  explain  them,  of  "  the  resurrection  of  life." 
He  who  hears  Christ's  words,  and  believes  on  Him  who  sent  him, 
is  not  exempted  from  death.  "It  is  appointed  to  men  once  to 
die."  The  awful  doom  extends  to  all  mankind: — "Dust  thou 
art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return."  "  The  body  must  die 
because  of  sin," — the  first  sin  of  the  first  man.  "  But  the  spirit 
lives,  because  of"  the  free  and  full  "justification,"  by  the  obedi- 
ence unto  the  death  of  the  second  man,  the  Lord  from  heaven  ; 
and  "  he,  who  raised  our  Lord  Jesus  from  the  dead,  shall  also 
quicken  our  mortal  body."  To  all  who  have  his  word,  and  be- 
lieve on  him  v/ho  sent  him,  death  is  but  the  way  to  life. 

The  declaration  in  the  passage  before  us  seems  nearly  equiva- 
lent to  the  two  following: — "This  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent 
me,  that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him, 
should  have  everlasting  life :  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day."  "  He  that  believeth  on  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
he  live :  and  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never 
die.'"^ 

But  the  hearers  of  our  Lord,  were  not  required  to  wait  till  they 
got  into  the  world  of  spirits,  to  witness  these  greater  things  which 
the  Son,  in  the  exercise  of  that  divine  power  which  equally  be- 
longs to  him  and  to  his  Father,  was  to  perform :  He  adds,  "  Verily, 
A'erily,  I  say  unto  you,  the  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  they  that  hear 
shall  live."^^' 

These  words  are,  we  apprehend,  a  prediction  of  the  miraculous 
resurrection  of  Jairus'  daughter,  of  the  sou  of  the  widow  of  Nain, 
and  of  Lazarus,  and  it  may  be  of  otliers;  for  we  have  no  reason 
to  think  that  all  Christ's  miracles  are  recorded ;  nay,  we  certainly 
know  that  he  did  so  many  other  things  besides  those  which  are 
recorded,  that,  "had  they  been  written  every  one,  I  suppose," 
says  the  evangelist,  "  the  world  itself  could  not  contain  the  books 
that  should  be  written.""  "  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is," 
that  is,  '  the  appointed  period  is  just  at  hand,'  "  when  the  dead 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall 
live ;"  that  is,  '  when  I  the  Son  of  God,  shall  by  a  mere  act  of  my 
will,  expressed  by  a  word  of  my  mouth,  restore  to  life  those  who 
are  dead.' 

How  accurately  does  the  event  correspond  to  the  prediction  I 
Hear  the  story  of  Jairus'  daughter : — "  While  he  yet  spake,  there 

"  Kpimv.  •  See  Note  A-  '•'  John  vi.  40  ;  xi.  25,  26. 

"  John  V.  25.  "  John  xxi.  25. 


PART  I.]  THE   DOCTRINE.  89 

came  from  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue's  house  certain  which  said, 
Thy  daughter  is  dead ;  why  troublest  thou  the  Master  any  further  ? 
As  soon  as  Jesus  heard  the  word  that  was  spoken,  he  saith  unto 
the  ruler  of  the  synagogue.  Be  not  afraid,  only  believe.  And 
he  suflered  no  man  to  follow  him,  save  Peter  and  James,  and 
John  the  brother  of  James.  And  he  cometh  to  the  house  of  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and  seeth  the  tumult,  and  them  that  wept 
and  wailed  greatl3^  And  when  he  was  come  in,  he  saith  unto 
them.  Why  make  ye  this  ado,  and  weep?  the  damsel  is  not  dead; 
but  sleepeth.  And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn.  But  when  he 
had  put  them  all  out,  he  taketh  the  father  and  the  mother  of  the 
damsel,  and  them  that  were  with  him,  and  entereth  in  where  the 
damsel  was  lying.  And  he  took  the  damsel  by  the  hand,  and 
said  unto  her,  Tahtha-cumi ;  which  is,  being  interpreted.  Damsel 
(I  say  unto  thee),  arise.  And  straightway  the  damsel  arose,  and 
walked  ;  for  she  was  of  the  age  of  twelve  years.  And  they  were 
astonished  with  a  gTeat  astonishment.'"'  Hear  the  story  of  the 
widow's  only  son: — "  And  it  came  to  pass  the  day  after,  that  he 
went  into  a  city  called  Naiu  ;  and  many  of  his  disciples  went  with 
him,  and  much  people.  Now,  when  he  came  nigh  to  the  gate  of 
the  city,  behold,  there  was  a  dead  man  carried  out,  the  only  son 
of  his  mother,  and  she  was  a  widow  ;  and  much  people  of  the  city 
was  with  her.  And  when  the  Lord  saiv  her,  he  had  compassion 
on  her,  and  said  unto  her,  Weep  not.  And  he  came  and  touched 
the  bier :  and  they  that  bare  him  stood  still.  And  he  said.  Young 
man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise.  And  he  that  was  dead  sat  up,  and 
began  to  speak.  And  he  delivered  him  to  his  mother.'"^  Hear 
the  story  of  Lazarus  : — "  Jesus  therefore  again  groaning  in  him- 
self, cometh  to  the  grave.  It  was  a  cave,  and  a  stone  lay  upon 
it.  Jesus  said,  Take  ye  away  the  stone.  Martha,  the  sister  of 
him  that  was  dead,  saith  unto  him.  Lord,  by  this  time  he  stink- 
eth;  for  he  hath  been  dead  four  days.  Jesus  saith  unto  her, 
Said  I  not  unto  thee,  that,  if  thou  wouldest  believe,  thou 
shouldest  see  the  glory  of  Grod?  Then  they  took  away  the 
stone  from  the  place  where  the  dead  was  laid.  And  Jesus  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  and  said.  Father,  I  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  heard 
me.  And  I  knew  that  thou  hearest  me  always  ;  but  because  of 
the  people  which  stand  by  I  said  it,  that  they  may  believe  that 
thou  hast  sent  me.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  cried  with 
a  loud  voice,  Lazarus,  come  forth.  And  he  that  was  dead  came 
forth,  bound  hand  and  foot  with  grave-clothes ;  and  his  /ace  was 
bound  about  with  a  napkin.  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Loose  him, 
and  let  him  go."" 

Our  Lord  not  only  states  that  he  would  raise  the  dead,  by 
merely  commanding  them'  to  arise,  but  he,  in  the  plainest  terms, 
informs  us  that  he  would  do  this  in  the  exercise  of  that  inde- 
pendent power  of  giving  life  which  belongs,  and  can  belong,  to 
no  creature,  but  which  is  common  to  him  and  his  Divine 
Father.     "For  as  the   Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he 

»*  Mark  v.  35-42.  =°  Luke  viL  11-15.  *'  John  xi.  38-44. 


90  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAT.      [EXP.  III. 

given  to  the  Son  to  liave  life  in  himself;  and  hath,  given  him 
authority  to  execute  judgment  also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of 
man.'"' 

This  is  by  far  the  most  difficult  passage  in  the  whole  of  our 
Lord's  discourse.  At  lirst  sight,  it  seems  to  involve  a  contradic- 
tion. To  have  life  "  in  himself,"  and  to  have  it  "  given  to  him 
to  have  life  in  himself,"  seem '  incompatibilities.  The  life  which 
he  has,  seems  to  be  represented  as  at  once  independent  and  de- 
pendent, original  and  derived.  Let  us  examine  the  passage  at- 
tentively. We  shall  find  that,  while  there  may  be  some  things 
obscure,  there  is  much  that  is  clear ;  and,  that,  what  is  at  first 
sight  obscure,  may,  on  closer  inspection,  lose  much  of  its  ob- 
scurity. 

It  is  very  plainly  stated,  that  "  the  Son  has  life  in  himself," 
a,nd  that  he  "  has  life  in  himself,  even  as  the  Father  hath  life  in 
himself"  "Life,"  when  attributed  to  God  in  the  Scriptures, 
seems  to  denote  the  property  of  independent  existence,  the  pos- 
sessing life,  in  the  highest  sense  of  that  word,  and  the  power 
of  communicating  life  to  those  who  have  it  not,  and  of  restoring 
it  to  those  who  have  lost  it,  or  been  deprived  of  it.  When  we 
call  God  the  living  God,  or  say  that  in  him  is  life,  we  mean  that 
he  is  the  source  of  life,  the  fountain  of  being,  the  creative,  life- 
giving  principle.  "  The  Father  has  life  in  himself  f  it  belongs 
to  his  nature;  he  has  received  it  of  no  one;  it  is  an  essential 
attribute  of  his  necessarily  existing  nature :  he  so  has  life,  that 
he  can  impart,  withdraw,  and  restore  it  to  Wiiomsoever  he  pleases. 
He  is  the  fountain  of  all  life.  All  in  earth  and  in  heaven,  who 
have  life,  have  received  it  from  him  "  in  whom  is  life,"  "  with 
whom  is  the  fountain  of  life,"  who  "  has  life  in  himself"  They 
have  not  life  in  themselves.  "  In  him  they  live,  and  move,  and 
have  their  being." 

Now,  the  Sou  is  said  to  have  "life  in  himself,"  that  is,  the  Son 
is  a  possessor  of  independent  existence.  He  derives  his  life  from 
none ;  he  has  the  power  of  communicating  life  according  to  his 
pleasure.  "  lie  has  life  in  himself,  even  as  the  Father  has  life  in 
himself"  All  the  life  in  the  universe  is  as  really  from  the  Son 
as  from  the  Father.  He  is  equally  with  the  Father  the  possessor 
of  that  independent  existence,  and  that  power  of  giving  existence, 
which  is  one  of  the  grand  characteristics  of  Divinity.  He  and 
liis  Father  are  equally  "  the  first,  and  the  last,  and  the  living  One." 
These  principles  are  very  clearly  stated  in  the  passage  before  us ; 
tliey  arc  'in  j^erfect  accordance  with  the  general  doctrine  of  the 
Sci-ipture ;  and  our  confidence  in  them  is  not  to  be  at  all  affected 
by  tiie  difficulty  which  may  attach  to  some  of  the  other  express- 
ions in  the  passage  before  us. 

The  whole  of 'the  tlifiiculty  lies  in  the  phrase: — "  The  Father 
hath  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself"  There  is  some- 
thing very  peculiar  in  this  phraseology.  It  is  not  said,  that  "  the 
Father  hath  given  the  Son  life  in  himself,"  but  "  he  has  given  to 

="•  Jolui  V.  UG,  27. 


PART  I.]  THE   DOCTRINE.  91 

the  Son  to  have  life,"  or,  that  he  miriht  have,^^  "life  in  liimself." 
The  first  mode  of  expression  would  have  distinctlj^  stated  a  com- 
munication of  life  from  the  Father  to  the  Son  ;  and,  had  it  been 
our  Lord's  intention  to  express  this  idea,  he  would  probably  have 
adopted  it  as  the  simplest  and  most  unequivocal  method  of  ex- 
pressing it.  The  second  mode  of  expression,  which  is  peculiar, 
seems  intended  to  convey  some  other  idea.  What  that  is,  we 
hope  to  be  able  by  and  by  to  make  evident. 

Most  interpreters  appear  to  have  overlooked  this  peculiarity  of 
expression,  and  have  considered  the  words  as  expressive  of  what 
they  have  termed  that  eternal  communication  of  the  Divine 
nature,  which  they  consider  as  implied  in  the  very  nature  of  our 
Lord's  sonship.  I  cannot  find  in  the  Scriptures  any  sanction  to 
this  language.  I  can  attach  no  distinct  idea  to  it.  It  seems  to 
me  a  contradiction  in  terms.  I  know  very  good  divines  have 
spoken  of  the  Father  as  the  fountain  of  Deity  ;  but,  in  doing  so, 
they  have,  I  apprehend,  "  darkened  counsel  by  words  without 
knowledge."  A  derived  independent  existence,  a  communicated 
original  power,  are  certainly  downright  absurdities. 

But,  the  expression  is  not.  The  Father  hath  given  to  the  Son 
life  in  himself,  or  independent  existence,  and  the  power  of  giving 
existence  to  Avhomsoever  he  will ;  but  he  has  given  to  the  Son 
"  to  have  life  in  himself."  The  word  give  is  often  used  in  Scrip- 
ture, as  equivalent  to  '  appoint.'  The  appointment  of  the  Son 
to  be  the  Messiah  is  repeatedl}^  expressed  by  this  v/ord  : — "  Be- 
hold, I  have  given  him  for  a  witness  to  the  people,  a  leader  and 
commander  to  the  people.""  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  belie veth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.""  The  Father  has 
appointed  the  Son  to  have,  or  hold,  life  in  himself.  The  word 
"  gave"  does  not  seem  to  refer  to  the  life  itself,  but  to  the  man- 
ner of  having  or  holding  it.  The  Father,  as  the  head  of  the 
mediatorial  econonvf,  appoints  the  Son  to  hold  and  exercise  that 
independent  power  of  conferring  life,  which  is  the  characteristic 
property  of  that  divinity,  of  which  thej  are  equally  possessed. 
He  constitutes  him  the  fountain  of  divine  life  to  mankind,  be- 
cause he  is  in  himself  adequate  to  this  function.  The  idea  seems 
materially  the  same  as,  when  it  is  said,  that  "it  pleased  the 
Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell" — "that  all  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwells  in  him  bodily;"  that  so  out  "of 
this  fulness  we  might  all  receive  grace  for  grace" — superabound- 
ing  grace.  This  appears  to  me  the  most  satisfactory  mode  of 
explaining  this  somewhat  difficult  passage. 

That  the  words  refer  to  a  Divine  appointment,  having  a  ref- 
erence to  the  mediatorial  economy,  is  obvious  from  what  fol- 
lows:  "and  hath  given  him  authority  to  execute  judgment  also, 
because  he  is  the  Son  of  man.""  To  execute  judgment_  is,  we 
apprehend,  to  administer  the  government  of  the  world,  includ- 
ing, of  course,  the  passing  and  executing  final  sentences  on  all 

»*  Ixei-v.  ""  Isa.  It.  4.  "  John  iii.  16.  "  John  v.  2Y. 


92  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

intelligent  beings.  The  Father  has  appointed  the  Son,  in  his 
mediatorial  capacity,  to  be  the  ruler  of  the  world;  "he  hath 
committed  all  things  into  his  hand."  He  has  appointed  him  to 
discharge  functions,  for  the  proper  discharge  of  which,  divine 
perfections  are  absolutely  necessary  ;  for  what,  short  of  divine 
power  and  wisdom,  could  enable  a  person  to  govern  the  uni- 
verse ? 

It  is  added,  he  has  done  so,  "  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man." 
I  have  already  had  an  opportunity  of  explaining  to  you  the  mean- 
ing of  the  appellation  "the  Son  of  man,"  when  used  as  a  descrip- 
tive appellation  of  the  Messiah.  The  force  of  the  particle  ren- 
dered "  because,"  has  been  variously  explained.  We  are  disposed 
to  think  the  most  probable  metliod  of  interpretation  is  that 
which  supposes  that  there  is  a  reference  to  the  remarkable  pro- 
phetic oracle  recorded  by  the  prophet  Daniel  (chap.  vii.  13,  14). 
It  is  obvious  that  our  Lord,  though  using  the  third  person,  is 
speaking  of  himself;  and  it  is  just  as  if  he  had  said,  'The  Father 
hath  appointed  me  to  be  the  ruler  of  the  world,  for  I  am  the 
person  to  whom,  according  to  the  ancient  oracles,  a  kingdom 
without  limit  and  without  end  was  to  be  committed.'" 

Our  Lord  now  directs  the  attention  of  his  hearers  to  a  still 
more  remarkable  manifestation  which  was  to  be  made  by  him  of 
the  divine  j)ower  which,  equally  with  the  Father,  he  possessed, 
and  which,  by  the  Father,  he  had  been  appointed  to  display : — 
"  Marvel  not  at  this :  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all 
that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth : 
they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they 
that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation.'""  That 
is,  '  There  is  a  period  coming,  when  all  who  have  died  shall,  by 
their  being  restored  to  life  by  the  Son,  find  in  their  own  expe- 
rience that  he  has  life  in  himself,  as  the  Father  has  life  in  him- 
self; and  when  it  shall  appear  also,  that  all  judgment  is  com- 
mitted to  the  Son,  by  his  sentencing  those  who  have  done  good 
— who  have  complied  with  the  Divine  will  respecting  the  salva- 
tion of  men,  by  believing  the  truth,  and  living  under  its  influ- 
ence— to  life,  everlasting  life ;  and  by  his  sentencing  them  who 
have  done  evil — who  have  lived  and  died  in  a  state  of  unquelled 
rebellion  against  God — to  punishment,  everlasting  punishment; 
and  by  bestowing  the  rewards,  and  inflicting  the  punishment,  to 
which  he  has  respectively  adjudged  them.' 

"  Dr.  Campbell  and  many  others  take  another  view  of  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase.  They  render  it,  and  fairly  enough,  "  Because  lie  is  a  son  of  man."  It  is 
remarkaVile  that  this  is  the  only  place  in  which  the  appellation  is  employed  with- 
out the  article.  They  consider  the  sentiment  expressed  us  equivalent  to — "  for  it 
suits  the  ends  of  Divine  wisdom,  that  the  Judge,  as  well  as  the  Saviour  of  men, 
should  be  a  man."  Tiiis  senthnent  is  undoubtedly  a  just  one,  though  no  ^tAof 
(IvOfMno^,  none  but  a  man  in  uni<^>n  with  God  as  tlie  incarnate  Son  was,  could  have 
been  fit  for  discharging  tlic  functions  of  sucli  an  office.  .Some  of  the  reasons  why 
the  power  of  judgment  was  given  to  our  Lord  as  a  son  of  man,  are  very  well  aa- 
signed  by  Witsiusin  his  "E.xercitat.  in  Symb."  Exercit.  xxii.  §  9.  Scholten  "de 
appellatione  rov  TcoO  tov  ' AvOpunov"  deserves  also  to  be  consulted. 

"  John  v.  28,  29. 


PART  I.]  THE   DOCTRINE.  93 

The  only  illustration  this  verse  demands,  or  indeed  admits,  is 
to  be  drawn  from  parallel  passages  of  Scripture,  of  which  the 
following  are  a  specimen: — "For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend 
from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  Grod ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first."" 
"  The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  might j 
angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God,  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  who 
shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.""  "When  the 
Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with 
him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory :  and  before 
him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations;  and  he  shall  separate  them 
one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the 
goats :  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the 
goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  the 
right  hand.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world :  for  I  was 
an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  . 
me  drink :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in :  naked,  and  ye ' 
clothed  me  :  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me  :  I  was  in  prison,  and 
ye  came  unto  me.  Then  shall  the  righteous  answer  him,  saying, 
Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  an  hungered,  and  fed  thee  ?  or  thirsty, 
and  gave  thee  drink  ?  When  saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took 
thee  in  ?  or  naked,  and  clothed  thee  ?  Or  when  saw  we  thee 
sick,  or  in  pi'son.  and  came  unto  thee?  And  the  King  shall  an- 
swer and  say  unto  them.  Verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Inasmuch  as  ye 
have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have 
done  it  imto  me.  Then  shall  he  also  say  unto  them  on  the  left 
haoci,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels :  for  I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave 
me  no  meat:  I  was  thii&ty,  and  ye  gave  me  no  drink:  I  was  a 
stranger,  and  ye  took  me  not  in  :  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  not : 
sick,  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not.  Then  shall  they  also 
answer  him,  saying,  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  an  hungered,  or 
athirst,  or  a  stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did 
not  minister  unto  tLee?  Then  shall  he  answer  them,  saying, 
Verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the 
least  of  these,  ye  cUd  it  not  to  me.  And  these  shall  go  away  into 
everlasting  punishment :  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."" 
"  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still :  and  he  which  is 
filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still :  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be 
righteous  still :  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  hol}^  still.  And, 
behold  I  come  quickly ;  and  my  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  to 
every  man  according  as  his  works  shall  be.  I  am  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the  first  and  the  last. 
Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have 
right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  eater  in  through  the  gates  into 
the   city.      For  without   are   dogs,    and  sorcerers,    and   whore- 

*'  1  Thess.  iv.  1(3.  "2  Thess.  1.  7-9.  "  Matt.  xxv.  31-46. 


94  W.ORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  HI. 

mongers,  and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth. 
and  maketli  a  lie."" 

Our  Lord  concludes,  as  lie  had  begun,  by  declaring,  that  in 
all  the  exertions  of  his  power,  and  in  all  the  acts  of  his  govern- 
ment, he  did  nothing  separate  from  the  Father.  "I  can  of  mine 
own  self  do  nothing:  as  I  hear,  I  judge:  and  my  judgment  is 
just,  because  I  seek  not  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of  the  Father 
which  hath  sent  me.""  'In  doing  all  these  things  I  act  along 
with  the  Father, — our  mind,  and  will,  and  operation  are  one.  I 
can  do  nothing  separate  from  him.'  "  As  I  hear,  I  judge."  The 
word  "  hear,"  is  to  be  understood  in  the  same  way  as  the  word 
"  see  "  in  the  preceding  context.  '  My  judgment  is  in  every  case 
in  exact  accordance  with  the  mind  of  the  Father,  of  which  I 
have  the  most  intimate  knowledge,  a  knowledge  absolutely  per- 
fect, as  arising  from  the  possession  of  the  same  divine  nature. 
And  the  justice  of  my  judgments  shall  be  made  manifest,  as  all 
of  them  shall  be  made  to  appear  to  be  guided,  not  by  any  regard 
to  what  might  be  considered  my  own  private  will  and  interest, 
but  by  a  strict  regard  to  the  will  of  the  Father,  who  hath  ap- 
pointed mc  to  manifest  the  Divine  perfections  ;  to  do  the  Divine 
will ;  "  that  God  may  be  all  in  all."  ' 

In  the  preceding  part  of  the  discourse,  Jesus  Christ  has  un- 
folded the  great  fundamental  truths  of  his  religion, — that  he  is  a 
divine  person,  possessed  of  the  distinctive  nature  and  attributes 
of  Deity ;  and  that  he  is  the  divinely-authorized,  and  divinely- 
qualified,  Saviour,  and  Euler,  and  Judge  of  mankind ;  and  he 
farther  states  that  the  belief  of  these  principles  is  most  intimately 
connected  with  the  most  important  interests  of  mankind.  "  He 
that  believes  them  shall  be  saved ;  he  that  believes  them  not 
shall  be  damned."  In  requiring  his  hearers  to  believe  these 
doctrines,  under  sanctions  so  awful,  our  Lord  made  no  unreason- 
able demand.  He  accompanied  his  statements  of  principle,  with 
corresponding  statements  of  evidence ;  and  there  is  a  beautiful 
proportion  between  the  importance  and  the  strangeness  of  the 
doctrines  he  taught,  on  the  one  hand;  and,  on  the  other,  the 
power  and  variety  of  the  23roofs  by  which  he  supported  them. 
He  demands  belief,  unhesitating  belief;  but  he  does  so  only  on 
the  ground  of  having  presented  the  most  satisfactory  credentials, 
that  he  was  "  sent  and  sealed  "  by  the  Father,  To  these  creden- 
tials we  find  him  soliciting  the  attention  of  his  hearers  in  that 
paragraph  wdiich  now  comes  before  us  for  consideration.  The 
substance  of  that  paragraph  may  be  thus  stated  :  '  Of  tlic  truth 
of  these  principles,  strange  and  even  blasphemous  as  they  may 
appear  to  your  prejudiced  minds,  you  have  been  presented 
with  varied  and  most  conclusive  evidence ;  and  should  you  re- 
ject them,  your  conduct  in  doing  so  will  be  altogether  inexcusa- 
ble.' 

*'  Rev.  xxiL  11-16.  "  John  v.  30. 


PART  II.]  THE  EVIDENCE.  95 


11.  THE  EVIDENCE. 

Our  Lord  begins  with  stating,  tliat  lie  did  not  expect  these 
statements  to  be  credited  on  bis  own  unconfirmed  assertion.  "  If 
I  bear  witness  of  myself,  mj  witness  is  not  true."°°  These  words 
are  plainly  to  be  understood  in  a  limited  sense ;  Jesus  did  bear 
witness  of  himself,  and  his  testimony  Avas  true ;  and  we  find  him 
asserting  on  another  occasion,  when  this  saying  of  his  had  ap- 
parently been  retorted  on  him  by  his  opponents, — "  Though  I 
bear' record  of  myself,  my  record  is  true.""  The  limitations 
under  which  our  Lord's  assertion  is  to  be  understood,  are  easily 
defined.  It  has  been  justly  remarked, ^^  that  in  all  countries  where 
there  are  standing  laws,  and  a  regular  constitution,  there  is  what 
is  called  a  forensic  or  juridicial  use  of  certain  terms,  which  differs 
considerably  from  the  familiar  use  of  the  same  words.  To  be 
guilty,  properly  signifies,  to  have  perpetrated  a  crime;  but  in 
the  forensic  use  of  the  term,  he  only  is  said  to  be  guilty  against 
whom  a  crime  has  been  proved  by  legal  evidence.  There  is  a 
similar  distinction  between  the  ordinary  and  the  forensic  sense 
of  the  word  here  rendered  "true."  In  the  latter  sense  it  is 
equivalent  to  '  valid'  or  '  trustworthy.'  It  is  held  that  a  man's 
unsupported  testimony,  in  reference  to  anything  that  concerns 
himself,  is  not  in  ordinary  cases  to  be  considered  as  evidence. 
It  may  be  true,  but  it  must  be  confirmed  by  other  evidence 
before  it  can  be  admitted  to  be  true.  Our  Lord's  assertion  then 
is,  '  Were  there  no  evidence  for  the  statements  v-^hich  I  have  just 
made,  but  my  own  unsupported  declaration,  they  would  not  de- 
serve credit.  It  were  unreasonable  to  demand  belief  for  such 
important  and  such  strange  statements,  on  the  simple  word  of 
him  whom  they  principally  concern.' 

But  our  Lord's  testimony  was  supported  by  a  variety  of  the 
most  satisfactory  evidences.  "  There  is  another  that  beareth 
witness  of  me  ;  and  I  know  that  the  witness  which  he  witnesseth 
of  me  is  true.'"'' 

The  word  "  true,"  here  occurs  in  the  same  sense  as  in  the 
previous  verse.  It  is  as  if  our  Lord  had  said  : — '  I  do  not  urge 
my  own  unsupported  declaration  as  valid  evidence,  but  there  is 
another  person  who  has  given  testimony  to  the  same  effect,  whose 
declaration  must  be  sustained  as  valid  evidence.'  It  has  been  a 
question  among  interpreters,  v/ho  that  other  witness  is  to  whom 
our  Lord  here  appeals.  Some  consider  the  reference  to  be  to 
John  the  Baptist;  others,  to  the  Father.  Those  who  take  the 
latter  view  of  the  subject,  consider  the  following  to  be  the  train 
of  thought : — '  I  do  not  claim  belief  to  these  declarations  on  my 
own  unsupported  affirmation.  They  are  supported  by  the  testi- 
mony of  one,  whose  credibility  is  far  above  all  question.  I  might 
appeal  to  the  testimony  of  John,  whose  evidence  ought  to  have 
much  weight  with  you,  considering  the  high  estimation  in  which 

"  Joha  V,  31.  "  John  viii.  14.  "  Campbell.  "  John  v.  32. 


96  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

he  was  generally  lield  by  you ;  but  I  have  no  need  of  the  sup- 
port of  his,  or  indeed  of  any  human,  testimony,  though  for  your 
advantage  I  advert  to  it.  For  the  evidence  of  the  statements  I 
make,  I  appeal  to  my  Father,  whom  you  call  your  God, — to  the 
testimony  he  has  given  in  the  works  which  he  performed  by  me, 
in  the  voice  from  the  most  excellent  glory,  and  the  supernatural 
appearance  which  accompanied  it,  and  in  the  declarations  con- 
tained in  those  writings  which  you  acknowledge  to  be  his  word.' 
The  very  emphatic  manner  in  which  our  Lord  speaks  of  that 
"  other"  witness,  as  one  whose  testimony  he  knew  to  be  valid  and 
trustworthy,  and  his  statement,  that  he  referred  to  John's  testi- 
mony, not  because  he  needed  it,  but  because  it  might  have  a  salu- 
tary influence  on  the  minds  of  his  hearers,  render  it,  in  my  opin- 
ion, all  but  certain  that  this  view  of  the  meaning  is  a  just  one." 

"  Ye  sent  unto  John,  and  he  bare  witness  unto  the  truth."" 
Our  Lord  here  plainly  refers  to  the  tastimony  which  John  bore 
to  him  as  the  Messiah,  when  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim  sent  a  depu- 
tation to  inquire  into  the  nature  of  his  pretensions.  Of  this  we 
have  an  account  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  gospel : — "  And  this 
is  the  record  of  John,  when  the  Jews  sent  priests  and  Levites 
from  Jerusalem  to  ask  him,  Who  art  thou  ?  And  he  confessed, 
and  denied  not:  but  confessed,  I  am  not  the  Christ.  And  they 
asked  him,  What  then  ?  Art  thou  Elias  ?  And  he  saith,  I  am 
not.  Art  thou  that  prophet?  And  he  answered,  No.  Then 
said  they  unto  him,  Who  art  thou  ?  that  we  may  give  an  answer 
to  them  that  sent  us;  what  say  est  thou  of  thyself?  He  said,  I 
am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness.  Make  straight  the 
way  of  the  Lord,  as  said  the  prophet  Esaias.  And  they  which 
were  sent,  were  of  the  Pharisees.  And  they  asked  him,  and  said 
unto  him,  Why  baptisest  thou  then,  if  thou  be  not  that  Christ, 
nor  Elias,  neither  that  prophet  ?  John  answered  them,  saying, 
I  baptise  with  water :  but  there  standeth  one  among  you,  whom 
ye  know  not ;  He  it  is,  who,  coming  after  me,  is  preferred  before 
me,  whose  shoe's  latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose.  These 
things  were  done  in  Bethabara  beyond  Jordan,  where  John  was 
baptising.  The  next  day  John  seeth  Jesus  coming  unto  him, 
and  saith.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin 
of  the  world !  This  is  he  of  whom  I  said.  After  me  cometh  a 
man  which  is  preferred  before  me  ;  for  he  was  before  me.  And 
I  knew  him  not :  but  that  he  should  be  made  manifest  to  Israel, 
therefore  am  I  come  baptising  with  water.  And  John  bare 
record,  saying,  I  saw  the  Spirit  descending  from  heaven  like  a 
dove,  and  it  abode  upon  him.  And  I  knew  him  not;  but  he 
that  sent  me  to  baptise  with  water,  the  same  said  unto  me, 
Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending,  and  remaining 
on  him,  the  same  is  he  which  baptiseth  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"  "  AAAof  cannot  be  the  Baptist  (see  John  v.  34),  as  Chrysostom  and  Euthymius 
think,  but  is  the  Father.  Christ  calls  him  '  AA/lof'  to  excite  their  attention.  John 
viii.  18." — TuoLUCK. 

"  John  V.  33. 


PART  II.]  THE   EVIDENCE.  97 

And  I  saw  and  bare  record  that  this  is  the  Son  of  God.""  This 
was  not  a  solitary  instance  in  which  John  testified,^ — publicly  de- 
clared,— our  Lord  to  be  the  divine,  and  the  divinely-appointed  and 
qualified,  Saviour  promised  to  the  fathers.  A  still  more  explicit 
declaration  on  these  subjects  was  made  to  his  disciples,  when 
they  came  complaining  of  the  growing  popularity  of  Jesus. 
"  John  answered  and  said,  A  man  can  receive  nothing  except  it 
be  given  him  from  heaven.  Ye  yourselves  bear  me  witness,  that 
I  said,  I  am  not  the  Christ,  but  that  I  am  sent  before  him.  He 
that  hath  the  bride  is  the  bridegroom :  but  the  friend  of  the 
bridegroom,  which  standeth  and  heareth  him,  rejoiceth  greatly 
because  of  the  bridegroom's  voice.  This  my  joj^  therefore  is  ful- 
filled. He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease.  He  that  cometh 
from  above  is  above  all ;  he  that  is  of  the  earth  is  earthly,  and 
speaketh  of  the  earth;  he  that  cometh  from  heaven  is  above  all. 
And  what  he  hath  seen  and  heard,  that  he  testifieth ;  and  no 
man  receiveth  his  testimony.  He  that  hath  received  his  testi- 
mony hath  set  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true.  For  he  whom  God 
liath  sent  speaketh  the  words  of  God:  for  God  giveth  not  the 
Spi  1  it  by  measure  unto  him.  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and 
hath  given  all  things  into  his  hand.  He  that  belie veth  on  the 
Son  hath  everlasting  life ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son 
shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  Avrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."" 

Our  Lord  docs  not  mention  John's  testimony  as  if  he  needed 
it,  but  because  it  was  fitted  to  make  a  salutarj^  impression  on 
the  minds  of  his  hearers.  "  But  I  receive  not  testimony  from 
man,  but  these  things  I  say  that  ye  may  be  saved."^* 

To  "  receive"  here,  as  in  verse  44,  where  it  is  interchanged 
with  the  word  "  seek,"  is  equivalent  to  '  grasp  at,'  as  if  he  had 
said,  '  I  am  not  anxious  to  build  my  cause  on  human  testimony  : 
but  I  mention  this  circumstance  for  join  advantage.'  John's 
testimony  Avas  likely  to  have — most  certainly  ought  to  have  had 
— much  Aveight  with  the  great  body  of  the  Jews,  who,  with 
scarcely  any  exception,  held  him  as  a  prophet ;  and  especially 
with  the  Sanhedrim,  who,  if  he  had  been  a  false  prophet,  should 
have  punished  him  according  to  law.  His  testimony  should 
have  been  sustained  as  valid  by  them,  as  it  was  given  in  reply  to 
a  solemn  inquiry  instituted  by  themselves,  and  they  had  never 
proceeded  against  him  as  if  he  had  borne  false  witness. 

Our  Lord  desired  the  salvation  of  the  Jcavs  ;  he  well  kuew 
that  they  could  be  saved  only  through  the  belief  of  the  truth ; 
and  he  notices  John's  testimony,  not,  by  any  means,  as  in  itself 
the  strongest  evidence  he  had  to  bring  forward,  but  as  evidence 
peculiarly  fitted  to  make  an  unpression  on  their  minds.  "He 
was,"  says  our  Lord,  "a  burning  and  shining  light,"  or  he  Avas- 
"the  lighted  and  shining  lamp;"  and  "ye  were  Avilling  for  lu 
season  to  rejoice  in  his  light."'"'"  '  He  Avas  a  teacher  of  truth,  dis~  ' 
tinguished  by  the  fervor  of  his  zeal,  and  the  clearness  of  his 
statements  respecting  the  Messiah,  when  compared  with  the  pro- 

"  John  i.  19-34.         "  John  iii.  27-36, 1.         "  John  v.  84.  '°  John  v.  35. 

VOL.   I.  7 


98  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

phetic  oracles ;  and  "  3'e  were  willing  for  a  season  to  rejoice  in 
his  light."  '  It  is  plain  that  the  Baptist  was,  in  the  earlier  stages 
of  his  ministry,  highly  popular  as  a  teacher.  Vast  multitudes 
followed  him,  listening  to  his  discourses,  and  submitting  to  his 
baptism.  The  phrase  "  for  a  season"  refers  either  to  the  com- 
paratively short  period  of  John's  ministry, — '  he  was  a  bright 
but  a  passing  meteor,' — or  rather  to  the  still  shorter  period  of  his 
popularity ;  for  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  his  doctrines  be- 
came less  popular  as  they  became  better  understood  ;  that  many 
rejoiced  in  him  as  the  herald  of  Messiah  the  Prince,  who  turned 
with  disgust  from  him  as  the  suj)porter  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
The  circumstance  of  John's  high  qualifications  and  character  as 
a  teacher  is  noticed  by  our  Lord  as  a  reason  why  his  testimony 
should  be  accounted  true  or  trustworthy  by  the  Jews,  q.  cl,  '  My 
claims,  in  all  their  extent,  were  admitted  and  proclaimed  by  one 
Avhom,  for  a  season,  you  honored  as  one  of  the  most  illustrious 
of  public  teachers.' 

"  But,"  continues  our  Lord,  "  I  have  greater  witness  than  that 
of  John :  for  the  works  whicli  the  Father  liath  given  me  to 
finish,  the  same  works  that  I  do,  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the 
Father  hath  sent  me."°°  The  whole  of  what  follows  is  our  Lord's 
account  of  the  testimony  of  God,  as  contrasted  with  the  testimony 
of  John,  or  of  men. 

The  first  Divine  testimony  is  that  given  by  the  "  works'^  which 
fdie  Saviour  did — "worlds  which  the  Father  gave  him  to  finish" 
or  perform.  Some  have  supposed  that,  by  these  works,  we  are 
to  understand  all  that  our  Lord  did  in  the  execution  of  the  great 
office  of  Saviour  of  men,  to  which  he  was  divinely  appointed, 
and  for  which  he  was  divinely  qualified ;  and  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  that  the  whole  of  his  work,  especially  when  compared 
with  the  prophetic  testimony  respecting  it,  affords  satisfactory 
proof  of  his  divine  mission.  At  the  same  time,  our  Lord's 
miracles  are  often  called  his  "  works,"  e.  g.,  "  Now,  when  John 
had  heard  in  the  prison  the  works  of  Christ,  he  sent  two  of  his 
disciples.""  "  His  ""brethren  therefore  said  unto  him,  Depart 
hence,  and  go  into  Judea,  that  thy  disciples  also  may  see  the 
works  that  thou  doest."  "  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them, 
I  have  done  one  work,  and  ye  all  marvel."*"  "  Jesus  answered 
them,  I  told  you,  and  ye  believed  not :  the  works  that  I  do  in 
my  Father's  name,  they  bear  witness  of  me:"  "If  I  do  not  the 
works  of  my  Father,  believe  me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though  ye 
believe  not  me,  believe  the  works  •  that  ye  may  know  and  be- 
lieve that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and  I  in  him.'"'  And  our  Lord 
often  appeals  to  these  miracles  as  evidence  of  his  divine  mission. 
We  apprehend,  therefore,  that,  in  the  use  of  the  word  "  works" 
here,  there  is,  it"  not  an  exclusive,  at  least  a  principal  rctcrcnce  to 
them. 

Our  Lord's  declaration,  then,  is  equivalent  to,  'God  has  tes- 
tified my  divine  mission  by  the  miracles  which  I  have  wrought, 

"  John  V.  36.        "  Matt  xi.  2.        "'  Jobn  vii.  3,  21.        "  John  x,  25,  3*7,  88. 


PART  II.]  THE   EVIDENCE,  99 

and  which  nothing  but  divine  power  could  have  accomplished.' 
Miracles  are  not  a  direct  proof  of  the  truth  of  doctrines,  but  thej 
are  a  direct,  and  indeed  it  would  appear  the  only  satisfactory, 
evidence  of  a  divine  mission.  The  place  which  miracles  hold  m 
the  system  of  christian  evidence,  is  very  clearly  pointed  out  by 
Nicodemus:— "Eabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher  sent 
from  God,  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  which  thou  doest 
except  God  be  with  him."  The  works  done  by  our  Lord  were 
obviously  such  as  divine  power  alone  could  'have  performed. 
They  were  the  seal  of  God ;  and,  when  we  consider  his  holiness, 
and  justice,  and  benignity,  we  cannot  for  a  moment  suspect  that 
he  would  attach  that  seal  to  imposture." 

But  the  miracles  performed  by  our  Lord  were  not  the  only  nor 
the  most  direct  evidence  given  in  favor  of  him  by  his  Father  : — 
"  The  Father  himself  who  hath  sent  me,  hath  borne  witness  of 
me.  Ye  have  neither  heard  his  voice  at  any  time,  nor  seen  his 
shape.'"'"  It  is  a  question  among  expositors,  to  what  particular 
testimony  our  Lord  here  refers.  Many,  perhaps  most,  seem  to 
consider  tlie  reference  as  made  to  the  testimony  contained  in  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures,  which  are  expressly  appealed  to  in  the 
thirty-ninth  and  succeeding  verses;  and  they  view  the  words  in 
the  close  of  the  thirty -seventh  verse  as  merely  introductory  to  the 
bringing  forward  this  evidence,  q.  d,  '  Though  my  Father  has 
not  appeared  in  human  form,  and  given  evidence  with  an  audible 
voice,  yet,  in  his  word,  whicli  ye  profess  highly  to  value,  he  has 
given  testimony  concerning  me.'  Others,  with  whom  we  are  dis- 
I)osed  to  coincide,  consider  the  words  in  the  thirty-seventh  and 
thirty-eighth  verses  as  referring  to  the  remarkable  testimony 
given  to  our  Lord  at  his  baptism  by  a  voice  from  heaven,  and  a 
supernatural  glorious  appearance.  "  In  this  case,  the  words  must 
be  read,  not  affirmatively,  but  interrogatively  : — "  Did  ye  never 
hear  his  voice,  or  see  his  form,  or  have  yo  not  his  word  abiding 
in  you,  that  ye  believe  not  him  whom  he  liath  sent?"'^ 

The  following  is  the  account  of  this  remarkable  testimony : — 
"  Then  cometh  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  Jordan  to  John,  to  be  bap- 
tised of  him.  But  John  forbade  him,  saying,  I  have  need  to  be 
baptised  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me  ?*  And  Jesus  answering, 
said  unto  him.  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now :  for  thus  it  becometh  us  to 
fulfil  all  rigliteousness.  Then  he  suffered  him.  And  Jesus, 
Avhen  he  was  baptised  went  up  straightway  out  of  the  water  :  and, 
lo,  the  heavens  were  opened  unto  him,  and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of 
God  descending  like  a  dove,  and  lighting  upon  him.  And,  lo, 
a  voice  from  heaven,  saying.  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom 
I  am  well  pleased.""^  The  supernatural  luminous  appearance, 
commonly  called  the  Sheckinah,  which  was  the  symbol  of  the 
Divine  presence,  is,  in  Exodus  xxiv.  17,  called  "  the  sight  of  the 

A  condensed  view  of  the  force  of  the  miracles  of  our  Lord,  as  evidence  of  his 
doctrine,  may  be  found  in  E.^position  XIX.;  "The  Ministry  of  Christ— its  Details 
and  its  liesults." 

"'  John  V.  157.  o"  Matt.  iii.  13-17  ^  See  Note  B. 


100  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.       [EXP.  III. 

glory  of  the  Lord,""  or  the  glorious  form  of  Jehovah.  It  is,  as 
if  he  said,  '  Did  not  an  articulate  voice  from  heaven  declare  me 
the  beloved  Son  of  the  Father,  in  whom  he  was  well  pleased ; 
and  was  not  this  declaration  accompanied  by  the  appearance  of 
that  supernatural  light  which,  from  the  beginning  of  the  Jewish 
economy  at  least,  has  been  the  symbol  of  the  Divine  presence  ?' 
Could  more  direct  testimony  be  given  to  me  by  God  ?  How  is  it 
that  ye  do  not  then  receive  me  ?  "  Is  it  because  ye  have  not  the 
word  of  my  Father,  which  he  then  spake,  abiding  in  you  ?""  that 
is,  'Have  ye  forgotten  the  solemn  declaration  which  he  then 
made?'  Ah,  "  Ye  have  not  his  word  abiding  in  you,  for  him 
whom  he  hath  sent,  him  ye  believe  not.'"' 

But,  besides  the  testimony  borne  to  our  Lord  by  his  Father, 
in  the  miracles  which  he  performed,  and  in  the  supernatural  voice 
and  appearance  which  distinguished  his  baptism,  he  appeals  to 
the  evidence  of  his  divine  mission,  which  was  to  be  derived  from 
the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  which  were,  and  were  admitted  by 
the  Jews  to  be,  given  by  inspiration  of  God : — "  Search  the 
Scriptures  ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life  :  and  they 
are  they  which  testify  of  me."" 

These  words  admit  of  three  renderings.  They  may  be  ren- 
dered indicatively,  "  Ye  search  the  Scriptures ;"  or  imperatively, 
;is  our  translators  have  rendered  them,  "  Search  the  Scriptures ;" 
or  interrogatively,  "Do  ye  search  the  Scriptures?"  We  are 
inclined  to  prefer  the  last  mode  of  rendering  them,  "Do  ye 
search  the  Scriptures,  because  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal 
life  ?  they  testify  of  me ;  and  will  ye  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  may 
have  life  ?" 

The  Jews  professed  to  have  a  very  high  regard  for  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures.  They,  especially  the  doctors  of  the  San- 
hedrim, whom  our  Lord  was  now  addressing,  searched  and 
studied  them.  They  considered  them  as  the  only  really  valuable 
literature,  holding  in  contempt  the  Grecian  and  Roman  phi- 
losophy. Thc}^  thought  that  in  them  "they  had  eternal  liie ;" 
that  is,  that  they  afibrdcd  the  adequate  means  of  attaining  true 
and  permanent  happiness.  '  Now,'  says  our  Lord,  '  these  Scrip- 
tures, which  you  profess  so  liighly  to  estimate — these  Scriptures 
are  the  Father's  testimony  concerning  me.  I  am  the  great  subject 
of  the  Old  Testament  revelation.  To  me  all  the  prophets  bear 
witness.  There  is  such  a  minute  and  accurate  correspondence 
between  what  I  am,  what  I  teach,  what  I  do,  what  I  suffer,  and 
what,  according  to  these  Scriptures,  the  Messiah  was  to  be,  and 
teach,  and  do,  and  suffer,  that,  were  you  not  blinded  by  prejudice, 
you  could  not  but  see  and  acknowledge  that  I  am  He  of  whom 
i^oses  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  did  write  ;  and  yet,  will  ye  not 
come  to  me,  that  you  may  have  life  ?  Though  the  books  you 
yourselves  admit  to  be  sacred,  and  to  contain  the  only  true  ac- 

"  Td  fi(5of  7//f  (5ofr/f  Tov  Kv(fiov. 

'*  "John  18  fond  of  the  -word /theiv.  1  John  iii.  9  ;  ii.  27,  28.  2  John  ii.  9.  John 
KT.  7."— TiiOLUcK.  •'  John  v.  38.  '"  John  v.  39. 


PART  III.]  THE   APPLICATION,  101 

count  of  tlie  way  to  happiness — ^though  these  sacred  books  clearly 
testify  that  I  am  the  true  author  of  happiness,  the  all-sufficient 
and  only  Saviour,  will  you  yet,  after  all,  refuse  to  acknowledge 
me  ?  Aviil  you  not  come  to  me  in  the  character  that  belongs  to 
me,  according  to  these  Scriptures,  as  "the  way,  the  truth,  and 
the  life,"  that  you  may  obtain  those  blessings  which  I,  and  I  alone, 
can  bestow  ?' 

Such  is  our  Lord's  account  of  the  testimony  of  the  Father,  to 
the  divinity  of  his  mission,  and  the  truth  of  his  doctrines.  The 
substance  of  his  statement  may  be  thus  given  :  '  I  do  not  require 
you  to  believe,  what  I  have  just  now  asserted' — as  to  my  being 
the  divine,  and  the  divinely-appointed  and  qualified  Saviour  and 
Kuler  of  men — on  my  unsupported  assertion.  I  know  a  person's 
testimony  in  his  own  cause  is  not  accounted  valid.  I  require  you 
to  believe  this  statement,  on  evidence  which  is  altogether  irre- 
fragable. I  might  appeal  to  what  John  the  Baptist  said  of  me, 
and  his  evidence  ought  to  have  much  weight  with  you.  But  I 
do  not  need  his  testimony,  and  I  advert  to  it  in  passing,  merely 
because  I  think  it  may  have  some  influence  on  your  minds.  The 
testimony  I  appeal  to,  is  infinitely  superior  to  that  of  John,  It  is 
that  of  ni}'  Father,  "  of  whom  ye  say,  that  he  is  your  God."  He 
has  given  testimony  to  me  in  a  variety  of  ways.  He  has  testified 
of  me  by  the  miracles  I  perform.  Tliese  could  not  be  performed 
but  by  divine  power ;  and  they  are  his  seal  to  my  credentials  as  a 
divine  messenger.  He  has  testified  of  me,  by  an  audible  voice 
from  heaven,  and  by  that  supernatural  brightness  which  is  the 
well-known  symbol  of  his  peculiar  presence  ;  and  he  has  testified 
of  me  in  those  sacred  books,  which  you  admit  to  be  given  by  his 
inspiration.' 

III. — THE  APPLICATION. 

In  the  judgments  which  men  form  and  express  of  the  charac- 
ters of  others,  they  often  unconsciously  make  a  manifestation  of 
their  own.  In  scrutinising  the  motives  which  have  led  another 
to  a  particular  course  of  conduct,  they  often  unfold  the  principles 
which  have  a  governing"  influence  over  their  own  actions.  Exter- 
nal conduct  enables  us  to  judge  of  inward  character,  by  afibrding 
us  the  means  of  conjecturing  the  motives  in  which  it  originates; 
and  the  way  in  which  we  learn  to  argue  from  action  to  principle, 
from  conduct  to  motive — is  by  reflecting,  '  What  would  have  in- 
duced us  to  do  such  an  action,  or  to  follovf  such  a  course  of 
conduct?'  It  is  in  consequence  of  this,  that  a  selfish  man  is 
constantly  disposed  to  trace  an  apparently  generous  action  to 
some  interested  motive :  that  none  are  so  uncharitable  in  their 
judgments,  as  those  who  have  the  lov/est  claims  on  the  good 
opinion  or  even  forbearance  of  others  ;  and  none  so  luuch  disposed 
to  form  excuses  for  the  faults  of  their  neighbors,  as  those  who 
have  least  occasion  for  the  indulgence  in  return.  A  bad  man  is 
generally  di.'^poscd  to  trace  even  a  good  action,  to  an  unworthy 


102  WORKING  MIEACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

principle ;  wliile  a  good  man  readily  gives  his  neighbor  credit 
for  good  intentions,  even  when  he  may  not  be  able  altogether  to 
approve  of  the  wdsdom  or  propriety  of  the  action,  to  which  the 
intention  has  given  birth. 

Of  this  tendency  to  judge  of  others  by  ourselves,  we  have  an 
example  in  the  opinion  formed  of  our  Lord,  by  the  Jewish 
rulers.  The  leading  principle  of  their  minds  was  the  desire  of 
human  approbation  and  applause ;  and  when  they  perceived 
Jesus  manifesting  an  eager  desire,  that  men  should  embrace  his 
doctrines  and  become  his  disciples,  conceiving  that  he  was  ani- 
mated by  motives  and  principles  similar  to  those  which  influ- 
enced and  guided  their  own  conduct,  they  considered  him  as  an 
ambitious  man — fond  of  fame  and  of  power.  They  were  in- 
capable of  forming  a  true  estimate  of  his  character,  for  they  were 
utter  strangers  to  that  disinterested  regard  for  the  honor  of 
God  and  the  happiness  of  men,  which  formed  its  principal  ele- 
ments. They  had  no  experience  of  the  influence  of  such  motives 
over  their  own  minds,  and  for  that  very  reason,  they  were  dis- 
posed to  trace  our  Lord's  conduct  to  any  other  motive,  rather 
than  the  true  one. 

It  is  a  peculiarity  in  our  Lord's  discourses,  which  I  have  more 
than  once  had  occasion  to  refer  to,  that  he  often  so  frames  his 
speech,  as  not  so  much  to  answer  what  men  had  said,  as  to  meet 
the  workings  of  their  mind,  to  show  that  he  was  perfectly  aware 
of  what  was  going  on  within.  An  attention  to  this  remark,  will 
often  make  what  is  at  first  obscure  in  our  Lord's  discourses  ap- 
pear quite  plain ;  and  will  show,  that  transitions  which  seem 
harsh,  are  indeed  quite  natural.  We  apprehend  we  have  such  a 
case  now  before  us.  Jesus  had  made  a  clear  and  strong  state- 
ment of  the  truth  mth  regard  to  himself,  as  the  divine  and 
divinely-appointed  and  qualified  Saviour  and  Euler  of  mankind ; 
he  had  brought  forward  the  evidence  of  the  justness  of  his  claims, 
afforded  by  the  three-fold  testimony  of  his  Divine  Father,  in  the 
miracles  which  he  performed  by  the  divine  power,  in  the  super- 
natural appearances  which  accompanied  his  baptism,  and  in  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures ;  and  he  had  expressed  his  regi'ct  and 
astonishment  that,  alter  all,  his  countrymen  would  not  come  to 
him  that  they  might  have  life.  For  all  this  the  Jewish  San- 
hedrim, before  whom  he  stood,  judging  of  him  by  themselves, 
concluded,  that  like  them  he  loved  the  praise  of  men.  Our  Lord 
knowing  their  thoughts,  disclaims  the  unworthy  motive,  and  pro- 
ceeds to  unfold  the  true  reasons  why  they  so  obstinately  refused 
to  receive  his  doctrine  as  a  divine  message,  and  himself  as  a  di- 
vine messenger, 

"  I  receive  not  honor  from  men.""  It  is  true  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  the  word  "  receive,"  that  Jesus  did  not  receive  honor 
from  men.  Not  honor,  but  shame  and  disgrace  were  what  he  re- 
ceived : — "He  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men;"  "Men  hid  as 
it  were  their  faces  from  him,  lie  was  despised,  and  not  esteemed."" 

"  John  V.  41.  ~''  Isa.  liii.  3. 


PART  III.]  THE   APPLICATION.  103 

But  it  seems  obvious  that  the  word  "  receive"  here,  as  in  the 
thirty -fourth  verse,  and  again  in  the  forty-fourth  verse,  is  used  as 
equivalent  to  "  seek,"  or  "  catch  at."  '  t  am  not  desirous  of  ob- 
taining honor  from  men.  When  I  state  my  claims,  and  complain 
that  you  disregard  them,  it  is  not  because  I  wish  to  ingratiate  my- 
self with  you ;  not  because  I  covet  your  approbation  or  that  of  anv 
man,  or  set  of  men.'  He  did  not  need  their  sanction :  He  could 
receive  no  honor  from  their  applause.  His  object  was  to  secure 
the  approbation  of  his  Divine  Father,  by  faithfully  executing  the 
commission  with  which  he  was  entrusted ;  and  so  far  as  they 
were  concerned,  his  desire  was  not  that  he  should  be  applauded 
by  them,  but  that  they  should  be  saved  by  him.  If  he  regretted, 
and  he  did  most  deeply  regret  their  obstinate  unbelief  and  im- 
penitence, it  was  for  their  own  sakes,  not  for  his  own.  Such  was 
the  unearthly,  unambitious  spirit  of  our  Lord,  and  such  should  be 
the  spirit  of  all  his  ministers.  All  who  are  "  allowed  of  God,  to 
be  put  in  trust  with  the  Gospel,"  should  "so  speak,  not  as  pleasing 
men  but  God,  who  trieth  the  hearts ;"  they  ought  "  not  to  use 
flattering  words,  nor  a  cloak  of  covetousness  ;  nor  ought  they  of 
men  to  seek  glory  ;"  for  if  they  "  seek  to  please  men,  they  cannot 
be  the  servants  of  Christ."" 

Indeed,  the  doctrines  of  our  Lord  were  little  fitted  to  secure 
to  him  who  taught  them  honor  from  men ;  and  the  fearless,  hon- 
est manner  in  which  he  stated  them,  was  calculated  to  do  anything 
but  ingratiate  him  with  men  of  worldly  and  corrupt  minds. 
When  our  Lord  made  the  statement,  '  Notwithstanding  the  abun- 
dant evidence  there  is  of  the  truth  of  my  claims  in  books,  the 
divine  origin  of  which  you  yourselves  admit,  you  will  not,  you 
are  indisposed,  to  come  to  me,  that  you  may  have  life,'  it  was  not 
that  he  eagerly  wished  their  approbation,  but  it  was  because  he 
well  knew  that  the  principles  which  governed  their  minds  and 
hearts,  so  long  as  they  maintained  their  influence,  made  it  mor- 
ally impossible  that  they  should  recognize  his  claims,  or  receive 
his  message. 

"  But  I  know  you,  that  ^q  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you.'"* 
The  love  of  God  is  the  vital  principle  of  true  religion,  and  is  used 
here  for  religion  generally.  The  Jewish  rulers  professed  to  be 
very  religious.  Their  very  rejection  of  the  claims  of  our  Lord 
was  covered  by  the  cloak  of  pretended  regard  for  religion.  The}' 
persecuted  him,  and  would  have  wished  to  put  him  to  death,  be- 
cause he  broke  the  Sabbath-day ;  and  because  in  his  defence  of 
himself,  he  had,  by  calling  God  his  own  Father,  made  himself 
equal  to  God.  But  in  reality  they  were  irreligious  men,  destitute 
alike  of  the  true  knoAvledge,  and  the  love  of  God.  They  were 
"of  this  Avorld,"  they  were  "from  beneath."  They  were  thor- 
oughly worldly  men — men,  looking  not  at  "  the  things  unseen 
and  eternal;"  but  at  "the  things  which  are  seen  and  temporal." 
They  had  no  relish  for  that  spiritual  salvation  which  he  came  to 
reveal,  to  work  out,  and  to  bestow  ;  and  this  was  the  true  reason 

"  1  Thess.  ii.  4-6     Gtil.  i.  iO.  '*  Jolin  v.  42. 


104  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  lU. 

why  they  would  not  come  to  him.  And  so  is  it  still.  The  rea- 
son why  men,  to  whom  the  claims  of  Christ  and  Christianity  are 
addressed,  reject  them,  is  to  be  found,  not  in  the  want  of  evidence 
on  the  side  of  these  claims ;  but  on  the  utter  indisposition  on 
their  part  to  attend  to  these  claims.  They  have  not  the  love  of 
God  in  them. 

But  how  did  oui  Lord  know  this  ?  Was  there  not  something 
uncharitable  in  tracing  the  conduct  of  the  Jewish  rulers  to  such 
a  motive?  No.  He  who  used  these  words,  is  "He  who  search- 
eth  the  hearts,  and  trieth  the  reins  of  the  children  of  men ;  who 
needs  not  that  any  should  testify  to  him  of  man ;  for  he  knows 
what  is  in  man.""  But,  besides,  the  conduct  of  the  Jews  com- 
pletely warranted  the  conclusion.  Our  Lord  "  came  from  God," 
— gave  the  clearest  evidence  of  coming  fi'om  God.  He  was  "  God 
manifest  in  flesh."  He  and  the  Father  were  so  "one,"  that  "he 
who  had  seen  him  had  seen  the  Father."  Yet  he  was  contempt- 
uousl}^  rejected  by  them.  Can  those  love  the  prince  who  con- 
temn his  accredited  ambassador  ?  Can  those  love  the  Father  who 
treat  with  contumely  and  cruelty  his  only  begotten  Son  ?  If  they 
had  loved  Him  w'ho  begat,  they  would  have  loved  him  who  was 
begotten  of  Him.  Their  want  of  love  to  God  had  been  manifest- 
ed in  their  rejection  of  Him  who  came  to  them  in  His  name ; 
and  was  still  farther  to  be  manifested  in  the  ready  reception  they 
were  to  give  to  persons,  who  should  come  without  anything  like 
satisfactory  evidence  of  being  His  authorized  messengers. 

"  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name,  and  ye  receive  me  not :  if 
another  shall  come  in  his  own  name,  him  ye  will  receive."" 
Jcsu;>  came  in  his  Father's  name ;  that  is,  invested  with  His  au- 
thority, and  bringing  satisfactory  evidence  that  he  was  invested 
with  his  authority.  Yet,  notwithstanding  this,  they  did  not  re- 
(^eivc  him.  Instead  of  receiving  him,  they  rejected  him  as  an 
impostor;  they  punished  him  as  a  blasphemer.  Could  they  more 
«.;lcarly  prove,  that  the  love  of  God  was  not  in  them,  than  by 
thus  treating  him  whom  He  had  "sent  and  sealed"  ? 

Their  want  of  the  love  of  God  was  to  be  equall}^  manifested  in 
the  welcome  reception  they  were  to  give  to  men,  pretending  to 
'die  honors  of  Messiahship,  but  exhibiting  no  satisfactory  evidence 
of  their  divine  mission.  "  If  another  shall  come  to  you  in  his 
own  name,  him  ye  will  receive.""  There  is  here  a  prediction  of 
the  false  Messiahs,  by  whom  the  Jewish  people  were  to  be  de- 
luded. These  men  in  pretence,  came  in  God's  name ;  but  in  re- 
ality they  came  in  their  own.  They  ran,  He  did  not  send  them. 
They  could  exhibit  no  satisfactory  evidence  of  their  divine  mis- 
sion. They  could  not  point,  like  Jesus,  to  the  blind  seeing,  and 
the  deaf  hearing,  and  the  lame  walking,  and  tlie  dumb  speaking, 
and  the  dead  living,  and  say,  "  The  works  which  I  do,  bear  wit- 
ness of  me."     None  could  say  of  them,  "  We  know  that  ye  are 

""  Rev.  iL  23.     John  ii.  2.').  '«  Johu  v.  43. 

"  "  Since  the  advent  of  Clirist,  there  have  appeared  among  tlie  Jews  sixty-four 
false  Messiaijs,  by  whom  tliey  have  suffered  theiojcives  to  be  deceived." — TnoLUCK. 


PART  III.]  THE  APPLICATION.  105 

teachers  sent  of  God,  for  no  man  could  do  these  works  Avhich  ye 
do,  except  God  were  with  him."  They  could  not  point  to  a  se- 
ries of  fulfilled  ancient  oracles,  and  say,  *  The  spirit  of  prophecy 
is  our  testimony.'  Nor  could  any  one  say  of  any  of  them,  with 
even  the  slightest  appearance  of  truth,' — "  This  is  he^  of  whom 
Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  pro])hets  did  write."  In  the  carnality 
of  their  views,  and  in  the  wickedness  of  their  conduct,  many  of 
them  gave  evidence,  that  they  could  not  possibly  be  divine  mes- 
sengers ;  and  yet,  such  pretenders  to  Messialiship  were  readily 
received,  just  because  their  carnal  views  corresponded  with  the 
carnal  views  of  their  countrymen. 

Our  Lord  goes  on  to  state,  that  with  their  present  views,  it  was 
not  to  be  expected,  it  was  indeed  morally  impossible,  that  such  a 
teacher  as  he  was,  should  be  cordially  received  ;  or  that  such  doc- 
trines as  his  were,  could  be  readily  believed  by  them.  "  How 
can  ye  believe,  which  receive  honor  one  of  another,  and  seek  not 
the  honor  that  cometh  from  God  only  ?"" 

"  Honor"  here,  is  approbation — good  opinion;  and  our  Lord's 
statement  is,  that  while  they  made  it  their  leading  object  to  obtain 
the  approbation  and  good  opinion  of  each  other,  and  remained 
careless  of  obtaining  the  approbation  of  God,  it  was  not  to  be 
expected  that  they  would  admit  his  divine  mission,  or  believe  his 
doctrines.  To  acknowledge  Jesus  of  Nazareth, — a  poor  despised 
man,  who  declared  distinctly  that  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this 
world, — as  the  Messiah,  was  to  incur  the  contemptuous  scorn,  and 
malignant  persecution  of  the  influential  classes  among  the  Jews ; 
and  was  that  to  be  expected  from  men  who,  entirely  occupied 
with  things  seen  and  temporal,  considered  the  approbation  of  the 
wise  and  powerful  as  an  object  of  the  highest  value  ?  If  indeed 
they  had  had  a  clue  impression  of  the  infinite  value  of  Divine 
approbation,  then  they  would  have  seen,  that  though  the  recep- 
tion of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  might  bring  down  on  them  contempt, 
and  scorn,  and  persecution,  still,  since  his  credentials  were  abun- 
dantly satisfactory,  it  was  their  duty,  it  was  their  interest,  to  re- 
ceive him.  But  in  the  entire  absence  of  the  last  of  these  prin- 
ciples, and  while  the  first  of  them  held  undivided  sway  in  their 
minds,  how  could  they  welcome  a  Messiah  who  had  no  worldly 
preferments  to  bestow ;  whose  appearance  was  as  mean  as  his 
doctrine  Avas'  humiliating ;  for  Avhom  they  must  expect  to  have 
their  names  "  cast  out  as  evil,"  and  probably  be  made  to  "suffer 
the  loss  of  all  things"  ? 

... 

Our  Lord  concludes  by  intim^ating  to  them,  that  they  nmst  give 
an  account  of  their  rejection  of  him  before  the  tribunal  of  God, 
and  that  they  would  meet  there  as  their  accuser,  the  legislator  of 
whom  they  were  accustomed  to  boast,  and  in  whom  they  placed 
their  confidence.  "  Do  not  think  that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the 
Father :  there  is  one  who  accuseth  you,  even  Moses  in  whom  y^ 
trust.'"' 

These  words,  "  Do  not  think  that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the 

"  John  V.  44.  "  John  y.  45. 


106  WORKING  MIRACLES  ON  THE  SABBATH-DAY.      [EXP.  III. 

Father,"  may  be  viewed  as  a  declaration  that  the  design  of  our 
Lord's  mission  was  not  vindictive,  but  mercifuL  He  came  not  to 
condemn,  but  to  pardon — not  to  punish,  but  to  save.  His  office 
■was  not  that  of  an  accuser,  but  of  an  intercessor.  When  he 
spoke  to  the  Jews,  he  plainly  told  them  of  their  sins  and  of  their 
dangers;  but  when  he  spoke  of  them  to  liis  Father,  he  lamented 
their  infatuation,  and  prayed  for  their  forgiveness.  "  He  shall 
make  intercession  for  the  transgressors,"  said  the  ancient  oracle  ; 
and,  in  the  fulfilment  of  this,  our  Saviour's  last  breath  was  spent 
in  prayer  for  his  murderers.  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do."  Or  the  words  may  be  interpreted  on 
the  same  principle  as  the  following  and  similar  passages  :• — *'  I 
will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice."  "  It  was  not  you,  but  God, 
who  sent  me  hither."  In  this  case,  they  are  equivalent  to  '  Do 
not  think  that  I  will  be  your  only  or  your  chief  accuser.  Though 
I  should  not  accuse  you,  your  condemnation  is  certain ;  accusa- 
tion will  come  from  a  quarter  you  are  little  thinking  of  Moses, 
in  whom  ye  trust,  will  accuse  you  and  condemn  you.' 

The  Jews  had  a  superstitious  trust  in  Moses.  They  expected 
him  to  appear  along  with  the  Messiah,  and  to  assist  him  in  ac- 
complishing their  deliverance.  They  also,  at  least  in  later  ages, 
trusted  in  the  intercession  of  Moses  for  the  acceptance  of  their 
prayers.  For  the  doctrine  of  the  intercession  of  saints  as  media- 
tors seems  to  have  been  borrowed,  by  the  apostate  Christian 
Church,  from  the  apostate  Jewish  Church.  The  trust  our  Lord 
refers  to  was  likel}^,  however,  rather  a  trust  in  Moses'  writings 
than  in  his  person.  They  thought  that  in  them  they  had  eternal 
life.  They  made  their  boast  in  the  law.  Their  language  was — 
*'  We  are  Moses'  disciples,  we  know  that  God  spake  by  Moses." 
But  our  Lord  assures  them  that  this  very  Moses  would  be  their 
accuser. 

Moses  ma}'  be  considered  as  the  accuser  of  the  Jews  in  a 
variety  of  ways.  His  law,  of  which  they  were  proud,  had  often 
been  violated  by  them,  and  they  had  exposed  themselves  to  the 
punishment  it  denounces  against  its  violators.  In  his  writings, 
especiall}^  in  the  prophetic  song  in  the  thirty-second  chapter  of 
Deuteronomy,  the  contemporaries  of  our  Lord  are  described  and 
condemned.  But  the  manner  in  which  Moses  was  to  accuse 
them,  referred  to  by  our  Lord,  was  obviously  this:  Moses  is  a 
witness  to  the  justness  of  our  Lord's  claims,  and,  of  course,  a 
Avitness  against  those  who  rejected  them.  That  this  was  our 
Lord's  meaning  seems  plain  from  what  follows :  "  For  had  ye 
believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  me,  for  he  wrote  of 
me."*° 

Moses  wrote  of  our  Lord.  In  Moses'  writings  are  recorded 
some  very  remarkable  })rophecies  of  the  Messiah,  such  as  the 
first  promise,  the  promise  to  Abi'aham,  the  dying  blessing  of 
Jacob  on  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  possibly  also  the  prediction  of 
Balaam,  "Behold  a  slar  shall  arise  out  of  Jacob."     Moses  him- 

"ojohn  V.  46. 


EXP.  III.]  NOTES.  107 

self  also  uttered  a  remarkable  propliecy  respecting  tlic  Messiah. 
"  The  Lord  thy  God  will  raise  up  unto  thee  a  prophet  from  the 
midst  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren,  like  unto  me ;  unto  him  ye  shall 
hearken."  "  He  instructed  them  in  the  signs  of  true  and  false 
prophets.  The  whole  of  the  sacrificial  economy  had  a  reference 
to  the  Messiah.  Had  the  Jews  believed  Moses,  they  would 
have  believed  Jesus.  In  one  sense  the  Jews  did  believe  Moses 
— they  had  no  doubt  of  his  divine  mission.  In  another  sense 
they  did  not  believe  him — they  did  not  understand  his  writings ; 
and,  therefore,  they  could  not  believe  them.  Had  they  properly 
understood  Moses'  writings,  and  firmly  believed  them,  the  re- 
ception of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah  would  have  been  a  matter  of 
course. 

"But,"  added  our  Lord,  "if  ye  believe  not  his  writings,  how 
shall  ye  believe  my  words?"*'  We  are  not  to  understand  these 
words  as  if  they  intimated  that  Moses  is  worthy  of  greater  credit 
than  our  Lord,  or  that  our  Lord's  divine  mission  is  not  estab- 
lished on  evidence  altogether  independent  of  Moses'  testimony. 
They  merely  intimate  that  nothing  but  a  rejection  of  Jesus' 
claims  was  to  be  expected  from  persons  who,  through  ignorance 
and  unbelief,  paid  no  attention  to  the  declarations  of  a  writer 
whom  they  acknowledged  as  inspired. 

It  is  to  be  feared  that  there  are  too  many  nominal  Christians, 
who  will  be  found  at  last  involved  in  a  similar  condemnation 
with  the  Jews.  These  are  weighty  words  of  the  judicious  Scott : 
"  How  many  are  there  who  trust  in-  their  attachment  to  some 
form  of  doctrine,  or  to  some  renowned  head  of  a  party,  who  no 
more  enter  into  the  meaning  of  these  doctrines,  or  into  the  views 
of  the  persons  whose  names  they  bear,  than  the  Jews  believed 
the  words  of  Moses,  or  entered  into  his  views  of  the  prefigured 
and  predicted  Messiah.  The  creeds  and  formularies  of  many 
sects  and  establishments  suffice  for  the  condemnation  of  vast 
multitudes  who  glory  in  belonging  to  them  as  members  or  minis- 
ters ;  and  it  is  well  if  the  sermons  many  preach,  and  the  books 
which  they  publish,  do  not  appear  in  judgment  against  them  to 
accuse  them  of  not  believing  and  practising  wliat  they  preached 
and  printed." 


Note  A,  p.  88. 

Prseteritum,  fitxu^kBrjXF^  est  praeteritum  propheticum  et  vim  futuri  obti- 
net  hie,  ut  Jo.  i.  15.  Kuinoel.  I  demur  to  this '•  ut,"  &c.  There  can, 
however,  be  no  doubt  that  the  "  enallage  temporum  "  is  very  frequent  w^fh 
the  Evangelist  John.  We  need  not  go  fiti-ther  than  the  iinniediate  context 
to  prove  this.  Some  Latin  codices  render  the  Avord  "  transibit,"  indicat- 
ing not  how  they  read,  but  how  they  understood  it.  I  am  disposed  to 
'''  Deut.  xviii.  15.  ^'^  John  v.  47. 


108  NOTES.  [EXP.  III. 

think  the  declaration  refers  to  an  event,  future  when  the  declaration  was 
made,  yet  past,  in  reference  to  the  future  event  indicated  in  the  imme- 
diately precedin.fjc  clause.  He  shall  not  enter  into  condemnation,  or  pun- 
ishment, and  the  reason  is,  "  he  has  already  passed  from  death  into  life." 
The  passage  in  1  John  iii.  14,  where  the  same  phrase  occurs,  though  it 
may  be  interpreted  in  the  same  way  as  in  the  case  before  us,  will  seem 
to  many  more  naturally  to  refer  to  conversion  ;  and  it  is  not  without 
some  hesitation  that  we  come  to  the  conclusion  that  our  exegesis  is  the 
more  probable. 

Note  B,  p.  99. 

Campbell  translates  this  passage  thus  : — "  Did  ye  never  hear  his  voice, 
or  see  his  form  1  Or  have  ye  forgotten  his  declarations,  that  ye  believe 
not  him  whom  he  hath  commissioned  ?"  And  he  defends  his  translation 
in  the  following  able  note  : — 

"  The  reader  will  observe,  that  the  two  clauses  which  are  rendered  in 
the  English  Testament  as  declarations,  are,  in  this  version,  translated  as 
questions.  The  difference  in  the  original  is  only  in  the  pointing.  That 
they  ought  so  to  be  read,  we  need  not,  in  my  opinion,  stronger  evidence 
than  that  they  throw  much  light  upon  the  whole  passage,  which,  read  in 
the  common  way,  is  both  dark  and  ill-connected.  See  an  excellent  note 
on  this  passage,  from  Mr.  Turner  of  Wakeliold  (Priestley's  Harmony, 
Sect,  xl.)  Our  Lord  here  refers  them  to  the  testimony  given  of  him  at 
his  baptism,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  descended  on  him  in  a  visible  form, 
and  when  God,  with  an  audible  voice,  declared  him  to  be  his  beloved  Son, 
and  our  ln\\-giver,  whom  we  ought  to  hear  and  obey.  What  has  chiefly 
contributed  to  mislead  interpreters  in  regard  to  the  import  of  this  sen- 
tence, is  the  resemblance  which  it  bears  to  what  is  said,  ch.  i.  18,  Ofoy 
oudelg  iwauxsr  .MonoTf,  tio  One  ever  saw  God;  and  ch.  vi.  46,  ov/  on  rdv 
7titTe(jit  iig  two(t}tF,  not  that  any  one  hath  seen  the  Fatlicr.  There  is,  how- 
ever, a  difference  in  the  expressions ;  for  it  is  not  said  here,  (>iip  ihv 
7iaTtoit^  but  ovTs  elJog  aijoo  iwQi'xmne..  Tliis,  it  may  bc  thought,  as  it  seems 
to  ascribe  a  body  to  God,  must  be  understood  in  the  same  way  ;  for  we 
are  told,  Deut.  iv.  12,  that,  when  the  Lord  spake  to  the  people  out  of  the 
fire,  they  saw  no  similitude.  Of  this  they  are  again  re?ninded,  verse  15. 
But  the  word  in  the  Septuagint  is,  in  both  places,  not  (Wo,-,  but  o,uo/w/i", 
which,  in  scriptural  use,  appears  to  denote  a  figure  so  distinct  and  perma- 
nent, as  that  it  may  be  represented  in  stone,  wood,  or  metal.  Now, 
though  this  is  not  to  be  attributed  to  God,  the  sacred  writers  do  not  scruple 
to  call  the  visible  symbol  which  God,  on  any  occasion,  employs  for  im- 
jjressing  men  more  strongly  with  a  sense  of  his  presence,  flSo;  uvtov, 
which  (for  want  of  a  better  term)  I  have  rendered,  his  form.  Tlius  the 
Evangelist  Luke  says,  ch.  iii.  22,  in  relating  that  singular  transaction  hero 
alluded  to,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  descended  upon  Jesus,  aoiuaiDii^  fl'det,  in 
a  bodily  form.  Thus,  also,  the  word  fWo,-  is  ajijJied  to  the  appearances 
which  God  made  to  men  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 

"  His  appearance  in  fire  upon  Mount  Sinai,  is  called  by  the  Seventy, 
Ex.  xxiv.  17,  'i  tJ^oi  Tfjc  <ii)i.ri:  T()u  yvoloij ;  in  our  Bible,  the  sight  of  the 
ghry  of  the  Lord.  In  Hl<e  manner,  the  word  ^Wo,■  is  applied  to  the  sym- 
bol of  the  Divine  [)resence,  which  the  Israelites  enjoyed  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  the  clond  which  covered  the  tabernacle  in  the  day-time,  and  apj)eared 
2AJire  in  the  night.  Num.  ix.  15,  10.  And,  to  mention  but  one  other  in- 
stance, the  display  which  he  made  to  Moses,  when  he  conversed  with  him 


EXP.  III.]  NOTES.  109 

face  to  face,  is,  in  the  English  translation,  said  to  be  a-p'parcnthj ^  Num. 
xii.  8  ;  but,  in  the  Septuagint,  if  fidft,  that  is,  in  a  form  or  visible  figure. 
Thus,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  there  is  a  manifest  ditfcrence  between 
seeing  God — which  no  man  ever  did,  he  being  in  himself  a  pure  spirit — 
and  seeing  his  form.  iu  i-ldo;  uvtov,  the  appearance  which,  at  any  time  in 
condescension  to  the  weakness  of  his  creatures,  he  pleases  to  assume. 
Another  evidence,  if  necessary,  might  be  brought  to  show  that  there  was 
no  intention  here  to  express  the  invisibility  of  the  Divine  nature,  and  is 
as  follows  :  the  clause  which  appears  to  have  been  so  much  misunder- 
stood, is  coupled  with  this  other,  oilrs  qpwu^i'  uxij-aqutr  nwnore.  Can  we 
imagine  that  the  iinpossible  would  have  been  thus  conjoined  with  what  is 
commonly  mentioned  as  a  privilege  often  enjoyed  by  God's  people,  and 
to  which  their  attention  is  required  as  a  duty  ?  For,  though  we  are  ex- 
pressly told  that  no  man  ever  saiv  God,  it  is  nowhere  said  that  no  man 
ever  heard  his  voice.  Naj^  in  the  very  place  above  cpioted,  Deut.  iv.  12, 
where  we  are  informed  that  the  people  saw  no  similitude,  ofioluifta,  it  is 
particularly  mentioned  that  they  heard  (he  voice. 

'"  To  conclude  :  there  is  the  greater  probability  in  the  explanation 
which  I  have  given  of  the  words,  as  all  the  chief  circumstances  attending 
that  memorable  testimony  at  his  baptism,  are  exactly  pointed  out — the 
miraculous  voice  from  heaven,  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  a  bodily 
form,  and  the  declaration  itself  then  given.  Dr.  Clarke  seems  to  have 
had  some  apprehension  of  this  meaning ;  for  though,  in  his  paraphrase, 
he  explains  the  words  in  the  usual  way,  he,  in  a  parenthesis,  takes  notice 
of  the  two  striking  circumstances,  the  voice  and  the  form,  at  our  Lord's 
baptism."  Dr.  Campbell  is  not  singular  in  this  view :  Trinius  and  Mol- 
denhauer  have  given  the  same  interpretation. 


EXPOSITION    IV. 

THE    SERMON    ON    THE    MOUNT. 
Matthew  v.  vi.  vii 
INTRODUCTION. 

We  come  now  to  that  admirable  discourse,  or  series  of  dis- 
courses, commonly  termed  "  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount."  It  is  a 
question  with  harmonists  and  interpreters,  whether  the  discourses 
recorded  in  the  oth,  6th,  and  7th  chapters  of  Matthew,  and  those 
in  the  6th  and  7th  chapters  of  Luke,  are  two  relations  of  the 
same  discourse,  or  distinct  discourses  delivered  at  different  times. 
There  are  difficulties  connected  with  either  mode  of  answering 
the  question;  but,  upon  the  whole,  I  am  disposed  to  think  that 
the  preponderance  of  evidence  is  on  the  side  of  their  being  differ- 
ent discourses  delivered  at  a  considerable  distance  of  time  from 
each  other.' 

There  is  indeed,  a  strong  similarity ;  but  still  there  is  a  marked 
difference,  both  in  the  discourses,  and  in  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  were  delivered.  There  are  many  things  in  the  ser- 
mon recorded  by  Matthew,  not  to  be  found  in  the  sermon  re- 
corded by  Luke,  and  some  things  in  the  sermon  recorded  by 
Luke,  not  to  be  found  in  the  sermon  recorded  by  Matthew. 
Statements,  that  at  first  view  seem  very  similar,  when  examined, 
are  found  so  different,  that  you  cannot  suppose  them  to  be  dif- 
ferent reports  of  the  same  statement.  The  sermon  recorded  in 
Matthew,  was  delivered  before  the  healing  of  the  leper.  The 
sermon  recorded  by  Luke,  seems  to  have  been  delivered  after 
that  miracle.  The  sermon  recorded  in  Matthew  was  delivered 
before  Matthew's  call  to  be  a  disciple.  The'sermon  recorded  in 
Luke  was  delivered  after  the  twelve  apostles  wore  called  to  iheir 
j)eculiar  office.  Tlie  sermon  in  Matthew  was  delivered  on  a 
inountain ;  the  sermon  recorded  in  Luke  was  spoken  on  tlie 
plain.  Instead  of  eight  beatitudes,  as  there  arc  in  the  sermon 
recorded  by  Matthew,  there  arc  only  four  in  the  sermon  recorded 

'  Doddridge  is  of  this  opinion,  wliich  is  supported  too  by  Veiiem.'v,  "Whitby, 
Blair,  Mackuight,  liess,  Ferf,  Greswell,  and  very  bitcly  by  J>iinge,  whose  writ- 
ings Archdeacon  Hare  pronounces  "  among  the  most  valuable  ia  modern  Ger- 
man theology." 


EXP.  IV.]  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.  Ill 

by  Luke,  and  these  not  by  any  means  of  equivalent  meaning 
with  those  which  they  most  resemble.  The  only  circumstance 
Avhich  appears  to  me  a  weighty  one  in  the  opposite  scale  is,  that 
the  account  of  the  healing  of  a  centurion's  servant  follows  im- 
mediately the  delivery  of  both  discourses.  Some  interpreters 
have  supposed  that  the  two  narratives  refer  to  two  different 
events;  and  there  are,  without  doubt,  not  only  circumstances 
mentioned  in  the  one  narrative,  that  are  omitted  in  the  other ; 
but  there  are  circumstances  in  the  one  narrative  which  there  is 
some  difiiculty  in  reconciling  with  circumstances  detailed  in  the 
other.  It  is  just  one  of  those  cases  which  not  unfrequently  occur 
in  our  attempts  to  harmonize  the  gospel  history ;  that  is,  to  place 
in  one  consistent  successive  series,  all  the  events  recorded  by  the 
four  evangelists ;  there  are  difficulties  on  both  sides,  and  all  we 
can  do,  is  to  choose  the  side  which  has  the  fewest,  and  the  least 
considerable  ones.  Judging  on  this  principle,  we  are  disposed  to 
think,  that  as  our  Lord,  like  his  apostle,  found,  that  for  him 
"  to  say  the  same  thing  was  not  grevious,  while  for  his  auditors 
it  was  safe,"  so  the  discourses,  though  having  much  in  com- 
mon, were  delivered  at  different  times,  and  in  different  circum- 
stances. 

Our  Lord  had  before  preached  in  the  synagogues;  but  as 
probably  no  house  could  contain  the  multitudes  which  had  as- 
sembled on  this  occasion,  he  "  ascended  a  mountain,"  and  being 
elevated  above  the  people,  he  sat  down,  according  to  the  ordinary 
custom  of  the  Jewish  teachers,  and  in  that  posture  taught  the 
people.  His  disciples  seem  to  have  sat  next  to  him,  and  the 
crowd  around  them.  The  scenery  of  the  Sermon  of  the  Mount 
has  been  very  graphically  described  by  Tholuck,  who  has  much 
of  the  genius  of  the  poet,  as  well  as  of  the  learning  and  acumen 
of  the  interpreter. 

"  And  now  let  us  try  to  figure  to  ourselves  the  charms  of  this 
Galilean  landscape,  o'er-canopicd  by  an  oriental  sky,  in  order  to 
reproduce,  while  we  are  reading  tliem,  the  same  impression  which 
was  made  by  the  words  when  they  were  heard.  While,  on  every 
other  occasion  during  his  abode  upon  earth,  the  Son  of  God  pre- 
ferred the  unostentatious  and  obscure,  he  seems  to  have  selected 
the  most  beautiful  and  enchanting  spot  in  nature,  as  the  temple 
in  which  to  open  his  ministry.  Travellers  are  wont  to  liken  the 
mountain  scenery  of  Galilee  to  the  finest  in  their  native  lands, 
the  Swede  Hasselquist  to  East  Gothland,  and  Clarke,  the  Eng- 
lishman, to  the  romantic  dales  of  Kent  and  Surrey.  The 
environs  of  the  Galilean  sea  have  been  compared  with  the  banks 
of  the  Lake  of  Geneva.  This  is  said  in  the  present  day,  when 
the  weight  of  the  Turkish  sceptre,  like  the  curse  of  heaven,  op- 
presses tliat  once  blooming  land.  What  then  must  it  have  been 
when  the  Saviour  of  the  world  made  it  the  scene  of  his  presence ! 
Even  Josephus,  in  speaking  of  Galilee,  rises  into  a  poetical  mood. 
'  Marvellous,'  he  says,"  '  for  natural  beauty  is  the  country  around 

2  De  Bello  Judieo,  iii.  10,  8. 


112  THE   SEEMOX   ON   THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

the  Sea  of  Gennesaret.  Such  is  the  fertihty  of  the  soil,  that  it 
produces,  spontaneously,  all  shrubs.  But,  besides  this,  the  hus- 
bandmen have  planted  the  most  various  sorts,  for  there  is  none 
•u'hich  the  temperature  of  the  climate  does  not  suit.  In  other 
rep-ions ,;the  nut  tree  requires  cold,  but  there  it  grows  in  the 
richest  luxuriance ;  there  also  flourishes  the  palm,  though  usually 
it  delights  in  heat,  and  there,  side  by  side,  the  fig  and  olive, 
which  agree  with  a  milder  air.  There  seems  to  be  an  emulation 
in  nature  endeavoring  to  bring  together  the  contending  parties. 
The  seasons  also  carry  on  a  beautiful  rivalry,  each  struggling 
Avith  the  other  for  the  possession  of  the  land.'  But,  charming 
above  all  must  be  the  beauty  of  the  region  where  it  presents 
itself  in  one  view,  precisely  at  the  spot  on  which  our  Saviour  de- 
livered his  discourse.  Korte  informs  us,  that  the  mountain, 
standing  as  it  does,  apart,  commands  the  same  prospect  which  is 
seen  from  Tabor.  Far  off  the  rich  and  blooming  landscape  of 
Galilee ;  to  the  north,  the  snow-crowned  Hermon ;  to  the  west, 
the  woody  Carmel.  Maundrel  even  saw  from  Tabor  the  Medi- 
terranean. At  the  distance  of  a  stone  cast  the  cheerful  sea  of 
Galilee,  encircled  with  mountain  and  forest.  Add  to  this  picture, 
the  cloudless  sky  of  southern  regions,  and  the  solemn  silence  of 
the  early  morn.""  ' The  v^rhole  scene,'  says  Hess,  'is  of  a  charac- 
ter familiar  and  grave,  attractive  and  dignified.  The  clear  sky 
above  him,  and  the  rural  district  around,  formed  a  natural  temple. 
No  synagogue,  not  even  the  temple  of  the  metropolis  itself,  could 
make  so  deep  and  solemn  an  impression.  There  were  to  be  seen 
here  none  of  the  formalities  which  would  have  accompanied  the 
ordinary  lecture  of  a  Jewish  teacher.  He  sat  down  upon  the  ris- 
ing-ground, and  fixing  his  eyes  on  the  disciples,  who  stood  next 
to  him,  began,  '  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit.'  " 

I  apprehend  that  the  great  design  of  our  Lord  in  this  discourse, 
was  to  show  the  Jews,  by  an  induction  of  particulars,  what  he 
meant  when  he  called  on  them  to  "  repent,"  or  change  their 
minds.  This,  if  I  mistake  not,  is  the  true  key  of  this  discourse. 
There  is  throughout  a  direct  reference  to  the  false  notions  gen- 
erally entertained  by  the  Jews  respecting  the  Messiah's  kingdom  ; 
but  as  their  prejudices  originated  in  principles  common  to  unre- 
gcnerated  human  nature,  though  taking  a  peculiar  form  and 
color  from  their  circumstances,  the  statements  made  are  calcu- 
lated to  be  "profitable  to  mankind  in  all  countries,  and  in  all 
ages,  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness."* 

'  "The  emotions  of  a  warm  iulorer  of  Christ  upon  this  spot,  under  a  deep  im- 
pression of  the  beauties  of  miMire,  and  remembering  the  words  that  once  were 
heard  at  the  place,  have  boon  described  by  Rao-Wilson.  'Travels  in  the  Holy 
Land,'  3d  Ed.,  1831,  ii.  p.  6."  *  '2  Tim.  iii.  IG. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  113 


I.     THE    DISTINGUISHING   CHARACTERS  AND   PRIVILEGES   OF    THE 
DISCIPLES   OF   CHRIST. 

Matth.  V.  3  12.' 

Our  Lord  begins  with  describing  who  are  the  truly  happy, 
who  are  the  true  citizens  of  the  heavenly  kingdom.  It  is  a  re- 
mark of  importance,  that  our  Lord  is  not  in  these  words  speak- 
ing so  directly,  if  at  all,  of  the  manner  in  which  men  are  to  ob- 
tain happiness,  as  of  the  characters  of  those  who  are  really  happy. 
It  is  the  faith  of  the  truth  with  respect  to  the  redeeming  charac- 
ter of  God,  that  gives  true  happiness ;  and  it  is  this,  too,  we  shall 
see  as  we  proceed,  that  alone  can,  and  that  certainly  will,  form 
the  characters  here  described,  in  the  possession  of  which  consists 
in  a  great  measure  true  happiness. 

The  dispositions  which  are  here  represented  as  necessarily 
connected  with  the  enjoyment  of  true  happiness,  are  not  amiable 
natural  tempers.  They  are  modes  of  thought  and  feeling  pro- 
duced b}^  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the- 
faith  of  the  truth  ;  and  they  are  all  of  them,  though  no  doubt 
with  a  great  variety  of  degree,  to  be  found  in  every  man  who, 
being  born  again,  has  entered  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

§  1.   The  Poor  in  spirit — possessors  of  the  Jdngdom. 

The  first  class  of  persons  pronounced  "  blessed,"  are  'Hhe  poor 
in  spirit."  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven."  Some  interpreters  connect  the  phrase  "  in 
spirit,"  not  with  the  word  "poor,"  but  with  the  word  "blessed.'" 
'  Blessed  in  spirit' — spiritually  happy  are  the  poor  ;  but  this  is  not 
in  accordance  with  the  genius  of  the  language;  nor  would  the 
same  principle  of  interpretation  at  all  apply  to  the  benediction  in 
verse  8,  "Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart." 

It  is  quite  plain  that  the  descriptive  appellation  "poor  in 
spirit,"  refers  not  to  external  situation,  but  to  disposition  and 
character.  Extreme  poverty  is  not  favorable  to  religion  any 
more  than  extreme  affluence.  The  most  depraved  of  mankind 
have  been  generall}-  found  among  the  opposite  extremes  of  so- 
ciety ;  and  it  is  equally  true  that  it  is  "  a  hard  thing  for"  a  very 
poor,  and  a  very  "  rich  man,  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 

The  phrase  "  poor  in  spirit"  may,  taken  by  itself,  signify 
mean-spirited.  This  obviously  is  not  its  meaning  here,  for 
raean-spiritedness  is  no  christian  virtue,  and  is  inconsistent  with 
real  happiness.     The  Christian  is   a  man  of  a   generous   mind. 

°  "  It  is  impossible  to  read  the  first  sentences  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  with- 
out fi'eling  that  they  must  be  iu  some  measure  a  key  to  its  whole  purpose.  This 
scries  of  b'cssinj^s  upon  certain  states  of  minds,  compels  us  to  foel  tliat  we  are  iu 
tlie  pi-esence  of  One  who  is  come  to  establish  a  kingdom  in  the  inner  man  ;  to  deal 
witli  the  principles  of  things;  to  lay  the  axe  to  the  roots;  to  baptize  with  the 
Spirit  and  wlLli  lire;  to  reform  tlio  fruit  by  reforming  the  tree." — Maurices  King- 
dom of  Chrisl,  iii.  p.  20. 

vol..    1.  8 


114  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP,  IV. 

He  "  provides  thin,u;s  lioncst,"  honorable,  "  in  the  sight  of  all 
men."  lie  aeeonnts  it  more  "  blessed  to  give  tlian  to  receive." 
lie  "thinks  on  the  things  which  are  honest,  lovely,  and  of  good 
report.'" 

The  phrase  "poor  in  spirit,"  taken  by  itself,  might  also  signify 
'  spiritaally  ])Oor,'  as  in  Rev.  iii.  17,  that  is,  destitute  of  spiritual 
blessings-^the  favor  of  God — conformity  to  his  image  —  the 
well-grounded  hope  of  eternal  life.  I  need  scarcely  say,  that 
cannot  be  the  meaning,  for  he  who  is  thus  poor  in  spirit,  is 
wretched  indeed. 

The  phrase  "  poor  in  spirit"  has  been  interpreted^  as  equiva- 
lent to  '  destitute  of  mental  wealth,  simple,  unlearned.'  Many 
such  do  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  while  "  the  wise  and  pru- 
dent" shut  theinselves  out.*  But  it  is  not  as  weak  or  ignorant  that 
they  enjoy  that  privilege.  They  inherit  th(^  kingdom,  not  because 
of,  but  notwithstanding,  their  mental  deficiencies. 

To  be  "  poor  in  spirit,"  is,  I  apprehend,  just  synonymous  with 
to  be  humble.  This  is  the  meaning  Chrysostoni  attaches  to  the 
])hrase,  and  he  is  followed  by  the  great  body  of  the  best  inter- 
preters, ancient  and  modern.  To  be  ''poor  in  spirit"  is  to  think 
of  a  person's  self  "  not  more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think."* 
When  a  man  is  made  to  see  the  truth,  with  regard  to  the  char- 
acter and  law  of  God,  Avith  regard  to  his  own  character  and 
conduct,  and  especially  with  regard  to  the  way  of  salvation, 
thi'ongh  the  obedience  unto  death  of  the  incarnate  Ouly-bcgotlen 
of  God,  he  obtains  such  vie\vs  of  himself,  both  as  a  creature  and 
a  sinner,  as  are  calculated  to  repress  everything  like  the  risings 
of  pride.  He  knows  himself  to  be  an  entirely  dependent  being  ; 
he  knows  himself  to  be  an  inexcusable  sinner;  he  knows  himself 
to  be  a  righteously  condemned  criminal ;  he  knows  that  "  in  him, 
that  is,  in  his  flesh,  dwells  no  good  thing ;"'"  he  knows  that  ho 
has,  that  he  can  have,  no  hope,  but  in  the  sovereign  mercy  of 
(jod  ;  that  he  has  no  righteousness  to  glory  in,  but  the  obedience 
imto  death  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that  whatever  is  right  and 
holy  in  his  sentinients  and  character,  is  owing  entirely  to  the  in- 
lluencc  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  the  knowledge  and  foith  of  all 
this,  naturally  produces  deep  habitual  abasement  of  spirit.  He 
feels  himself  "  dust  and  ashes,"  guilty  dust  and  ashes.  A  saved 
sinner,  a  sinner  saved  by  grace,  is  the  highest  character  he  can  lay 
claim  to.  Man  is  poor,  entirely  dependent  on  the  Divine  bounty  ; 
in  his  fallen  state  utterly  destitute  of  everything  good;  and  the 
spirit  which  becomes  such  a  being  is  the  spirit  of  humility. 

This  is  the  poverty  of  spirit  here  spoken  of,  and  he  who  pos- 
sesses it  is  "blessed.""  He  is  blessed  in  the  possession  of  suca  a 
temper,  for  it  naturally  makes  him  patient  under  affliction,  gTate- 

•  Rom  xii.  17.     Acts  xx.  35.     I'hil.  iv.  8.  '  Frilzsclie. 

"  Matt.  xi.  25.     1  Cor.  i.  IC,  17.  "  Rom.  xii.  n  '"  Rom.  vii.  18. 

"  /jfiKiiiuoi — "  Il.appy."  John  xiii.  17.  Act«  xxvi.  2.  Rom.  xiv.  22.  1  Pet.  iii. 
14  :  iv.  II.  It  miglit  Imvo  l)eoii  better  Imd  our  translators  appropriated  "blessed," 
OS  the  version  of  liT^oyrii'-'ror  and  cvkoyriror. 


I^AIIT  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVU.EGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  115 

ful  for  every  blessing;  and,  leading  him  to  vest  his  hope  entirely 
on  something  out  of  himself,  secures  a  steadiness  and  permanence 
of  peaceful  piety  and  joyful  expectation,  which  can  in  no  other 
way  be  enjoyed.  But  this  is  not,  I  apprehend,  our  Lord's  prin- 
cipal idea,  for  he  assigns  a  particular  reason  why  lie  pronounces 
the  poor  in  spirit  "  blessed,"  nrid  that  is,  that  "theirs  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven." 

"  The  kingdom  of  heaven,"  as  I  have  already  shown  you,  is 
the  order  of  things  introduced  by  the  Messiah ;  and  when  it  is 
said  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  belongs  to  the  ])Oor  in  spirit,  the 
meaning  is,  they  are  the  persons  who  enjoy  the  peculiar  blessings 
of  that  order  of  things.  The  privileges  and  immunities  of  citi- 
zens of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  are  their  exclusive  property.^ 
'i^hey  are  happy,  lor,  though  poor  in  spirit,  they  are — probably 
in  reference  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  heavenly  ha2)piness,  which 
is  called  their  "inheriting  the  kingdom" — said  to  be  "rich  in 
faith,"  rich  in  expectancy,  and  "heirs  of  the  kingdom."'"  The 
Jews  were  generally  of  opinion  that  the  rich^  in  the  literal  sense 
of  that  word,  Avere  to  enjoy  the  principal  honors  and  bonelits  of 
the  Messiah's  kingdom.  But,  says  our  Lord,  yc  must  "repent," 
yc  must  chang-e  your  mind.  The  true  citizens  of  the  heavenly 
kingdom  are  not  the  rich  in  this  world,  but  "the  })oor  in  spirit," 

§  2.   They  tJiat  mourn — i/tey  shall  ha  comj'oried. 

Tlie  next  class  of  [torsons  pronounced  blessed  b}^  ouv  I-iord  are 
those  that  mourn."  "Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they 
shall  be  comforted.""  It  is  natural,,  for  man  to  count  the  gay 
and  the  prosperous  happy;  aiul  the  Jews  expected  nothing  but 
lostivity  and  gladness  inider  the  reign  of  the  Messiah.  It  is  as  if 
he  said,  'Repent,  cliange  your  mind:  in  your  mode  of  thinking, 
iiappiness  and  mirth  are  indissolubly  associated,  but  they  only 
are  happy  who  mourn.' 

It  is  plain  that  it  is  not  every  species  of  mourning  that  is  here 
referred  to.  Tiierc  is  "  a  sorrow  of  the  world  which  worketh 
♦  leath.""*  Affliction  is  not  at  all  necessarily  connected  with  holy 
'■haracter,  or  spiritual  privilege.  Those  who  mourn  are,  I  appre- 
hend, those  Avlio,  in  consequence  of  obtaining  just  views  of  the 
holinCvSS  and  benignity  of  tne  Divine  character,  a,nd  of  the  guilt 
of  their  own  conduct,  and  the  depravity  of  their  own  natures,  arc 
habitually  sorrowing  for  their  own  sins  after  a  godly  sort,  and 
who  also  "  sigh  and  cry  for  the  abominations  done  in  the  land,"" 
ami  "  when  they  behold  transgressors  are  grieved;""  who  sym- 
pathize deeply  with  the  afflictions  of  others,  and  "  weep  with 
thon  who  weep.'""  .it  is  also  probable  that  our  Lord  refers  to 
the  undoubted  fact,  that  all  his  peculiar  people  are,  in  some  form 
or  other,  visited  with  affliction — some  of  them  with  very  severe 

'•2  Jamea  ii.  /i.  '  *  Matt.  v.  4. 

'•  "Qui  non  geniit  peregriuus,  uon  gaudebitcivis.'  August.     JCpp.  248. 
•'  2  Cor.  vii.  10.                         »«  Ezek.  ix.  4.  "  rsal.  cxix.  168. 

'<*  Rom.  xii.  15.  *  tjeeNote  A- 


IIQ  THE  SERMON  ON  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

and  complicated  affliction: — "For  whom  the  Lord  lovetli,  he 
chasteneth,  and  he  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth."" 

These  mourners  are  blessed.  In  filial  penitence,  in  sorrow  for 
the  dishonor  done  to  God,  in  generous  sympathy,  there  is  much 
real  present  satisfaction,  and  even  enjoyment— satisfaction  and 
enjoyment  infinitely  superior  to  any  which  the  impenitent  and 
selfish  can  taste  ;  and  the  afflicted  mourning  Christian  is  happy, 
inasmuch  as  his  affliction  is  contributing  to  his  improvement — 
is  "  working  patience,  and  experience,  and  hope'"" — is  producing 
"  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness"" — is  "  working  out  for 
him  a  far  more  exceeding,  and  an  eternal  weight  of  glory.'"' 

But  the  reason  particularly  assigned  for  his  pronouncing  these 
mourners  blessed,  is,  "  they  shall  be  comforted."  Mourning  over 
their  sins,  they  shall  be  comforted,  by  the  plain  declarations  of  a 
free  and  'a  full  forgiveness,  which,  by  the  influence  of  the  good 
Spirit,  they  shall  be  enabled  to  believe,  and,  "  believing  which, 
they  shall  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable :'"'  mourning  over  the 
dishonor  done  to  God,  they  shall  be  comforted  by  the  assurance 
that  a  period  is  hastening  onward,  w^hen  the  excellences  of  the 
Divine  character  and  government  shall  be  universally  acknowl- 
edged :  mourning  over  the  calamities  of  their  fellow -men,  they 
are  comforted  by  knowing  that  God  is  bringing  good  out  of  the 
evil  which  they  deplore,  and  that,  yet  a  little  while,  and  suffering 
shall  be  entirely  unknown  in  the  universe  of  God,  except  among 
the  irreclaimable  rebels  against  his  holy  government :  mourning 
over  their  own  afflictions,  they  are  comforted  by  knowing  that 
they  have  the  sympathy  of  their  Lord  and  Saviour,  that  all  these 
afflictions  result  from  paternal  kindness,  and  shall  all  promote 
their  improvement  and  happiness.  And  not  only  shall  they  be 
thus  comforted  while  they  mourn,  but  ere  long  the  days  of  their 
mourning  shall  be  ended ;  they  shall  obtain  complete  and  ever- 
lasting consolation :— "  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying 
unto  me,  What  arc  these  which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes  ?  and 
whence  came  they  ?  And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  knowest. 
And  he  said  to  me,  These  are  they  whicli  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne 
of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple  :  and  he  that 
aitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them.  Tiiey  shall  hunger 
no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on 
them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  shall  iced  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains 
of  waters;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes."" 

§  3.     The  Tiieek — ticey  shall  inherit  the  earth. 

We  proceed  now  to  the  consideration  of  the  third  beatitude — 
"  Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  tliey  shall  inherit  the  earth.""     "  The 

'3  Ileb.  xii.  6.  *"  liom.  v.  3,  4.  "'  Heb.  xii.  11. 

^'^  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  '^^  1  Pot  i.  8. 

•■!'  Rev.   vii.   13-17.  "  Matt,  v.  5. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  117 

meek,"  is  an  appellation  wliioli  describes  the  temper  of  mind 
under  suflfering.  The  persons  here  spoken  of  are  viewed,  not  as 
enjoying  unbroken  prosperity,  but  as  exposed  to  affliction  in  a 
variety  of  forms ;  and,  when  thus  exposed  to  affliction,  they  are 
not  fretful,  and  discontented,  and  resentful,  but  meek,  quiet,  re- 
signed, cheerful  sufferers.  Patience  and  meekness  are  nearl}^ 
allied.  The  difference  seems  to  be  this — patience  is  expressive 
of  the  sufferer's  temper  in  reference  to  his  sufferings ;  meekness 
is  expressive  of  his  temper  in  reference  to  those  who  are  the 
authors  or  occasions  of  his  sufferings.  Our  afflictions  may  be 
viewed  as  coming  from  God,  or  as  coming  from  our  fellow-men  ; 
and  meekness  is  the  name  of  that  disposition  which  we  should 
cherish,  and  which  every  Christian,  so  far  as  he  is  under  the  in- 
fluence of  christian  principle,  does  cherish,  both  in  reference  to 
God  and  man,  viewed  as  the  cause  or  the  occasion  of  suffering 
to  us. 

Like  all  the  other  holy  tempers  described  in  this  passage, 
meekness  originates  in  right  views  of  the  Divine  character,  and 
our  own.  An  enlightened  conviction  of  the  infinite  greatness 
and  excellence, — the  sovereignty,  and  wisdom,  and  holiness,  and 
righteousness,  and  condescension,  and  kindness  of  God,  and  of 
our  own  insignificance  as  creatures,  and  demerit  as  sinners,  lies 
at  the  foundation  of  that  meekness  which  forms  an  essential  part 
of  the  character  of  a  genuine  Christian.  The  man  who  really 
believes  that  God  has  a  right  to  do  with  him,  as  his  creature, 
whatever  he  pleases ;  that,  in  the  exercise  of  that  right,  he  is 
uniformly  guided  by  righteousness  and  wisdom,  and  influenced 
by  benig^nity ;  that  anything,  short  of  the  severest  punishment 
which  he  is  capable  of  enduring,  is  mercy  to  him,  viewed  as  a 
sinner ;  that  God  is  rich  in  mercy — "  in  Christ  reconciling  the 
world  to  himself" — his  father  and  friend,  who  has  given /or  him 
his  only  Son,  and  given  to  him  eternal  life,  and  has  promised  to 
"  make  all  things  Avork  together  for  his  good  r"^"  the  man  who 
really  believes  all  this  with  regard  to  God,  though  he  may  deeply 
feel  the  afflictions  wath  which  God  may  visit  him,  cannot  be  fret- 
ful and  impatient — cannot  question  either  the  righteousness,  or 
the  wisdom,  or  the  kindness,  of  the  Divine  procedure  to  him. 
The  language  of  his  heart  is,  "  Here  am  I,  let  Him  do  to  me  as 
seemeth  good  unto  him."  "  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done." 
"  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay  ?"  "  Wherefore  doth 
a  living  man  complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment  of  his  sins  ?" 
"  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  I  am  not  consumed."  I  will 
"consider  in  my  heart,  that  as  a  man  chasteneth  his  son,  so  the 
Lord  my  God  chasteneth  me."  "  I  will  bear  the  indignation  of 
the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned  against  him ;"  nay,  I  will  be 
thankful  to  him  who  treats  me,  not  as  a  "bastard,"  but  as  a 
"son."  I  wiU  "hear  the  rod  and  him  who  hath  appointed  it." 
Thus  does  the  meek  man  "  hope,  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation 
of  the  Lord,"  that  is,  for  deliverance  from  affliction,  from  him 

^  25  2  Cor.  V.  r.i.     Ro:u.  viii.  23,  32. 


118  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

who  liath  sent  afflit;tion.  Thus  docs  he  "  sit  alone,  and  keep  si- 
lence ;  thus  does  ho  put  his  mouth  in  the  dust,  if  so  be  there  may 
be  hope  ;"  for  he  beheves  that  "  the  Lord  will  not  cast  off  for- 
ever :  for  though  lie  cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compassion  ac- 
cording to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies.  For  he  does  not  afflict 
willingly,  nor  grieve  the  children  of  men."" 

Meekness  is  most  severely  tried  Avhen  our  fellow-men  are  the 
direct  causes  of  our  sufferings,  and  when  these  sufferings  originate 
in  their  injustice  and  malignity.  But,  even  in  these  cases,  the 
well-instructed  Christian  in  meekness  possesses  his  soul.  He 
knows  tliat,  though  men  may  have  had  a  guilty  agency  in  his  suf- 
ferings, God  has  had  a  righteous  agency ;  that  "  this  also  has  come 
forth  from  the  Lord,  who  is  wonderful  in  counsel,  and  excellent 
in  working:"  that  the  wicked  are  but  "  God's  hand  and  rod;"" 
and  that,  while  righteous  judgment  is  God's  province,  humble, 
quiet  suffering  is  his.  Besides,  he  knows  that  the  unjust  and  ma- 
lignant conduct  of  his  enemies,  is  but  the  native  result  of  that 
corrupted  nature,  of  which  he  is  a  possessor  as  well  as  they,  un- 
der whose  uncontrolled  dominion  he,  like  them,  once  was,  and 
from  whose  thraldom,  if  delivered,  he  owes  his  deliverance  en- 
tirely to  free,  sovereign  mercy. 

The  influence  which  these  views  of  Christian  truth  have  in 
forming  the  disposition  of  meekness,  is  most  beautifully  illustrat- 
ed by  the  apostle,  when  he  calls  on  Christians  to  be  "  gentle, 
showing  all  meekness  unto  all  men ;  for  we  ourselves  also  were 
sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and 
pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one 
another.  But  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Sav- 
iour to  man  appeared,  not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we 
have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  wash- 
ing of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  tlie  Holy  Ghost ;  which  he 
shed  on  us  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour.'"'' 

This  meekness^  in  its  manifestations  both  towards  God  and  man, 
was  most  illustriously  exemplified  in  the  character  and  conduct 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  When  exaction  was  made,  and  he,  on 
whose  head  was  made  to  meet  "the  iniquity  of  us  all,"  became 
answerable,  he  was  "  wounded,  and  bruised,  and  chastised,  and 
smitten  to  death"  by  his  Father,  Yet  he  was  "  brought  as  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter,  and,  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers,  was  dumb." 
He  uttered  no  comjjlaint,  displayed  no  fretftdness — "Not  my 
will,  but  thine  be  done.'""  And  then,  with  regard  to  mankind  : 
"  When  he  was  reviled,  he  reviled  not  again ;  when  he  suffered, 
he  threatened  not;  but  committed  himself  to  him  who  judgeth 
righteously;""  and,  so  far  from  cherishing  resentful  leelings 
towards  his  enemies,  he  wept  when  he  thought  of  the  miseries 
they  were  drawing  down  on  their  heads,  and  died  with  tiiis  prayer 

*'  2  Sam.  XV.  26.     Actsxxi.  \\.     Iloiii.  ix.  21.     Lam.  iii.  39;  iii.  "I'l.     Deut.  viii. 
6.     Mic.  vii.  9.     Ileb.  xii.  7,  8.     Mic.  vi.  9.     J.ain.  iii.  20,  28,  29,  31,  32,  33. 
'*  Isa.  xxviii.  29.     I'sul.  xvii.  1-i.     Isa.  x.  5.  ■"  Til.  iii.  3-G. 

"  Ibe.  liii.  7.     Luki:  .\xii.  4'J.  -'  1  i'ct.  ii.  23. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  119 

on  liis  lips — "  Father,  forgive  them ;  for  they  know  not  what  they 
do."°^  If  Ave  would  rightly  undei-stand  what  Christian  meekness 
is,  we  must  study  his  character,  and  "  learn  of  him  who  was  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart."" 

Now,  our  Lord  pronounces  those  who  are  thus  meek, 
blessed  :■ — "  Blessed  are  the  meek."  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Ye 
call  the  proud  happy  :""*  you  think  there  is  the  greatest  proba- 
bility of  the  prosperous  man  having  a  good  share  in  the  blessings 
of  that  temporal  kingdom  which  you  are  expecting  the  Messiah 
to  establish;  but  you  must  "repent,"  you  must  change  your 
minds.  According  to  the  maxims  of  the  spiritual  kingdom,  of 
which  He  is  to  be  the  founder,  it  is  not  the  proud,  prosperous 
man,  but  it  is  the  meek  sufferer,  that  is  the  happy  man ;  it  is  he 
who  shall  be  accounted  great  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  meek  may  be  pronounced  happy,  for  the  disposition  which 
characterizes  them  is  one  of  the  essential  elements  of  happiness. 
Humble,  cheerful  resignation  to  the  will  of  God,  is  happiness ; 
proud,  self-sufl&cient  dissatisfaction,  is  misery. 

But  our  Lord  here,  as  in  the  other  beatitudes,  assigns  a  par- 
ticular reason  why  he  pronounces  the  meek  blessed  : — "  Blessed 
are  the  meek :  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth." 

In  these  words  of  our  Lord,  there  is  a  plain  reference  to  the 
words  of  the  Psalmist : — "  The  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth,  and 
shall  delight  themselves  in  the  abundance  of  peace."  "  Such  as 
be  blessed  of  him  shall  inherit  the  earth."  "  The  righteous  shall 
inherit  the  land,  and  dwell  therein  forever."^' 

The  words  before  us  have  been  variously  interpreted.  By 
many  interpreters,  they  have  been  considered  as  equivalent  to  the 
statement,  that  "  godliness  has  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now 
is;"^'as  an  assertion  that  the  meek  are  those  Avho  really  have 
the  greatest  enjoyment  of  the  good  things  of  the  present  state. 
They  are  the  persons  most  likely  to  enjoy  such  things  as  are 
needful  and  convenient,  with  the  greatest  security,  and  to  have 
the  most  undisturbed  enjoyment  of  them.  As  the  apostle  Peter 
says,  "  Who  will  harm  you,  if  ye  be  followers  of  that  which  is 
good, "^^  gentle,  kind,  beneficent?  The  meek  man  makes  few 
enemies  to  himself,  and  does  not  bring  himself  into  hostile  col- 
lision with  those  among  whom  he  lives.  He  may  not  be  so 
likely  as  others  to  get  a  great  deal  of  the  world,  but  he  is  likely 
to  have  a  great  deal  more  enjoyment  in  his  little,  than  a  man  of 
an  opposite  temper  in  his  abundance : — "  The  little  which  the 
righteous  man  hath,  being  more  and  better  than  the  riches  of 
many  wicked."^** 

Others  lay  the  emphasis  on  the  word  "  inherit,"  and  consider 
our  Lord  as  saying,  '  The  meek  have  a  covenant  right  to  the 
good  things  of  this  world,  which  men  of  an  opposite  character 
are  destitute  of     Botli   these   interpretations  state  truths,  and 

"Lukexix.  4-2;  xxiii.  34.  "  Matt.  xi. '29.  =^  Mai.  iii.  15. 

='•  Deut.  xix.  14.     Psal.  xxv.  13  ;  x.kxvu.  U,  18,  '-V.  "'  1  Tim.  iv.  8. 

J'  1  Pet.  iii.  l;j.  '"  I'^-jL  xxsvii.  IG. 


120  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

important  ones  ;  but  still,  I  apprehend,  they  do  not  bring  out  the 
meaning  of  our  Lord.'' 

We  are  to  recollect  that  our  Lord  was  speaking-  to  Jews,  and 
that  he  uses  phraseology  familiar  to  them,  and  accommodates 
liimself  to  their  mode  of  thinking.  His  words,  literally  ren- 
dered, are,  "  they  shall  inherit  the  land,"  ^.  e.,  Canaan, — "  the 
land  of  promise."  He  speaks  of  the  blessings  of  the  new  econ- 
omy, in  the  language  of  Old  Testament  prophecy.  Israel,  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh, — the  external  people  of  God,  under  the  former 
economy,  were  a  fig-ure  of  Israel  according  to  the  spirit — the 
spiritual  people  of  God  under  the  new  economy ;  and  Canaan, 
the  worldly  inheritance  of  the  former,  is  the  type  of  that  aggre- 
gate of  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings  which  form  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  latter.  In  reference  to  the  state  of  things  under  the 
Messiah,  it  is  said,  "Thy  people  also  shall  be  all  righteous;" 
none  but  the  truly  righteous  are  members  of  the  true  spiritual 
church  ;  subjects  of  Messiah  the  prince  :  "  they  shall  inherit  the 
land  forever,  the  branch  of  my  planting,  the  work  of  my  hands, 
that  I  may  be  glorified.""  To  "  inherit  the  land,"  is  to  enjoy 
the  peculiar  blessings  of  the  people  of  God  under  the  new 
economy;  it  is  to  be  "heirs  of  the- world,"  "  heirs  of  God,  joint- 
lieirs  with  Christ  Jesus."  It  is  to  be  "  blessed  with  all  heavenly 
and  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ ;"  to  enjoy  that  true  peace  and 
rest, — of  which  the  rest  of  Israel  in  Canaan  was  a  figure, — which 
a  man  enters  into  on  believing  the  truth,  and  which  will  be  per- 
fected in  heaven. 

Such,  I  apprehend,  is  the  true  meaning  of  the  phrase,  "  they 
shall  inherit  the  land;"  so  that  our  Lord  in  this  beatitude, 
materially  says  :  '  You  call  the  proud  and  the  prosperous  happy, 
and  you  suppose  they  are  likely  to  inherit  Canaan  under  the 
^fessiah.  I  tell  you,  the  truly  happy  are  the  meek  sufferers ; 
ihey,  and  they  alone,  shall  be  possessors  of  that  spiritual  inherit- 
ance, of  which  Canaan  was  merely  a  figure.' 

^  4.    They  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness — they  shall 

he  filled. 

I  think  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely,  that  one  reason  why  our  Lord 
immediately  added, — "  Blessed  are  they  which  hunger  and  thirst 
after  nghtc(jusncss,  for  they  shall  be  filled,""  was  to  prevent  his 
audience  from  supposing  that  he  had  used  the  words — "  inherit 
the  land"  literally,  and  to  lead  them  to  his  true  meaning.  They 
were  "  hungering  and  thirsting,"  eagerly  desiring,  after  what 
they  supposed  were  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom, — de- 

■'9  Calvin  combines  these  views,  and  something  more,  in  his  exegesis:  "Etiamsi 
nusquam  pedem  in  suo  figero  qiieant,  terrce  domicilio  quiete  fruuntur.  Nequo 
imaginaritt  est  hajo  possessio,  quia  terrain  inhabitant  quani  sibi  diviuitus  cou- 
cessam  esse  norunt.  Deinde  advcrsus  malorum  inteinperieni  ct  furias  opposita 
Dei  manu  teguntur  .  .  .  atque  hoc  illis  satis  est,  donee  mundi  hcreditatem 
ultimo  die  adeant." 

^Msa.  Ix.  lil.  ■"  Mott.  V.  6. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  121 

liverance  from  a  foreign  yoke,  wealth,  dignity,  honor,  dominion. 
They  who  were  cherishing  these  desires  were  dreaming,  and 
would  soon  awake  to  disappointment.  These  desires  would  not 
be  gratified ;  they  who  cherished  them  would  not  "  be  filled." 
The  Messiah  came  with  no  intention  to  bestow  such  blessings. 

But,  "  blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness, for  the_y  shall  be  filled."  Some  interpreters  understand  the 
words  "  hunger  and  thirst"  literally,  as  equivalent  to  '  are  ex- 
posed to  great  straits  and  sufferings,'  and  translate  the  succeeding 
words — "  on  account  of  righteousness" — "  Blessed  are  they  who 
hunger  and  thirst  on  account  of  righteousness,  for  they  shall 
be  filled."  It  is  clear  that  the  idiom  of  the  language  would 
permit  such  a  translation ;"  but  that  given  in  our  version  is 
the  more  natural  rendering,  and  prevents  the  tautology  which 
otherwise  would  be  found  in  the  paragraph,  as  the  words  before 
us  would  in  this  case  be  precisely  the  same  in  meaning  as  verse 
10th. 

Hunger  and  thirst  are,  I  believe,  in  all  languages,  used  to  ex- 
press vehement  desire."  It  is  not  very  easy  to  fix  the  precise 
meaning  of  the  word  "  righteousness."  In  the  Apostle  Paul's 
writings,  it  ordinarily  signifies  'justification,'  or  'method  of  jus- 
tification.' I  apprehend  that  here,  as  in  the  former  case,  we  are 
to  find  its  true  meaning  by  attending  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  phrase  is  used  in  the  Old  Testament,  especially  in  the 
prophecies  with  regard  to  the  Messiah.  I  shall  quote  a  few  of 
these : — "  Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people,  and 
upon  thy  holy  city,  to  finish  the  transgression,  and  to  make  an 
end  of  sins,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  bring 
in  everlasting  righteousness.""  "  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  stout- 
hearted that  are  far  from  righteousness.  I  bring  near  my 
righteousness ;  it  shall  not  be  far  off,  and  my  salvation  shall 
not  tarry :  and  I  will  place  salvation  in  Zion  for  Israel  my 
glory.""  "  My  righteousness  is  near ;  my  salvation  is  gone 
forth ;  and  mine  arms  shall  judge  the  people ;  the  isles  shall 
wait  upon  me,  and  on  mine  arm  shall  they  trust.  Lift  up  your 
eyes  to  the  heavens,  and  look  upon  the  earth  beneath ;  for  the 
heavens  shall  vanish  awry  like  smoke,  and  the  earth  shall  wax 
old  like  a  garment,  and  they  that  dwell  therein  shall  die  in  like 
manner :  but  my  salvation  shall  be  forever,  and  my  righteous- 
ness shall  not  be  abolished."'"  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Keep  ye 
judgment,  and  do  justice  ;  for  my  salvation  is  near  to  come,  and 
my  righteousness  to  be  revealed.""  From  these  passages,  it 
seems  evident  that  the  phrases  "righteousness,"  "God's  right- 
eousness," when  used  in  reference  to  the  new  economy,  describe 
the  same  thing  as  "salvation,"  "God's  salvation."  To  hunger 
and  thirst  after  righteousness,  is  earnestly  to  desire  that  spiritual 
deliverance  which  the  Messiah  has  come  to  accomplish,  and  which 

*"  "  6ul  being  supposed  to  be  understood." — Clem.  Alex.  Strom,  vi. 

43  Psal.  xliii.  3;  Ixiii.  1.  "Dan.  ix.  24.  ■"*  Isa.  xlvi.   12,  13. 

«  Isa.  li.  6,  6.  *'  Isa.  Ivi.  1. 


122  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

consists  "in  righteousness;"  in  the  exercise  of  "grace  reigning 
through  righteousness  unto  everlasting  life;"  in  pardon  dis- 
pensed in  consistencv  with,  and  in  glorious  illustration  of,  right- 
eousness ;  and  in  bringing  the  whole  inner  man,  in  all  his  senti- 
ments and  feelings,  into  conformitv  with  the  righteous  mind  and 
^^"ill  of  God.  The  persons  here  described  are  those  who,  in  con- 
trast with  the  great  body  of  the  Jews,  who  were  earnest^  ex- 
pecting a  temporal  deliverer  and  a  temporal  deliverance,  were 
eagerly  desiring  a  Saviour  from  guilt  and  depravity,  and  their 
fearful  consequences. 

Such  our  Lord  pronounces  happy  ;  for,  while  they  who  were 
looking  for  a  temporal  Messiah  and  worldly  blessings  would  be 
disappointed,  they  who  were  desirous  of  heavenly  and  spiritual 
blessings  Avould  be  abundantly  satisfied  ;  they  would  be  "  filled." 
They  would  obtain  "  abundance  of  grace,  and  of  the  gift  of 
righteousness;"  they  would  obtain  "in  Christ  the  redemption" 
that  was  "  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according 
to  the  riches  of  Divine  grace."  "  Justified  freely  by  God's  grace, 
his  blood  would  cleanse  them  from  all  sin,  and  they  would  be 
washed,  and  sanctified,  and  justified  in  his  name,  and  by  his 
Spirit.""  In  the  knowledge  and  faith  of  the  truth  respecting  the 
Saviour,  they  would  obtain  the  gratification  of  their  desires; 
and,  in  the  fulness  of  their  grateful  and  happy  hearts,  they  would 
exclaim — "  Surely  in  the  Lord  have  we  righteousness;"  we  are 
"complete  in  him;"  "of  God  arc  we  in  Christ  Jesus  (who  of 
God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctiiication,  and 
redemption)"'" — -justified,  sanctified,  and  redeemed. 

§  5.   The  merciful — tlicy  shall  obtain  mercy. 

I  proceed  now  to  the  illustration  of  the  fifth  beatitude — 
"  Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain  merc3^"'''  Ac- 
cording to  the  views  generally  entertained  by  the  Jews,  the  per- 
sons most  likely  to  obtain  a  large  portion  of  the  blessedness  to  be 
.enjoyed  under  the  Messiah's  reign,  were  men  of  fierce  warlike 
dispositions,  fired  with  resentment  for  the  wrongs  done  their 
country ;  who  should,  under  the  victorious  banners  of  their 
Prince,  inflict  a  severe  and  merited  vengeance  on  their  gentile 
oppressors ;  and  as  the  well-earned  reward  of  their  valorous  ex- 
ploits, be  enriched  by  the  spoils  of  their  spoilers,  and  raised  to 
dominion  over  those  who  had  enslaved  them.  How  diiferent  is 
the  truth !  These  are  not  the  blessed  ones  under  Messiah's 
reign ;  this  is  not  the  happiness  he  confers.  "  Blessed  are  the 
merciful ;"  and  their  ha})piness  consists  in  this — not  that  they  are 
enriched  with  spoil,  or  invested  with  dominion,  but  that  "they 
shall  obtain  mercy." 

Let  us  shortly  consider,  in  succession,  the  character  which  is 
here  represented  as  belonging  to  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah,  and 

"  Epii.  1.  v.      1  Joliii  i.  7.     1  Cor.  vi.  11. 

"laa.  xiv.  Jl.     Col.  ii.  lo.     1  Cor.  i.  ;j'>.     Coiup.  2  Cor.  v.  21.  "*  Matt.  v.  T. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  123 

then  the  happiness  to  be  enjo_yed  by  them.  They  are  ''  merciful," 
and  being  merciful,  they  are  "blessed,  for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy."'' 

Mercy  may  be  viewed  in  reference  either  to  guilt  or  rniserv. 
Mere}',  viewed  in  reference  to  guilt,  is  opposed  to  resentment  or 
revenge,  and  is  a  disposition  to  forgive,  and  deal  leniently  with 
an  offender.  Mercy,  viewed  in  reference  to  misery,  is  opposed 
to  insensibility  or  cruelty,  and  is  a  disposition  to  relieve  or  to  pre- 
vent suffering  ;  a  compassionate  tenderness  of  heart,  which  makes 
us  weep  with  those  who  weep,  or  who  have  cause  to  weep,  though 
ignorant  or  insensible  of  their  wretchedness.  The  disposition  to 
forgive  seems  as  naturally  included  under  meekness,  as  under 
mercy,  and  in  the  following  remarks  I  shall  confine  myself  to  the 
delineation  of  that  distinguishing  feature  of  christian  character, 
which  consists  in  a  disposition  to  pity  and  relieve  the  miseries  of 
mankind. 

The  mercy  which  our.  Lord  represents  as  one  of  the  character- 
istics of  that  people  whom  he  pronounces  blessed,  is  something- 
very  different  from  a  naturally  affectionate  and  kindly  temper. 
This  is  a  mere  instinctive  feeling,  and,  though  amiable,  no  proper 
object  of  moral  approbation.  In  its  movements  there  is  no 
reference  to  the  Divine  authority ;  and  it  is  frequently  found  in 
conjunction  with  principles  and  habits,  most  decidedly  con- 
demned by  the  Divine  law. 

The  mercy  spoken  of  by  our  Lord,  like  all  the  other  dispo- 
sitions here  specified  as  characteristic  of  the  subjects  of  the 
Messiah,  is  the  result  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  understood 
and  believed ;  and  can  be  produced  in  no  other  way.  It  is  the 
feeling  which  a  man  has,  who  knows  and  believes  that,  in  the 
exercise  of  sovereign  kindness  on  the  part  of  God,  through  the 
mediation  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  he  is,  'cleli^^red  from  evils  in- 
finite in  their  number,  and  inconceivable  in  their  severity,  to 
which  he  had  rendered  himself  justly  liable  by  his  violation  of  a 
law  most  hol}^,  just,  and  good — ^it  is  the  feeling  v^hich  such  a 
conscious  debtor  to  Divine  mercy  naturally  cherishes  towards 
those  who  are  involved  in  sufferings,  of  whatever- kind,  especiall}^ 
in  that  Avorst  species  of  suffering,  from  which,  through  the  grace 
of  God,  he  has  himself  obtained  deliverance.  , 

This  mercy  is  wide  in  its  range.  It  regards  both  the  bodies 
and  the  souls  of  men  :  both  their  temporal  and  eternal  interests. 
This  is  one  of  the  features  which  chiefly  distinguish  it  from  that 
instinctive  kindliness  to  which  I  have  just  been  adverting.  The 
good-natured  generous  man  of  the  world,  pities  and  relieves  the 

"  Much  of  the  train  of  thought,  and  not  a  few  of  tiio  expressions,  in  the  follow- 
ing illustration,  are  borrowed  from  Dr.  Ayardlaws  exuelleut  discourse  "On 
Christian  ilercy,"  though  so  much  altered  and  mixed  up  with  other  mutter,  as  not 
easily  to  admit  of  more  distinct  ackuowledgmeut.  A  strong  resemblance  will 
be  found,  also,  to  the  exposition  of  "Be  Pitiful,"  in  tlie  Expository  Discourses 
on  tlio  Eirst  Epistle  of  Peter.  This  exposition  was  first  written  ;  and,  when 
used  as  materials  for  aa  ilhislralioa  ofP^tar,  thj  aatlio.- h  1 1  uu  iJ.jj.  of  publish- 
iiiiT  either. 


124  THE   SERMON   ON   THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

temporal  wants  of  his  fellow-creatures;  but  he  thinks  not  of  their 
spiritual  state,  their  everlasting  prospects.  He  feels  tender  com- 
passion for  naked,  starving,  diseased  bodies.  He  feels  compassion, 
it  may  be,  for  minds  uninstructed  in  that  information  which  is 
requisite  to  enable  men  to  obtain  a  creditable  subsistence  for 
themselves  in  this  world,  but  he  feels  no  pity  for  souls  perishing 
in  ignorance  of  God,  and  under  the  condemning  sentence  of  his 
holy  law.  This  cannot  indeed  be  expected ;  for  how  should  he 
feel  for  others,  when,  in  reference  to  such  subjects,  he  has  no 
feeling  for  himself? — though  there  is  something  monstrously 
absurd  in  men's  being  so  exceedingly  concerned  about  the  re- 
moval of  the  sufferings  of  a  few  years,  and  altogether  careless 
about  the  prevention  of  the  intolerable  miseries  of  eternity. 
Christian  mercy  is  not  thus  inconsistent.  It  looks  on  mankind, 
chiefly  in  their  relation  to  Grod  and  eternity  ;  it  regards  them 
both  as  mortal  and  immortal ;  and  it  is  chiefly  affected  by  their 
spiritual  state,  and  their  everlasting  prosj^ects. 

In  this  respect  it  resembles  that  Divine  mercy,  in  the  faith  of 
which  it  originates.  The  Divine  Being  pities  all  the  miseries  of 
man ;  but  it  is  immortal  man — the  sinner — ^that  is  emphatically 
the  object  of  Divine  mercy.  The  mercy  wherewith  He  remem- 
bers man  in  his  lost  estate,  is  great  mercy,  "  for  it  endureth  for- 
ever." It  stretches  onward  to  eternity,  and  it  delivers  its  objects 
from  the  lowest  hell ;  and  such,  according  to  his  capacity,  is  the 
mercy  of  every  one  who  has  found  mercy. 

But  while  chiefly  affected  with  the  miseries  of  man  as  a  sinner 
— with  the  ignorance,  and  error,  and  guilt  and  obduracy,  and 
depravity,  which  mark  his  character,  and  with  the  painful,  ex- 
treme, and  irremediable  wretchedness  which,  if  he  re])ent  not, 
awaits  him  in  the  Avorld  to  come — the  christianly  merciful  man  is 
not  affected  by  these  alone.  He  is  far  from  being  insensible  to 
their  temporal  calamities  and  wants.  He  cherishes  a  sincere 
sympathy  for  all  the  calamities  and  evils  to  which  men  are 
exposed  in  their  bodies,  in  their  minds,  in  their  connections  with 
each  other ;  from  whatever  causes  these  evils  may  have  arisen, 
whether  from  the  immediate  visitation  of  God,  from  the  injustice 
and  cruelty  of  their  fellow-men,  or  from  the  folly  and  crimes  of 
the  sufferers  themselves.  Like  Job,  "  he  weeps  for  them  who  are 
in  trouble,"  and  his  "  soul  is  grii^vcd  for  the  poor.."" 

But  this  mercy  is  something  more  tlian  a  feeling;  it  is  an 
operative  principle.  It  is  not  "  a  well  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed," 
but  a  copious  source  of  acts  of  beneficence — streams  of  blessings. 
This  mercy  does  not  evaporate  in  unprofitable  words.  It  is  not 
satisfied  with  saying  to  those  who  are  naked  and  destitute  of 
bodily  food,  "be  ye  fed,  be  ye  clothed;"  but  to  the  limits  of  its 
ability  it  gives  "  the  things  necessary  for  the  body."  It  is  not 
contented  with  deploring  the  ignorance,  and  vice,  and  spiritual 
wretchedness,  of  mankind  ;  but  exerts  itself  for  the  instruction  of 

"  Job  XXX.  25. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  125 

the  ignorant,  the  reclaiming  of  the  profligate,  the  conversion  of 
sinners,  the  salvation  of  the  perishing. 

And  here,  too,  this  mercy  resembles  that  in  the  faith  of  which, 
as  we  have  already  remarked,  it  originates.  The  mercy  of  God 
to  a  fallen  world,  was  operative  mercj.  "  God  so  loved  the 
world,"  that  he  "  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up 
for  us  all.'"^  And  in  the  character  of  him  who  is  the  image  of 
the  invisible  God,  active  mercy  is  the  prominent  feature.  He 
not  only  pitied,  but  saved.  Though  "  in  the  form  of  God,  he 
thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ;  but  made  himself 
of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and 
was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men :  And  being  found  in  fashion 
as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross.""  With  what  indefatigable  activity, 
what  disinterested  self-denial,  what  patient  endurance  of  suffer- 
ing, did  he  seek  to  promote  the  true  happiness  of  mankind  !  It 
was  "  his  meat  to  do  the"  benignant  "will  of  his  Father,  and  to 
finish  his  work"  in  "  preaching  glad  tidings  to  the  meek,"  com- 
forting all  who  mourned,  healing  diseases,  and  "  giving  himself 
a  ransom  for  all."^*  He  did  not  wait,  on  many  occasions,  for  ap- 
plication on  behalf  of  the  miserable ;  he  imparted  unasked  relief ; 
he  went  in  quest  of  objects  on  whom  to  show  mercy  ;  and  thus 
will  christian  mercy,  which  is  just  the  mind  of  Christ  dwelling 
in  us,  lead  all  who  are  under  its  influence,  to  abound  in  acts  of 
substantial  kindness  to  the  poor  and  the  miserable. 

It  is  this  influential,  operative  mercy  on  which  the  blessing  of 
God  is  pronounced.  "  Is  not  this  the  fast  that  I  have  chosen ; 
to  loose  the  bands  of  wickedness,  to  undo  the  heavy  burdens,  and 
to  let  the  oppressed  go  free,  and  that  ye  break  every  yoke  ?  Is 
it  not  to  deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry,  and  that  thou  bring  the 
poor  that  are  cast  out  to  thy  house  ?  when  thou  seest  the  naked, 
that  thou  cover  him  ;  and  that  thou  hide  not  thyself  from  thine 
own  flesh  ?  Then  shall  thy  light  break  forth  as  the  morning, 
and  thine  health  shall  spring  forth  speedily  ;  and  thy  righteous- 
ness shall  go  before  thee :  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  thy 
reward.  Then  shalt  thou  call,  and  the  Lord  shall  answer ;  thou 
shalt  cry,  and  he  shall  say.  Here  I  am.  If  thou  take  away  from 
the  midst  of  thee  the  yoke,  the  putting  forth  of  the  finger,  and 
speaking  vanity ;  and  if  thou  draw  out  thy  soul  to  the  hungry, 
and  satisfy  the  afflicted  soul :  then  shall  thy  light  rise  in  obscurity, 
and  thy  darkness  be  as  the  noon-day :  and  the  Lord  shall  guide 
thee  continually,  and  satisfy  thy  soul  in  drought,  and  make  fat 
thy  bones :  and  thou  shalt  be  like  a  watered  garden,  and  like  a 
spring  of  water  whose  waters  fail  not."'"  Such  was  the  mercy 
which  characterized  the  ancient  patriarch.  "  When  the  ear  heard 
me,  then  it  blessed  me ;  and  when  the  eye  saw  me,  it  gave  witness 
to  me ;  because  I  delivered  the  poor  that  cried,  and  the  fatherless, 
and  him  that  had  none  to  help  him.     The  blessing  of  him  that 

"  John  iii.  16  Rom.  viii.  32.  ''  Phil.  ii.  6. 

55  Jolin  iv.  34.     Isa.  Ixi.  1,     1  Tim.  ii.  0.     Heb.  x.  7-10.         sg  isa.  h-iii.  6-11. 


126  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  Z^rOLTNT,        [EXP,  IV. 

was  ready  to  perish  came  upon  me :  and  I  caused  tlie  widow's 
heart  to  sing  for  joy.  I  put  on  righteousness,  and  it  clothed  me : 
my  judgment  was  a  robe  and  a  diadem.  I  was  eyes  to  the  blind, 
and  feet  was  I  to  the  lame.  I  was  a  father  to  the  poor :  and  the 
cause  Avhich  I  knew  not  I  searched  out.  And  I  brake  the  jaws 
of  the  wicked,  and  plucked  the  spoil  out  of  his  teeth."" 

The  external  act  of  beneficence  may  exist  where  the  inward 
princij^le  of  christian  mercy  iL^  wanting,  and  ma}"  be  useful  to 
man  though  it  cannot  be  acceptable  to  God,  But  wherever  the 
principle  of  christian  mercy  exists,  it  will  manifest  itself  by  cor- 
responding fruits,  wherever  there  exists  ability  to  do  good  ;  mere 
professions  of  sympathy,  however  fervent,  must  be  hypocritical, 
and  however  they  may  impose  on  men,  which  they  seldom  do  in 
a.nj  great  degree,  they  nmst  be  regarded  with  abhorrence  by 
Him  who  desireth  truth  in  the  inward  parts. 

It  scarcely  requires  to  be  remarked  that  the  form  and  degrees 
of  the  manifestations  of  the  principles  of  mercy,  must  depend  on 
the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed  ;  and  that  "  a  cup  of 
cold  water"  may  be  as  genuine  and  as  acceptable  a  display  of 
mercy,  as  the  most  costly  pecuniary  oifering. 

This  merciful  disposition  is  not  confined  in  its  exercise  to  any 
particular  class  of  men.  The  Christian,  no  doubt,  feels  a  pecu- 
liar interest  in  the  afflictions  of  those  who  are  connected  with 
him,  whether  by  the  ties  of  natui-e  or  of  grace — those  who  are  of 
his  own  household,  and  those  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith  ; 
but  wherever  he  sees  misery,  there  does  he  feel  compassion,  and 
there,  too,  if  it  be  in  his  power,  does  he  give  relief.  It  is  not  the 
merit  of  the  sufferer,  but  his  misery,  that  he  looks  at ;  and  here 
again  christian  mercy  resembles  that  mercy,  in  the  faith  of  which 
it  originates. 

The  Christian,  under  the  influence  of  this  principle,  "loves  his 
enemies,  blesses  them  that  curse  him,  does  good  to  them  that 
hate  him,  and  prays  for  them  that  despitefully  use  him  and  jier- 
secutc  him ;"  and  thus  shows  himself  to  be  a  "  child  of  his  Father 
in  heaven,  who  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the 
good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust."'^  Thus 
have  I  endeavored  shortly  to  delineate  that  christian  mercy, 
whicli  is  an  essential  ingredient  in  the  cliaracter  of  all  the  true 
subjects  of  the  Messiah. 

Let  us  nov*'  turn  our  attention  for  a  little  to  the  happiness 
which  our  Lord  represents  as  possessed  by  them.  They  arc 
"blessed;"  and  they  are  "blessed,  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy." 
The  happiness  of  tile  followers  of  the  Messiah,  as  described  by 
our  Lord,  is  as  different  from  what  the  Jews  were  generally  an- 
ticipating as  the  characters  themselves,  l^'ierce  relentless  war- 
riors were  the  persons  they  conceived  as  likely  to  be  greatest  in 
his  kingdom.  But  our  Lord  tells  them  that  not  they,  but  "  the 
merciful,"  are  to  be  liis  fiivoritcs ;  and  as  to  the  happiness  enjoyed 
imder  him,  it  is  not  to  be  tliat  of  brave  warriors  receiving  the 
57  Job  xxix.  11-17.  58  Matt.  v.  44-47. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTI.iNS.  127 

merited  reward  of  their  sanguinary  labors ;  it  is  to  be  that  of 
merciful  men  receiving  mercy. 

The  merciful  man  is  blessed  in  the  possession  of  this  disposi- 
tion. There  is  an  inward  satisfaction  in  the  exercise  of  benevo- 
lence and  pity,  to  which  the  highest  gratification  of  the  selfish 
man  is  not  worthy  to  be  compared.  It  must,  indeed,  be  of  a  very 
high  characier,  for  it  is  a  source  of  happiness  to  God  and  his 
Son.  It  i<  a,  (Mi jid  to  Jehovah  to  show  mercv  ;^^  and  we  have 
no  reason  to  doubt  that  our  Lord  Jesus  referred  to  his  own  ex- 
perience in  that  memorable  saying  recorded  by  the  Apostle  Paul, 
"  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive."'" 

But  our  Lord  fixes  our  attention  on  one  circumstance,  as  pe- 
culiarly illustrative  of  the  happiness  of  the  merciful  man :  he 
*'  obtains  mercy."  Here  let  us  inquire  what  it  is  to  obtain 
mercy  ;  and  what  is  the  connection  between  being  merciful  and 
obtaining  mercy.  There  is,  however,  a  previous  qurstion :  Of 
whom  do  the  merciful  obtain  mercy  ?  It  is  obvious  to  remark, 
that  the  display  of  a  merciful  disposition  is  calculated  to  excite 
kind  feelings  on  the  part  of  all  who  witness  such  displays ;  and 
the  man  wdio  pities  others  is  likely  himself  not  to  be  unpitied 
when  he  is  brought  into  circumstances  calculated  to  awaken 
compassion.  But  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  the 
mercy  here  referred  to  is  the  mercy  of  God.  The  pity  which 
man  can  show  man,  was  not  very  likely  to  be  represented  by  our 
Lord  as  that  which  entitled  its  possessor,  or  him  who  might  cer- 
tainly count  on  it,  to  be  called  blessed.  It  must  be  the  pity  of 
God  which  can  lay  a  foundation  for  pronouncing  him  who  is  its 
object  blessed.^'     ' 

What  is  it,  then,  to  obtain  mercy  from  God  ?  It  is  obviously 
not  to  obtain  merited  reward.  An  innocent  and  happy  creature 
is  never  said  to  obtain  mercy.  The  exercise  of  mercy  supposes 
guilt  and  misery  in  its  object.  When  God  shows  mercy,  he 
pardons  the  guilty  and  he  blesses  the  miserable.  To  obtain 
mercy  is  for  a  sinner  who  deserves  everlasting  destruction  to 
obtain  pardon  and  salvation,  as  tokens  of  the  benignant  pity  of 
God. 

The  second  question  will  require  a  somev.'hat  more  extended 
answer  What  connection  is  there  between  being  merciful  and 
obtaining  mercy  ?  It  must  be  very  plain  to  every  person  who 
will  allow  himself  to  think  at  all,  that  our  merciful  disposition  is 
not  the  ground  on  \vhich  we  obtain  mercj^  The  truth  on  tliis 
subject  is  very  clearly  stated  in  Scripture.  Divine  mercy  is  free 
sovereign  mercy  ;  it  is  not  purchased  at  all ;  not  purchased  even 
by  Christ's  work,  far  less  by  our  own.  Christ's  mediation  is  not 
the  price  of  mercy :  it  is  the  channel  through  which  mercy  finds 
its  way  to  the  sinner  in  consistency  with  justice.     And  faith  is 

^9  Micah  vii.  18.  «"  Acts  xx.  35. 

61  "Not  even  as  aa  adjunct,  can  the  idea  of  mercy  shown  us  by  our  fellow-men 
be  connected  witli  t'Xt/jlh'/aourni,  as  Calvin,  Piscator,  and  others  suppose.  Tlapd 
Tov  Oeov  6t}?,ovuti,  says  Eutliymius." — Tholuck. 


128  THE  SERMOX  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

not  the  price  of  mercy  either ;  it  is  the  appointed  v/ay  in  which 
the  sinner  enters  on  the  enjoyment  of  mercy.  Whatever  the 
words  before  us  mean,  they  cannot  signify  what  many  would 
have  them  mean,  "that  the  gift  of  God  may  be  purchased  with 
money,"  or  obtained  as  a  recompense  for  what  they  call  deeds  of 
charit}'.  To  speak  of  obtaining  mercy  in  this  way  is  contradic- 
tion and  absurdity.  Mercy,  when  shown  by  God  to  his  creatures 
— especially  to  his  slnfiil  creatures — must,  from  its  very  nature, 
be  free.  It  is  bestowing  pardon  on  a  righteously -condemned 
criminal ;  conferring  happiness  on  one  whose  desert  is  misery ; 
giving  life  where  death  is  due. 

But  is  it  not  said,  "  Charit}'  covereth  a  multitude  of  sins"  ?'" 
Without  doubt  it  is.  But  in  that  passage  there  is  no  reference 
to  alms-giving,  nor  to  what  is  ordinarily  termed  the  pardon  of  sin. 
Attend  to  the  words  of  Solomon,  which  Peter  quotes — "Hatred 
stirreth  up  strifes,  but  love  covereth  all  sins"" — and  you  will  at 
once  perceive  how  strangely  they  pervert  the  Scriptures,  who 
draw  from  that  passage  any  support  to  the  notion  that  our  sins 
may  be  pardoned  on  the  ground  of  our  good  works,  or  that  mercy 
may  be  bought  by  pecuniary  sacrifices. 

But  while  they  who  obtain  mercy  obtain  it  entirely  from  the 
sovereign  kindness  of  God,  through  the  mediation  of  his  Son, 
yet  all  who,  through  the  faith  of  the  truth,  trust  in  the  Divine 
mercy,  are  distinguished  by  a  particular  character,  the  result  of 
this  faith  produced  in  the  soul  by  divine  influence ;  so  that  no 
one,  whatever  may  be  his  professions,  who  does  not  possess  this 
character,  will  be  found  at  last  to  have  had  any  personal  interest 
in  the  saving  virtue  of  the  Redeemer's  sacrifice,  nor,  of  course, 
in  the  saving  mercy  of  God. 

In  the  whole  of  the  paragraph  which  we  are  at  present  en- 
gaged in  explaining,  as  I  have  more  than  once  alread}^  had  oc- 
casion to  remark  to  you,  our  Lord's  design  is  not  to  explain  the 
foundation  on  which  the  hope  of  mercy  is  to  rest,  but  to  delineate 
the  character  of  his  genuine  disciples.  Of  this  character,  mercy 
is  one  of  the  prominent  features  ;  and  what  our  Lord  says  is  just 
this : — '  Merc}^  is  a  necessary  part  of  that  holy  character  which, 
uccordiog  to  his  most  benignant  purpose  of  grace,  he  has  in- 
separably connected  with  the  enjoyment  of  that  happiness  which 
is  the  result  of  his  free  sovereign  kindness.' 

Of  the  justness  of  the  views  we  have  now  given,  wc  have  a 
very  striking  illustration  in  reference  to  one  of  the  modes  of  the 
exercise  of  mercy  enjoined  on  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ.  In 
the  form  of  prayer  which  Christ  taught  his  disciples,  we  are  in- 
structed to  say,  "Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our 
debtors;"  and  our  Lord  enforces  the  use  of  this  petition  by  add- 
ing, "  For  if  ye  forgive  men  their  trespasses,  your  heavenly 
Father  will  also  forgive  you ;  but  if  ye  forgive  not  men  their 
trespasses,  neither  will  your  Father  forgive  your  trespasses."" 
Is  our  forgiving  one  another,  then,  the  meritorious  cause  of  our 

«2  2  Pet  iv.  8.  "  prov.  x.  12.  "  Matt  vi.  13,  14. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  129 

being  forgiven  bj  God  ?  One  might  bave  supposed  so,  nad  it 
not  been  that  such  an  idea  is  entirely  subversive  of  the  gospel 
method  of  salvation,  and  that  in  other  places  of  Scripture  our 
being  forgiven  by  God  is  held  out  as  the  grand  motive  why  we 
should  forgive/*  That  which  is  the  effect,  cannot,  at  the  same 
time,  be  the  cause  of  that  which  produces  that  effect.  But  our 
not  forgiving  one  another  is  a  plain  proof  that  we  are  not  under 
the  influence  of  the  faith  of  the  forgiving  love  of  God ;  and  if 
we  continue  in  that  state,  we  shall  not  be  among  those  wlio  shall 
"  find  mercy  of  the  Lord  at  that  day." 

§  6.  The  pure  in  heart — they  shall  see  God. 

We  proceed  now  to  the  consideration  of  the  sixth  beatitude, 
"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  lieart,  for  they  shall  see  God.'"^  The 
first  thing  to  be  done  here  is  to  ascertain  the  true  import  of  the 
appellation  "  pure  in  heart."  The  term  is  plainl}'-  figurative,  and, 
like  most  figurative  terms,  admits  of  being  variousl}^  interpreted.. 
In  opposition  to  a  dishonest  deceitful  man,  a  man  of  unsound 
heart,"  a  man  of  integrity  maj-  be  said  to  be  sound  or  pure  in 
heart ;  or,  in  opposition  to  a  sensual  lustful  man,  a  man  of  a  pol- 
luted heart,  a  man  whose  thoughts  and  desires  are  regulated  by 
the  law  of  chastity  may  be  said  to  be  pure  in  heart ;  or,  viewing 
all  error  and  all  sin  as  polluting  the  mind  and  heart,  purity  of 
heart  may  be  considered  as  synonymous  with  holiness,  conformity 
of  mind  and  will  to  God ;  or,  in  contradistinction  to  the  man  of 
clean  hands,  the  person  whose  external  behavior  is  unimpeach- 
able, the  man  of  a  'pure  heart  may  be  vievv'ed  as  the  person  whose 
inward  principles,  whose  sentiments  and  affections,  whose  modes 
of  thought  and  feeling,  as  well  as  his  external  conduct,  are  in 
accordance  with  the  holy  la\v  of  God. 

I  cannot  help  thinking  that  our  Lord,  in  using  the  terms  be- 
fore us,  had  a  tacit  reference  to  that  character  of  external  sanctity 
or  purity  which  belonged  to  the  Jewish  people,  and  to  that  priv- 
ilege of  intercourse  with  God,  whicli  was  connected  with  that 
character.'*  They  were  a  people  separated  from  the  nations  pol- 
luted Avith  idolatr}'' ;  set  apart  as  holy  to  Jehovah  ;  and,  as  a  holy 
people,  they  were  permitted  to  draw  near  to  their  God,  the  onh' 
living  and  true  God,  in  the  ordinances  of  his  worship.  On  th^' 
possession  of  this  character,  and  on  the  enjoyment  of  this  privi- 
lege, the  Jewish  people  plumed  themselves.  They  accounted 
themselves  blessed,  because  they  were  thus  "  holy  to  the  Lord," 
and  were  thus  permitted  to  draw  near  to  him. 

A  higher  character,  however,  and  a  higher  privilege,  belonged 
to  those  who  should  be  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah's  reign. 
They  should  not  only  be  externally  holy,  but  "  pure  in  heart ;" 
and  they  should  not  merely  be  allowed  to  approach  towards  the 
holy  place,    where   God's   honor  dwelt,   but   they  should  "  see 

«  Matt,  xviii.  S2,  o3.     Kph.  iv.  ;^2.     Col.  lii.  13.  ^'^  Matt.  v.  8. 

67  "Mimdum  cor  =  simplex  (i.  <^,  sine  plica)  aov  =  o<!>0a?.u.6c  (iTrAoi'f." — TaKNon. 
*■>  "  Noil  aufficit  puritas  ccrcinonialis." — Bknqki- 
VOL.    T.  0 


130  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT,  [EXP.  IV. 

God,"  be  introduced  iuto  the  most  intimate  intercourse  mtli  him. 
Thus  viewed,  as  a  description  of  the  spiritual  character  and 
privileges  of  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah,  in  contrast  with  the  ex- 
ternal character  and  privileges  of  the  Jewish  people,  the  passage 
before  us  is  full  of  most  important  and  interesting  truth. 

The  subjects  of  the  Messiah  are-  "  pure  in  heart" — spiritually 
purified.  Their  bodies  may  not  be  purified  by  the  lustrations  of 
the  Mosaic  law,  but  "  their  hearts  are  purified  by  faith."'^  To  use 
the  apostle's  language,  their  hearts  are  "  sprinkled  from  an  evil 
conscience."'"  The  man  whose  conscience  is  polluted  with  guilt, 
cannot  be  happy,  and  is  altogether  unfit  for  communion  with 
God,  Every  man's  conscience  is  naturally  polluted  with  guilt, 
for  every  man  is  a  sinner,  and,  to  a  certain  extent,  every  man 
knows  that  he  is  a  sinner.  While  he  regards  God  as  his  enemy, 
— and  while  he  considers  himself  as  under  guilt,  he  must  regard 
God  as  his  enemy, — he  must  be  a  stranger  to  true  holiness  and 
to  true  happiness,  for  true  holiness  and  happiness  arise  out  of  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  favorable  intercourse  with  God  as  our 
Father  and  our  Friend.  The  only  way  in  which  the  heart  can 
be  purified  from  the  evil  conscience,  which  prevents  holiness  and 
happiness,  by  shutting  us  out  from  God,  who  is  the  source  of 
both,  is  by  the  sprinkling  of  the  atoning  blood  of  the  Lamb  of 
God,  who  bears,  and  bears  away,  the  sin  of  the  world.  It  is  the 
belief  of  the  truth  respecting  Jehovah,  as  well  pleased  in  his  Son, 
"reconciling  the  world  to  himself"  in  him,  "seeing  he  has 
made  him,  who  knew  no  sin,  to  be  sin  in  our  room ;"  it  is  the 
belief  of  this  truth,  which  cleanses  the  conscience,  which  purifies 
the  heart,  which  gives  us  confidence  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  en- 
ables us  to  go  boldly  to  his  throne,  as  the  throne  of  mercy.  This 
"  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost  given 
to  us,""  produces  love  to  God ;  for  "  we  love  him  who  hath  so 
loved  us ;"  and  this  love  to  God  is  the  prolific  seed  of  all  holi- 
ness, both  of  heart  and  conduct. 

The  pure  in  heart,  or  the  spiritually  purified,  are  thus  those 
who,  through  the  faith  of  the  truth  respecting  the  atoning  sacri- 
fice of  Jesus,  are  fitted  for  spiritual  intercourse  with  the  holy 
Jehovah.  These  are  the  blessed  ones  ;  not  those  who  have  been 
"  sanctified  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  by  the  blood  of  bulls 
and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer,"  bat  they  who  have  had 
"  their  conscience  purged  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the  living 
God,  by  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  who,  through  tbe 
eternal  Spirit,  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God"  a  "  sacrifice 
of  a  sweet-smelling  savor."" 

Such  persons  are  blessed  in  tlie  enjoyment  of  this  spiritual 
purification,  "  for  they  shall  see  God."  They  who  were  "  sancti- 
fied to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,"  were  permitted  to  enter  the 
sacred  gates  of  the  temple,  and,  in  the  appointed  rites  of  worship, 
to  approach  to  Jehovah.     This  was  an  important  and  valuable 

69  Acts  XV.  9.  70  Heb.  x.  22. 

71  Rom.  V.  5.  "  Heb.  ix-  13,  14.     Eph.  v.  2. 


PARTI.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  131 

privilege.  But  far  higher  is  the  privilege  enjoyed  by  those  whose 
"hearts  are  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience" — whose  "  con- 
scienpes  are  purged  from  dead  works."  "  They  shall  see  God," 
that  is,  they  shall  obtain  clear  and  satisfactorv  views  of  his  char- 
acter, and  they  shall  be  admitted  into  intimate  and  delightful 
fellowship  with  him. 

In  the  truth,  the  faith  of  which  purifies  the  heart,  they  see 
Grod  ;_  for  what  is  that  truth  but  %  manifestation  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  his  Son— an  illustrious  display  of  the  com- 
bined radiance  of  divine  holiness  and  divine  benignity.  The 
veil  which  covers  the  Holy  of  Holies  is,  as  it  were,  rent  asunder, 
and  the  believer  sees,  with  the  eye  of  his  mind,  Jehovah  as  "the 
Lord  God  merciful  and  gTacious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant 
in_  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving 
iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  sin,  not  clearing  the  guilty" 
without  satisfaction  to  the  injured  honors  of  his  character,  and 
the  insulted  rights  of  his  government ;  "  yet  setting  forth  his  Son 
a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,"  and  proclaiming  him- 
self to  be  "the  just  God  and  the  Saviour;"  "just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.""  And  he  not  only 
obtains  clear  satisfactory  views  of  the  Divine  character,  but  he 
enjoys  intimate  and  delightful  communion  with  God.  He  is 
brought  very  near  God ;  God's  mind  becomes  his  mind';  God's 
will  becomes  his  Avill;  and  his  "fellowship  is  truly  with  the 
Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Clirist."" 

They  who  are  pure  in  heart  "  see  God"  in  this  Avay,  even  in 
the  present  world ;  and  in  the  future  state  their  knowledge  of 
God  will  become  far  more  extensive — their  fellowship  with  him 
far  more  intimate ;  for  though,  when  compared  with  the  privi- 
leges of  a  former  dispensation,  even  now  "  as  with  open  face  we 
contemplate  the  glory  of  the  Lord,"  yet,  in  reference  to  the 
privileges  of  a  higher  economy,  we  yet  see  but  "  through  a  glass 
darkly" — we  "  know  but  in  part" — we  understand  but  in  part — 
we  enjoy  but  in  part.  But  "  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done 
away,"  and  "  that  which  is  perfect  shall  come."  "  We  shall,"  to 
use  the  apostle's  language,  which  we  know  is  accurate,  for  it  was 
taught  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  though  the  full  meaning  of  it  we 
shall  never  understand  till  Ave  get  to  heaven, — we  "  shall  see  face 
to  face,"  we  "shall  know  even  as  we  are  known ;'"^  or  to  borrow 
the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  we  "  shall  behold  his  face  in  righteous- 
ness :  we  shall  be  satisfied,  Avhen  Ave  awake,  with  his  likeness.'"" 
Then,  and  not  till  then,  will  the  fidl  meaning  of  these  words  be 
understood, — "  Blessed  .are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see 
God."'' 

§  7.   The  peace-makers — they  shall  he  called  the  children  of  God. 

We  proceed  now  to  consider  the  seventh  beatitude.  "  Blessed 
are  the  peace-makers :  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of 

"  Exod.  xxxiv.  6.     Rom.  iiL  25,  26.  "  John  i.  3. 

75  1  Cor.  xiii.  9-12.  76  pgai.  xviL  15.  ^'  See  Note  B. 


132  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

God.""  The  Jews,  in  general,  regarded  the  gentile  nations  with 
bitter  contempt  and  hatred,  and  thej  expected  that,  under  the 
Messiah,  there  should  be  an  uninterrupted  series  of  warlike 
attacks  made  on  these  nations,  till  they  were  completely  de- 
stroyed, or  subjugated  to  the  chosen  people  of  God.  In  their 
estimation,  those  emphatically  deserved  the  appellation  of  happy 
who  should  be  employed  under  Messiah  the  prince,  to  avenge  on 
the  heathen  nations  all  the  wrongs  these  had  done  to  Israel. 
How  different  is  the  spirit  of  the  new  economy !  How  beauti- 
fully does  it  accord  with  the  angelic  anthem  which  celebrated  the 
nativity  of  its  Founder :  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth  peace,  good- will  toward  men." 

This  is  one  of  the  distinguishing  characters  of  the  subjects  of 
the  Messiah,  that  they  are  peace-makers.'"  Through  the  knowl- 
edge and  belief  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  they  are  brought 
into  a  state  of  peace.  "  They  have  been  reconciled  by  God  to 
himself,  by  the  death  of  his  Son."  By  him  "  they  have  received 
the  reconciliation  :""  the  war  which  raged  within  is  also  brought 
to  a  close  ;  and  being  at  peace  with  God,  and  at  peace  with  them- 
selves, they  are  at  peace  with  the  whole  world,  regarding  all  man- 
kind with  a  sincere  benevolence,  and  desirous  of  promoting  their 
best  interests,  both  in  this  world  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 

This  naturally  induces  them  to  become  peace-makers.  It 
makes  them  desirous  that  all  men  should  become  partakers  of 
the  peace,  which  has  been  obtained  through  the  ransom  paid  on 
the  cross ;  and  that,  for  this  purpose,  all  "  men  should"  acquaint 
themselves  with  God,  as  revealed  in  "  Christ  crucified,"  and  thus 
be  at  peace.  They  know  that  "there  is  no  peace  for  the 
v/icked,"  and  therefore,  as  peace-makers,  they  use  the  means 
which  lie  in  their  power,  that  "  the  wicked  should  forsake  his 
way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ;  and  turn  to  the 
Lord,  who  will  have  mercy  on  him,  and  to  our  God,  who  will 
abundantly  pardon."""  They  know,  and  believe,  that  this  "  peace 
with  God,  tlirough  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  lies  at  the  foundation 
or  peace  with  ourselves ;  and  that  these  two  lay  the  only  solid 
foundation  for  peace,  in  all  the  extent  of  that  word,  with  one 
another.  They  believe,  that  if  men  were  but  generally  "  recon- 
ciled to  God  through  the  death  of  his  Son,"  then  man,  the  brother, 
would  live  the  friend,  of  man  ;  and  till  this  is  gained,  in  their  es- 
timation, little  progress  can  be  made  towards  this  most  desirable 
consummation ;  and  that  which  receives  the  name  of  peace,  is 
only  a  suspension  of  combat,  or  an  armed  truce.  Under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  faith  of  the  truth,  by  means  of  which  they  have 
obtained  peace,  Christians,  happy  in  themselves,  endeavor  to  dif- 
fuse happiness  around  them.  They  carefully  abstain  from  injur- 
ing any  one ;  knowing  that  mutual  injury  is  the  great  cause  of 
mutual  quarrels.  Not  easily  provoked,  they  endeavor  not  to 
provoke  others,  except  "to   love   and  to  good  works,"*'   kind 

'■^  Matt.  V.  9.  "''  ilpT/voKotol,  not  merely  tipr/viKot  or  eipiivaioi. 

"  2  Cor.  V.  18.     Rom.  v.  10,  11.  »"  Isa.  Iv.  7.  "'  Heb.  x.  24. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  133 

offices.  They  ■'  follow  peace  witli  all  men,"  so  far  as  this  is  con- 
sistent with  that  "holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord."  "As  much  as  lieth  in"  them,  they  endeavor  to  "live 
peaceably  with  all  meu."*^  In  all  the  relations  in  which  they  are 
placed,  Avhether  domestic,  civil,  or  ecclesiastical,  their  object  is  to 
prevent,  allay,  and  extinguish  anger,  debate,  strife,  and  division. 
In  order  to  obtain  peace,  they  will  not  sacrifice  truth  or  duty,  be- 
cause they  know  that  to  be  only  a  false  peace — not  deserving  the 
name — which  can  be  secured  in  this  way  ;  but  they  will  sacrifice 
everything  but  truth  and  duty,  in  order  to  obtain  peace.  They 
carefully  avoid  whatever  they  have  reason  to  think  will  give  of- 
fence, or  create  disunion;  and  readily  bear  even  with  men's 
weaknesses  and  follies  when  they  are  not  criminal,  rather  than 
disturb  peace.  They  count  it  their  duty,  not  only  to  avoid  care- 
fully whatever  may  break  the  peace,  but  just  because  they  love 
peace,  though  cautic^us  of  interfering  in  "  strife  that  does  not  be- 
long to  them,"  they  do  not  shrink  from  exertion  and  sacrifice, 
when  they  perceive  that  these,  on  their  part,  may  conduce  to  the 
extinguishing  of  the  fire  of  discord,  though  it  may  not  have  been 
kindled  by  themselves. 

This  peaceable  and  peace-making  disposition,  is  by  no  means 
to  be  confounded  with  that  indolent  good  nature  which  is  but  a 
modification  of  timidity  and  selfishness.  He  who,  in  order  to 
secure  what  he  terms  peace,  sacrifices  truth  and  duty,  will  fre- 
(Juently  fail  in  the  object  he  has  in  view;  and  even  should  he 
succeed,  he  will  find  at  the  great  day  of  accounts,  that  not  the 
blessing  of  the  peace-maker,  but  the  curse  of  "the  fearful  and 
unbelieving,"  shall  rest  on  him  ;  and  instead  of  being  permitted 
to  "enter  through  the  gates  into  the  city,"  he  shall  be  shut  out 
among  "  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  that  love  and 
make  a  lie." 

The  peace-makers  are  j^^'o^io^^ced  happy  by  our  Lord : 
"Blessed  are  the  peace-makers."  They  cannot  but  be  happy. 
Next  to  the  enjoyment  of  peace  in  our  own  minds,  must  be  the 
delight  of  knowing  that  we  are  the  means  of  diffusing  peace  and 
love  around  us.  But  the  particular  reason  which  our  Lord 
assigns  for  pronouncing  them  happy  is,  "  they  shall  be  called  the 
children  of  God."  Such  ^persons  are  the  children  of  God,  and 
they  shall  be  called  or  acknowledged  to  be  his  children.  Both 
these  ideas  are  suggested  by  the  words. 

To  be^  a  child  of  God,  is  a  figurative  expression,  descriptive  of 
intimate*  and  peculiar  relation  to  God,  and  of  moral  conformity 
and  resemblance  to  God.  These  peace-makers  are  the  objects  of 
the  peculiar  and  favorable  regards  of  God ;  and  indeed  their 
possession  of  this  disposition  is  a  clear  proof  of  it,  for,  in  con- 
sequence of  "  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  them,"  he  has  by 
his  Holy  Spirit,  delivered  them  from  the  dominion  of  those 
"  lusts  striving  in  their  members,"  "  from  whence  come  wars  and 
fightings ;"  and  from  being  "  hateful  and  hating  one  another," 

«^  Ileb.  xii.  M.     Horn.  xii.  18. 


134  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

has  enabled  them  "  to  put  on  bowels  of  mercies,"  "  to  for- 
bear one  another  in  love,"  and  to  "  forgive  one  anotlier,  if  anv 
have  a  quarrel  against  any."*'  The  clearest  evidence  of  individ- 
uals being  the  children  of  God,  the  objects  of  his  peculiar  love, 
is  theif  possession  of  those  holy  dispositions  which  he  alone  can 
confer,  and  which  he  confers  only  on  those  whom  it  is  his  pur- 
pose to  bless  with  final  salvation. 

The  peace-makers  are  the  children  of  God,  not  only  as  being 
the  objects  of  his  peculiar  favor,  but  as  being  conformed  to  his 
image.  He  is  "  the  God  of  peace.""  His  great  object  in  the 
wonderful  scheme  of  redemption,  is  to  "  gather  together  in  one 
all  things  in  Christ,"  whether  they  be  "  things  in  heaven,  or 
things  on  earth."*^  And  all  those  who,  under  the  influence  of 
christian  truth,  are  peace-makers,  show  that  they  are  animated 
with  the  same  principle  of  action  as  God,  and  "  as  obedient 
children,"  are  co-operating  with  him  in  his  benevolent  design  of 
establishing  "  peace  on  earth."  As  of  all  who  delight  in  strife, 
and  debate,  and  war,  it  may  be  said,  "  They  are  of  their  father 
the  devil" — who  was  "a  murderer  from  the  beginning — and  the 
works  of  their  father  they  do;"  so  it  may  be  said  of  all  who,  as 
the  Psalmist  expresses  it,  "  seek  peace  and  pursue  it,"'°  they  are 
of  their  "  Father  in  heaven,"  "the  God  of  peace,"  and  the  works 
of  their  Father  they  do.  What  greater  happiness  can  a  created 
being  enjoy  than  to  be  the  object  of  tlie  Divine  favor  ?  what 
greater  honor  than  to  wear  the  impress  of  the  Divine  image  ? 

The  peace-makers  shall  not  merely  he,  but  they  shall  be 
"  called,^''  acknowledged  to  be,  "  the  children  of  God."  God 
calls  them  his  children,  even  in  the  present  state,  distinguishing 
them  by  tokens  of  his  peculiar  regard ;    and   at  last   he  will 

Eublicly  avow  his  relation  to  them  in  the  presence  of  an  assem- 
led  universe.  Their  fellow-saints  recognize  them  by  this  dis- 
tinguishing mark  to  be  their  brethren,  children  of  their  common 
Fatiier.  Many,  even  of  that  world  which  is  blind  to  some  other 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  children  of  God,  who  know  not  the 
younger  brethren,  as  t\xQj  knew  not  the  first-born  when  he  was 
among  them,  are  constrained  b\^  the  manifestation  of  this  temper 
to  say, — '  these  are  the  sons  of  God' ;  and  there  is  a  period  ap- 
proaching, when  the  peace-makers,  however  humble  their  situa- 
tion may  have  been  in  the  present  state,  and  however  much 
their  characters  may  have  been  misapprehended  or  misrepre- 
sented, shall  ''  shine  forth  like  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
Father."  Then  will  be  "the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of 
God."" 

This  concludes  the  statement  of  the  distinctive  characters  of 
the  subjects  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

•*  James  iv.  1.     Col.  iii.  VI,  18. 

•*  Rom.  XV.  33;  xvi.  20.     l!  Cor.  ,\iii.  11.     1  Thoas.  v  23.     Hob.  xiii.  20. 

"  Eph.  i.  10  "»  John  viii.  44.     Psal.  xxxiv.  14.      . 

«T  Matt.  xiii.  43.     Uom.  viii.  Vi.  1  Jolm  iii.  2,  3. 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  135 


§  8.    Appendix. — Persecuted  yet  blessed. 

The  beatitude  in  the  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  verses,  mav 
be  considered  as  a  kind  of  appendix.  "  Blessed  are  they  which 
are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake  :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  per- 
secute you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely 
for  my  sake.  Eejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad  ;  for  gi-eat  is  your 
reward  in  heaven  ;  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  which 
were  before  you."" 

The  Jews  expected  that  all  of  them  were  to  enjoy  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Messiah's  reign;  and  that  these  blessings  were  to 
consist  in  a  great  measure  in  freedom  from  external  evils,  such 
as  poverty  and  oppression,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  external 
good,  such  as  peace,  wealth,  honor,  and  in  one  Avord,  prosperity. 
Our  Lord  had  already  distinctly  intimated,  that  the  subjects  of 
the  Messiah  were  not  to  consist  of  the  Jewish  nation  as  a  body, 
but  of  men  possessed  of  a  peculiar  character ;  and  in  tlie  words 
before  us  he  clearly  states,  that  his  peculiar  people,  instead  of 
being  distinguished  by  worldly  wealth  and  honor,  were  to  be  a 
poor,  despised,  and  persecuted  race.  They  were  to  be  "  persecuted 
for  righteousness'  sake." 

The  phrase,  "  for  righteousness'  sake,'"'  is  just  equivalent  to, 
for  the  belief  and  profession  of  christian  truth,  and  for  the  per- 
formance of  christian  duty.  To  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  is 
synonymous  with  suffering  for  Christ's  sake  ;  suffering  "  for  the 
Gospel's  sake  ;"  "  suffering  as  a  Christian." 

The  term,  "  persecuted,"  is  descriptive  of  all  tlie  variety  of 
evils  to  which  the  followers  of  our  Lord  were  to  be  exposed  for 
their  attachment  to  him  and  his  cause,  for  their  allegiance  to 
his  autborit}^,  and  their  observance  of  his  laws.  How  varied  and 
severe  these  evils  were,  is  to  be  learned  from  the  history  of  the 
church  of  Christ.  The  apostles,  who  occupied  the  highest  place 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  were  distinguished  not  less  b}^  their 
sufferings,  than  by  their  honors.  "  I  think,"  says  one  of  them, 
speaking  in  the  name  of  them  all,  "  that  God  hath  set  forth  us 
the  apostles  last,  as  it  were  appointed  to  death  :  for  we  are  made 
a  spectacle  unto  the  world,  and  to  angels,  and  to  men.  We  are 
fools  for  Christ's  sake,  but  ye  are  wise  in  Christ :  we  are  weak, 
but  ye  are  strong;  ye  are  honorable,  but  we  are  despised. 
Even  unto  this  present  hour  we  both  hunger,  and  thirst,  and  are 
naked,  and  are  buffeted,  and  have  no  certain  dwelling-place ; 
and  labor,  working  with  our  own  hands :  being  reviled,  we 
bless ;    being  persecuted,  we  suffer  it ;    being  defamed,  we  en- 

83  Matt.  V.  10-12.  "Of  these  verses  it  is  curious  to  find,  what  certainly  was 
not  accidental,  a  reminiscence,  1  Pet.  iii.  14,  'AA/'  si  ?ru(yx"i~£  ''"'  diKaLoawi/v 
(laKuf)Loi  ;  and  iv.  14,  d  ovtuVtsfdh  hi  woiiarc  Xpiarnv  fiaKi'ipioi" — TnoLUCK. 

89  The  want  of  the  article  need  occasion  no  ditBeulty.  "  Nomina  nbstracta 
velut  dperr'/,  u?.r/OEia  similiaque,  perindc  sunt,'  utrum  addito  an  detracto  articulo 
dicantur." — Fp.itzschk. 


136  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

treat ;  we  are  made  as  tlie  filth,  of  the  world,  and  are  the  off- 
scouring  of  all  things  unto  this  day.'""  And,  speaking  of  his 
own  individual  experience,  he  tells  us  that,  as  a  christian  apostle, 
he  had  been  "  in  labors  more  abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure, 
in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft."  "  Of  the  Jews,"  says 
he,  "  five  times  received  I  forty  stripes  save  one.  Thrice  was  I 
beaten  with  rods,  once  was  I  stoned,  thrice  I  suffered  shipwreck, 
a  night  and  a  day  I  havg  been  in  the  deep  ;  in  journeyings  often, 
in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in  perils  by  mine  own 
countrymen,  in  perils  by  the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in 
perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false 
brethren ;  in  weariness  and  painfalness,  in  watchings  often,  in 
hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness."" 
The  description  of  the  sufferings  of  the  people  of  God  under  the 
Old  Testament  economy,  is  equally  applicable  to  the  primitive 
followers  of  Christ.  Some,  many  of  them,  "  had  trial  of  cruel 
mockings  and  scom-gings,  yea,  moreover,  of  bonds  and  imprison- 
ment :  they  v/ere  stoned,  they  Vv^ere  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted, 
were  slain  with  the  sword  :  they  wandered  about  in  sheep-skins 
and  goat-skins  ;  being  destitute,  afflicted,  tormented  :  (Of  wbom 
the  world  was  not  worthy :)  they  wandered  in  deserts,  and  in 
mountains,  and  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth.""" 

Comparatively  fow  of  the  followers  of  Christ  have  been  exposed 
to  persecution  in  so  violent  a  form ;  but  all  his  genuine  followers 
are,  in  some  form,  and  in  some  degree,  "persecuted  for  righteous- 
ness." "  All  who  will  live  godly,  must,"  and  do,  "suffer  persecu- 
tion." It  has  been  justly  remarked,  that  "the  wicked  hate  the 
h.oly  image  of  God,  and  those  v.''ho  bear  it ;  his  holy  truth,  and 
those  who  profess  and  preach  it ;  his  holy  law,  and  those  who 
obe}''  and  stand  up  for  its  obligation  and  authority  ;  his  holy  or- 
dinances, and  those  that  attend  on  them.""'  The  particular  form 
of  ttie  opposition  which  wicked  and  worldl}''  men  make  to  the 
cause  of  Christ,  will  depend  on  circumstances ;  but  in  all  coun- 
tries and  in  all  ages,  it  exists,  and  the  followers  of  Christ  should 
count  on  being  exposed  to  derision,  reproach,  slander,  and  it  may 
be  evils  of  a  more  formidable  kind,  from  ungodly  men.""* 

It  deserves  and  requires  notice,  that  when  our  Lord  pro- 
nounces his  people  "  blessed"  amidst,  and  on  account  of,  perse- 

«'  1  Cor.  iv.  9-13.  ="  2  Cor.  xi.  23-2'7. 

w  Heb.  xi.  aG-38.  s^  Scott. 

w  When  modem  divines  refer  all  that  Scripture  declares  about  the  persecution 
of  Christians  ou  the  part  of  the  world,  to  the  circumstances  of  those  times,  and 
to  the  discrepancy  betwixt  Heathen  and  Hebrew,  and  explain,  on  the  same  prin- 
ciple, the  sayings  before  us,  they  proceed  upon  a  no  less  carnal  view  of  the  ciiurch 
of  Christ  than  tliat  which  the  bulk  of  the  Jews  entertained  of  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom ;  for  it  implies,  that  whosoever  lives  within  tlie  precincts  of  the  church  is,  ou 
that  very  account,  sundered  from  tlic  nun/ior.  The  persons  whose  characters  arc 
drawn  here,  are  such  as  liave  received  into  their  hearts  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  They 
are  described  as  persecuted  for  his,  and  for  righteousness'  sake.  The  ground  of 
the  persecution  accordingly  lies  in  tliat  natural  enmity  between  light  and  dark- 
ness, of  which  Joliu  speaks,  ch.  iii.  "ju ;  and  lience,  wherever  there  is  a  dark- 
ness which  Christ  hath  not  lightened,  there  that  enmity  is  also  found." — 
Tholuck. 


I 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  137 

cution,  it  is  not  suffering  in  general  he  speaks  of,  but  "suffering 
for  righteousness'  sake."  It  is  not  every  sufferer,  no,  nor  every 
sufferer  for  religion,  that  can  legitimately  claim  the  consolation 
Avith  which  our  Lord's  declarations  are  so  replete.  He  alone  can 
be  pronounced  blessed,  who  suffers  because  he  will  not  deny  the 
truth,  because  he  will  not  violate  the  law  of  his  redeeming  Lord. 
It  is,  as  Augustine  says,  "not  the  punishment,  but  the  cause 
which  makes  the  martyr.""  He  who  is  persecuted  in  this  cause, 
however  severely,  is  blessed.  It  is  an  honor  and  a  privilege  con- 
ferred on  him.  "  It  is  given  to  him  on  the  behalf  of  Christ  to 
suffer  for  his  sake."°° 

The  particular  reason  our  Lord  assigns  for  pronouncing  those 
who  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake  bappy,  is,  that  "  theirs 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  h  have  already  had  occasion  to  ex- 
plain these  words  in  illustrating  the  first  of  tlie  beatitudes.  The 
phrase  is  commonly  considered  as  eqivalent  to,  '  they  shall  enjoy 
the  celestial  blessedness.'  I  have  no  doubt  this  is  included  in  it, 
but  this  is  by  no  means  all  that  is  included  in  it.  It  is  not,  '  theirs 
shall  he  the  kingdom  of  heaven,'  though  that  is  true,  but  "  theirs 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;"  even  while  suffering  for  righteous- 
ness' sake,  "  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  the  new  economy,  the  order  of  things  under  the  Mes- 
siah. A  person  enters  into  this  kingdom  when  he  "  repents  to- 
wards," or  changes  his  mind  Avith  regard  to,  "  God,"  believes  the 
'Grospel,  and  is  born  again,  "being  transformed  by  the  renewing 
of  his  mind."  The  privileges  of  this  kingdom  are  spiritual. 
They  are  not  meat  and  drink,  or  riches,  or  honors ;  they  are 
"righteousness," — justification, — "peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.""  These  are  the  privileges  of  the  kingdom,  and  every- 
one who  enters  into  it,  is  invested  with  them."*  These  men,  how- 
ever despised  and  persecuted  by  their  fellow-men,  are  happy,  for 
they  are  kings  and  priests,  or  "  a  royal  priesthood,"  a  sacred  king- 
dom ;  they  have  "  received  the  kingdom  which  cannot  be 
moved.'"'  They  are  already  in  the  enjoyment  of  privileges  and 
immunities,  compared  with  which,  earth's  highest  honors  and  en- 
joyments are  but  as  the  dust  in  the  balance ;  and  they  are  assured 
of,  in  due  time,  obtaining  in  heaven  the  full  "inheritance  of  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  them  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

It  is  obvious  that,  in  all  that  our  Lord  had  said,  he  had  a  par- 
ticular reference  to  those  who  had  believed  on  hun,  and  that 
they  were  the  persons  whom  he  had  described  "  as  poor  in  spirit, 
mourning,  meek,  hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteousness, 
merciful,  pure  in  heart,  peace-makers,  and  persecuted  for  right- 
eousness' sake."  But  he  now  makes  a  change  in  the  form  of  his 
discourse.  From  general  statements  he  turns  to  direct  address  ; 
and  fixing  his  eyes  benignantly  on  his  disciples,  who  appear  to 

95  "Marty res  non  facit  pcena  sed  causa."     Enarr.  in  Psal.  xxxiv.  23. 

9fi  Phil.  i.  29.  "  Rom.  xiv.  17. 

s^  "Mens  regnum  bona possidet." — Senkca. 

99  Rev.  i.  6.     1  Pet.  ii.   9.     Heb.  xii.  28. 


t 


138  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

have  been  seated  nearest  to  Mm,  he  says: — "Blessed  are  ye, 
when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all 
manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely  for  my  sake.  Eejoice  and  be 
exceeding  glad ;  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven :  for  so  per- 
secuted they  the  prophets  which  were  before  you." 

Perfect  integrity  was  a  leading  feature  in  the  character  of  our 
Lord.  He  never  excited  false  hopes  ;  nay,  he  never  availed  him- 
self of  false  hopes  which,  irrespective  of  any  statements  he  had 
made,  men  had  formed.  "I  will  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou 
goest,"  said  a  scribe.  Our  Lord,  instead  of  allowing  the  man  to 
do  so,  till  he  should  discover  that  He  was  not  the  kind  of  Mes- 
siah he  expected,  immediately  replied : — "  The  foxes  have  holes, 
and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests ;  but  the  Son  of  Man  hath  not 
where  to  lay  his  head."""  And  here,  in  the  very  commence- 
ment of  his  ministry,  he  tells  his  disciples,  "  what  great  things 
they  must  suffer  for  his  name's  sake."  He  tells  them  that  they 
were  to  be  reviled  and  persecuted,  and  that  all  manner  of  evil 
was  to  be  spoken  against  them ;  and  their  future  experience 
taught  them  that  the  Faithful  Witness  did  not  lie. 

But,  while  he  tells  them  that  "  in  the  world  they  would  have 
tribulation,"  he  assures  them  also  that  "  in  him  they  should  have 
peace."  They  would  be  happy,  blessed,  when  all  these  things 
should  come  upon  them,  if  their  sufferings  were  brought  upon 
them  by  their  attachment  to  Christ  and  his  cause ;  and,  if  the 
charges  brought  against  them  were  indeed  false  charges,  amid  all 
their  sufferings  they  would  be  supported  by  the  peace  of  God, 
and  the  hope  of  glorj^ ;  their  "  tribulation  would  work  patience, 
and  experience,  and  hope — a  hope  which  would  not  make  them 
ashamed."  The  assurance  that  "  if  the}^  suffered  along  with 
Christ,  it  was  that  they  should  be  glorified  together  with  him," 
would  support  their  heart,  and  enable  them  to  "  count  it  all  joy 
when,"  on  account  of  Christ,  "  they  were  brought  into  manifold 
temptations." 

Our  Lord  not  only  pronounces  them  "blessed,"  but  calls  on 
them  to  "  rejoice" — "  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad."  It  is  a 
strange  exhortation — when  persecuted  and  reviled,  not  merely 
be  patient  and  resigned,  but  joyful  and  glad.  This  seems  "  a 
hard  saying" — an  impracticable  precept.  But  our  Lord's  com- 
mands are  "  not  grievous."  He  requires  from  his  people  nothing 
that  is  unreasonable.  When  the  whole  of  the  case  is  taken  into 
view,  the  command  appears  in  the  highest  degree  reasonable,  and 
tlie  duty  not  only  pi'acticablo,  but  easy:  "This  is  the  victory 
which  overcometh  the  worid,"  all  difficulties,  "  even  our  faith.'" 
Let  a  man  but  beUeve  what  Jesus  reveals  to  him,  and  he  will  not 
feel  it  difficult  to  do  what  Jesus  commands,  or  endure  what  Jesus 
appoints.  The  man  who  believes  that  his  reward  shall  be  great 
in  heaven,  will  have  no  diffieulty  in  rejoicing  and  being  exceed- 
ing glad  amid  those  alllictions  which,  however  heavy,  he  will  in 
this  case  lecl  light;  and  which,  however  long  continued,  he  will 
i»"  Malt.  viii.  20.     Luke  ix.  58.  '  1  John  v.  4,  5. 


f 


PART  I.]      CHARACTERS  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  139 

regard  as  but  for  a  moment;  and  wliicli  he  knows  are  "  working 
out  for  liim  a  far  more  exceeding,  and  an  eternal  weight  of 
giory."^ 

The  celestial  blessedness  is,  in  one  point  of  view,  a  free  gift : — 
"  The  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord/" 
— not  merited  by  man,  but  freely  bestowed  by  God/  But,  in 
another  point  of  View,  it  is  a  reward,  as  it  is  only  in  the  way  of 
doing  and  suffering  the  will  of  God  that  it  can  be  attained,  and 
as  the  measure  of  enjoyment  in  the  heavenly  state  will  be  regu- 
lated according  to  the  degree  of  labor  and  suffering  in  the  service 
of  Christ,  How  great  that  reward  will  be,  we  cannot  tell ;  but  a 
window  has,  as  it  were,  been  opened  in  heaven,  and  through  it 
Ave  have  been  allowed  to  contemplate  those  who  have  suffered 
for  Christ,  enjoying  their  reward: — "After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo, 
a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations, 
and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne, 
and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their 
hands ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our  God 
which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb.  And  all  the 
angels  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and  about  the  elders  and 
the  four  beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne  on  their  faces,  and  wor- 
shipped God,  saying,  Amen :  Blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom, 
and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power,  and  might,  be  unto  our 
God  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.  And  one  of  the  elders  answered, 
saying  unto  me,  What  are  these  which  are  arra3^ed  in  white  robes  ? 
and  whence  came  they  ?  And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  know- 
est.  And  he  said  to  me,  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne 
of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple  :  and  he  that 
sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them.  They  shall  hun- 
ger no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more ;  neither  shall  the  sun  light 
on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb,  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  foun- 
tains of  waters ;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes.'"  This  is  the  state,  in  the  period  between  death  and  the 
resurrection,  of  those  who  have  suffered  for  Christ.  At  that  pe- 
riod, still  higher  rewards  shall  be  bestowed  on  them.  They  "  shall 
be  brought  with  him"  in  glory,  when  he  comes ;  they  shall,  in  a 
manner  of  which  we  can  form  no  distinct  conception,  take  a  part 
with  him  in  "the  judgment  of  the  world;"  they  shall  "  sit  with 
him  on  his  throne,  as  he  has  overcome,  and  is  set  down  wdth  his 
Father  on  his  throne  ;"'  and  they  shall  for  ever,  in  the  highest  de- 
gi-ee  which  is  competent  to  created  beings,  be  participants  of  his 
joys  and  sharers  of  his  honors. 

The  full  assurance  of  hope,  respecting  the  recompense  of  re- 

2  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  ^  Rom.  vi.  23. 

■»  "The  reward  is  vouchsafed,  not  ua-'  d({isuy/ia,  but  Kara  xu/nr.  It  is  a  x^'pi'^/^'i, 
not  an  ofuvLov.  Rom.  vi.  23." — Tholuck.  "Gratia  dieitur,  quia  gratis  data  est 
ilia,  cui  datur." — August. 

5  Rev.  viL  9-17.  «  1  Thess.  iv.  14.     1  Cor.  vi.  2,  3.     Rev.  iii.  21. 


-vuu  y-J 


140  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

"ward,  was  not  to  be  tlie  only  source  of  support,  and  consolation, 
and  joy,  to  our  Lord's  disciples,  under  the  sufferings  to  whicli 
thej  were  to  be  exposed  for  his  sake.  The  consolation  that  the 
treatment  they  were  meeting  with,  was  just  what  the  most  dis- 
tinguished servants  of  God,  in  former  ages,  had  experienced, 
was  well  calculated  to  sustain  and  comfort  them.  "  The  same 
afflictions  had  been  accomplished  in  their  brethren,  who  had  been 
in  the  world."  The  path  to  heaven  has  always  been  replete  with 
sufferings  of  some  kind  or  other,  which  called  for  the  exercise  of 
faith  and  patience.  It  was  consolation  to  the  primitive  Christians, 
to  think  that  they  were  only  meeting  with  the  same  afflictions  as 
Moses,  and  David,  and  Elijah,  and  Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah,  and 
the  other  prophets,  and  meeting  with  them  in  the  same  cause.  In 
such  company  reproach  becomes  praise,  and  dishonor  glory.'' 

Our  Lord's  primitive  followers,  through  the  effectual  operation 
of  his  Spirit,  were  enabled  to  yield  obedience  to  this  apparently 
hard  command.  They  experienced  the  truth  of  their  Lord's 
declaration,  that  when  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  they  were 
blessed — and  feeling  themselves  blessed,  they  rejoiced.  Hear 
how  one,  who  in  sufferings  as  in  labors  seems  to  have  held  the 
first  place,  describes  his  feelings,  "  For  I  reckon,  that  the  suffer- 
ings of  this  present  time  are  not  worth}^  to  be'  compared  with  the 
glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us."  "  Who  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  perse- 
cution, or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword  ?  As  it  is 
written.  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long ;  we  are  ac- 
counted as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we 
are  more  than  conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am 
persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  princi- 
palities, nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."*  ".We 
are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  distrcvssed  ;  we  are  perplexed, 
but  not  in  despair ;  persecuted,  but  not  forsaken ;  cast  down,  but 
not  destroyed :  always  bearing  about  in  the  body,  the  d3dng  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest 
in  our  body.  For  we  which  live  are  alway  delivered  unto  death 
for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest 
in  our  mortal  flesh."  "  For  which  cause  we  faint  not;  but  though 
our  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by 
day.  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh 
for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  while 
we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which 

">  "  What  a  treasure  of  comfort  must  the  apostles  have  found  in  this  allusion! 
How  floes  it  steel  the  couracce  to  have  eorarades,  such  comrades,  in  the  war  of  af- 
flictions! What,  although  it  was  not  to  the  present,  h\it  to  the  past,  tliey  re- 
quired to  look  for  them;  is  not  tlie  combat,  is  not  tlie  triumph  in  wliich  it  is  at- 
last  to  terminate,  the  same?  The  little  timoro.iis  band  of  the  jN'azarene  may  join 
the  ranks  of  that  cloud  of  witnesses  (lleb.  xii.  1)  who,  in  the  struiiple  for  an  in- 
visible world,  have  sacrificed  all  that  men  value  upon  this  eartli.  How  animating 
the  consciousness  of  fighting  in  fellowsliip  with  so  great  a  company  of  the  children 
of  light!" — TnoLUCK.  ^  Rom.  viiJilS,  35-3y. 


vii^8, 


PART  II.]        THE  POSITION  AND  DUTIES  OF  CHEISTIANS.  141 

are  not  seen  :  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal ;  but  the 
things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternaL""  "  For  we  know,  that,  if 
our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a 
building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens.'""  "  Therefore  I  take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  re- 
proaches, in  necessities,  in  persecutions,  in  distresses,  for  Christ's 
sake ;  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong.'"'  And  we  find 
the  Hebrew  Christians,  taking  joyfully  "the  spoiling  of  their 
goods,"  "knowing  in  themselves,  that  they  had  in  heaven  a  more 
abiding  substance."  And  the  same  principle  will  produce  the 
same  mode  of  feeling  and  acting,  in  all  countries,  and  in  all  ages. 


II.— THE  POSITION  AND  DUTIES  OF   CHRISTIANS  IN  REFERENCE  TO 

THE  WORLD. 

The  sentences  which  follow*'^  were  addressed  by  our  Lord,  not 
to  the  multitude  indiscriminately,  but  to  his  disciples,  and  they 
are  descriptive  of  the  important  and  salutary  change  which  was 
to  take  place  among  mankind,  through  their  instrumentality. 
The  truth  on  this  subject  is  presented  to  the  mind  under  two 
very  significant  emblems ;  and  appropriate  practical  instruction 
is  connected  with  each  of  these  emblematical  representations. 
Let  us  inquire  into  the  meaning  of  these  emblems,  and  seek  to 
feel  the  force  of  the  practical  instructions  connected  with  them. 
We  are  not  less  interested  in  them,  than  those  were  to  whom 
they  were  originally  addressed. 

§  1.  The  Salt  of  the  Earth. 

"  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth.'"' 

The  earth  here  plainl}^  symbolizes  the  human  inhabitants  of 
the  eartli,  or  the  earth  viewed  as  their  residence,  and  aifected  by 
their  moral  state.  The  use  of  the  figure  indicates  that  the  earth 
needs  salt.'*  It  is  in  a  state  of  spiritual  decomposition — ^moral 
putrescence.  The  world,  mankind,  are  in  a  state  of  ignorance 
and  error,  of  guilt  and  depravity — a  state  of  which  anunal  matter, 
tending  to,  undergoing,  the  process  of  dissolution,  is  a  striking 
figure :  oft'ensiveness  and  danger  to  other  sentient  beings,  ant i 
destruction  of  the  putrifying  substance  itself,  are  the  significant 
l)arts  of  the  figure. 

Mankind,  under  the  influence  of  ignorance  and  error,  guilt  and 
depravity,  are  the  proper  objects  of  the  disapprobation  and 
loathing  of  the  Divine  Being,  and  of  all  the  wise  and  good  be- 
ings in  the  universe.  They  are  perishing,  and — continuing  un- 
der these  influences — ^they  must  utterly  perish — "perish  in  their 

9  2  Cor.  iv.  8-11,  16-18.  '"  2  Cor.  v.  1. 

"  2  Cor.  xii.  10  '2  Matt.  v.  13-16.  '^  Matt.  v.  13. 

"  "  Vrj  stands  =  Koafioc,  '  the  world,'  v.  14  ;  and  implies  mankind  in  general, 
with  the  iicucssory  notion  of  the  (pdaprbv,  '  corruptible,'  which  must  be  preserved 
by  meaua^^K-af,  'the  salt.'" — Olshauskn. 


16  ilCUCSSC 


142  THE   SERMON   ON   THE   MOUNT,  [EXP.  IV. 

own  corruption."  The  seeds  of  disorgnnization,  the  elements  of 
ruin,  are  within,  and  at  work;  their  operation  is  discoverable  by 
all  who,  in  anv  measure,  have  "  their  senses  exercised,  to  make  a 
distinction  between  good  and  evil,"  just  in  proportion  to  their 
spiritual  perspicacity  and  sensibility ;  the  process,  as.  it  goes  for- 
ward, makes  the  world  an  uncomfortable  and  unsafe  residence 
for  liuman  beings ;  and  the  miserable  subjects  of  the  malady, 
unless  restored  to  health,  becoming  every  day  more  loathsome, 
must  soon  be  thrust  into  the  mystical  valley  of  the  sou  of  Hin- 
nom,  the  charnel-house  of  the  universe — ^the  horrid  receptacle  of 
that  spiritual  filth,  the  accumulation  of  which  would,  in  no  long 
period,  make  our  world  not  only  without  an  inhabitant,  but  un- 
inhabitable. 

'  At  the  period  our  Lord  uttered  these  words,  the  whole  world, 
with  scarcely  an  exception,  was  a  mass  of  moral  rottenness.  The 
unutterable  abominations  of  the  impure  and  bloody  systems  of 
paganism — manifested  not  only  in  their  infamous  orgies,  miscalled 
religious  rites,  but  in  the  general  prevalence  of  vices,  which 
ought  not  even  to  be  once  named  among  Christians — overspread 
the  earth  ;  and  Judaism,  which,  even  in  its  state  of  purity  (hav- 
ing in  but  a  very  small  measure  the  power  of  diffusing  itself), 
had  done  little  to  counteract  the  growing  corruption  of  mankind, 
had  now,  except  in  a  very  few  individuals,  not  only  lost  its  sa- 
vor, but  become  the  seat  and  the  source  of  an  offensive  pestilen- 
tial disease.  The  language  employed  by  the  sacred  historian, 
respecting  the  state  of  mankind  immediately  before  the  deluge, 
is  equally  applicable  to  the  state  of  the  Avorld  at  the  time  our 
Lord  uttered  these  words  : — "The  earth  was  corrupt  before  God." 
"  When  God  looked  on  the  earth,  behold  it  was  corrupt ;  for  all 
flesh  had  corrupted  his  way  upon  the  earth."" 

Now,  of  this  corrupted  and  corrupting  earth,  this  mass  of  de- 
composing spiritual  organization,  our  Lord  pronounces  his  disci- 
ples "  the  salt :" — "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth."'' 

In  these  figurative  Avords,  our  Lord  announces  the  wonderful 
truth,  the  full  import  of  which  is,  even  yet,  after  eighteen  cen- 
turies, but  imperlectly  unfolded,  that,  through  the  instrumen- 
tality of  his  disciples, — ^then  so  few  in  number,  so  humble  in 
circumstances,  so  utterly  destitute  of  all  the  forces,  physical  and 
political,  by  which  changes  among  great  bodies  of  men  are 
usually  effected, — an  important  and  salutary  alteration  was  to 
take  place  on  the  characters  and  circumstances  of  mankind. 
The  pestilence  was  to  be  in  some  measure  arrested,  tlie  nuisance 
abated ;  the  cartli  made  a  safer  and  more  comfortable  dwelling 
for  moral  agents,  beings  connected  with  God  and  eternity ;  many 
individuals  resorted  to  a  liealthy  state ;  and  their  ruin — their 
utter  ruin — as  spiritual  beings,  which  was  so  certainly  in  pro- 

'■■  Gen.  vi.  11,  12. 

'*  "Salt  denotes  prove^'biiilly  one  of  the  most  indispensable  necossaries  of  life. 
'  Nil  sole  et  sale  utiiius,'  says  the  Roman  proverb.  Plin.  H.  N.  xxxL  9.  Ecclea. 
zxxix.  32." — TuoLUOK. 


• 


PART  II.]        THE  POSITION  AND  DUTIES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  143 

gress,  prevented.  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  is  equivalent 
to,  '  You  are  to  be  the  means  of  improving  the  world,  and  of 
saving  its  inhabitants.  By  your  instrumentality  the  ignorant 
arc  to  become  enlightened,  the  guilty  are  to  be  brought  to  seek 
and  obtain  pardon,  the  depraved  arc  to  be  made  holy,  the  un- 
profitable useful,  the  miserable  happy ;  men  are  to  be  made  fit 
for  presenting  themselves  a  sacrifice  to  God — "  holy,  acceptable, 
rational  worship."  You  are  to  be  the  grand  instrumental  means 
by  which  God  is  to  renovate  the  earth,  to  make  it  a  wholesome, 
pleasant  residence  for  men  to  dwell  in,  and  superior  beings  to 
visit — to  regenerate  society,  and  to  save  men.'" 

It  is  never  to  be  forgotten,  that  the  immediate  instrument  of 
these  blessed  changes  is  truth,  divine  truth — truth  from  God, 
truth  about  God,  operating  on  the  minds  of  men,  influencing 
and  guiding  all  their  active  energies,  according  to  the  principles 
of  their  rational  and  moral  nature  ;  and  that,  in  man's  depraved 
state,  a  special  divine  influence  is  absolutely  necessary,  so  to 
bring  the  mind,  and  keep  it  in  contact  with  this  saving  truth, 
as  that  these  blissful  consequences  may  be  realized.  Men  are 
"  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  the  mind  ;"  and  it  is  the  good 
Spirit  that,  by  the  truth,  creates  "  the  new  mind,"  and  puts  "  the 
right  spirit"  within  men. 

But  that  truth  is  not  immediately  revealed  to  every  one  in 
whom,  when  believed,  it  effectually  works  in  arresting  spiritual 
putrefaction,  and  restoring  to  spiritual  health.  Our  Lord  taught 
his  disciples,  personally  and  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  the  saving  truth. 
He  transformed  them  by  its  instrumentality.  He  made  them 
holy  and  happy  beings.  But  this  was  by  no  means  all.  He  not 
only  stopped  the  plague  in  them,  restoring  them  to  health,  but 
he  constituted  them  his  agents  in  healing  others.  Not  onl}^  were 
they  the  recipients  of  the  water  of  life,  but  out  of  them  flowed 
rivers  of  these  healing  waters.  The  truth  preached  by  them,  and 
rendered  permanent  in  their  divinely -inspired  writings — confirmed 
by  those  miracles  of  which,  in  their  writings,  we  have  an  abiding, 
authentic  record,  and  illustrated  by  their  holy  lives,  which,  in  the 
sacred  narrative,  are  still  held  up  to  us — was  the  grand  means 
,by  which  the  Holy  Spuit,  not  only  in  their  own  age  and  country 
was,  but  in  every  succeeding  age,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and 
to  the  remotest  borders  of  the  earth,  is,  to  prove  himself  "  Jeho- 
vah Rophi — the  Lord  that  healeth."" 

The  words,  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  as  they  were  pri- 
marily applied  to  the  apostles,  and  the  other  inspired  teachers  of 
Christianity,  so  they  have  obviously  an  exuberance  of  meaning" 

'  'T  "The  course  of  the  human  race,  apart  from  Christianity,  is  always  down- 
ward :  all  its  civilization  ends  in  barbarism." — Neander. 

'8  Exod.  XV.  '26. 

'9  Thomas  Aquinas  says  that  the  apostles  are  called  salt,  "ratione  virtutis:" 
and  he  thus  expands  this  thought.  They  have  first  "  virtutem  saporativam  ;|| 
then  they  have  "  viitutem  arefactivam;"  then  thoy  have  "  virtutem  restribtivam ;" 
then  they  have  "  virtutem  mundificativara ;"  and,  finally,  they  have  "  virtutem 
Banativangjfc-then  they  are  called  salt,  "  ratione  originis,"  water  and  heat — the 


aiglet] 


144  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

in  reference  to  tlicm  ;  but  they  may  be  employed  as  strikingly 
descriptive  of  the  position  and  duty  of  christian  teachers  in  all 
countries  and  in  all  ages.  ISTay,  we  do  not  rightly  apprehend 
our  Lord's  meaning,  if  we  do  not  consider  them  as  referring  to 
the  place  which  his  people,  whether  holding  ofl&cial  situations  or 
not  in  his  church,  occupj'  with  regard  to  the  world,  and  the  pur- 
pose which  he  means  to  serve  by  them.  "  Jacob,"  the  spiritual 
Israel,  is  intended  to  be  "  in  the  midst  of  many  people  as  a  dew 
from  the  Lord,  as  the  showers  upon  the  grass, "^''  for  refreshing 
and  fructifying  the  nations.  All  who  know  the  truth  are  bound 
by  their  obligations,  both  to  their  Lord,  the  author  of  the  truth, 
and  their  fellow-men,  to  make  known  the  truth  by  which  they 
themselves — slaves  as  the}^  lately  were — were  made  free,  and  by 
which  alone  others  can  be  made  "  the  Lord's  freemen."  In  their 
character,  as  the  salt  of  the  earth,  they  must  bring  themselves 
into  contact  with  the  corrupting  substance.  Every  Christian, 
however  limited  his  sphere  of  influence,  must  still,  within  that 
sphere,  exert  the  influence  which  he  possesses.  He  must  exhibit 
truth  in  its  meaning,  and  evidence,  and  influence :  he  must  be  a 
living  epistle  of  Jesus  Christ,  seen  and  read  of  all  men. 

In  the  language  of  our  Lord  to  his  prunitive  disciples,  "  Ye 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  I  cannot  help  thinking,  that  there  is  an 
intentional  intimation,  that  the  benignant  influence  of  his  relig- 
ion, producing  a  favorable  moral  change,  through  the  instrumen- 
tality of  those  who  embraced  it,  was  not  to  be  confined  within  the 
narrow  limits  of  the  promised  land,  but  was  to  pervade  the  whole 
earth — the  world — reaching  "  to  every  kindred,  and  peojole,  and 
tongue,  and  nation."  •  The  whole  earth  was  corrupt  before  God  ; 
and,  as  the  divine  counteractive  of  corruption  was  needed  by  all, 
it  was  ultimately  to  be  extended  to  all  lands.  The  prophets  and 
the  pious  Jews  were  the  salt  of  Judea ;  but  the  apostles  and  their 
followers  were  to  be  the  salt  of  the  earth. 

It  is  an  intimation  of  what  is  the  undoubted  truth,  that  all  true 
holiness  and  happiness  among  mankind  is  the  result  of  christian 
truth  known  and  believed ;  that  the  knowledge  and  belief  of 
christian  truth,  so  far  as  they  depend  on  created  agency,  are  dif- 
fused through  the  instrumentality  of  christian  men  ;  and,  that  it 
is  the  will  of  Christ  that  christian  men  should  diffuse  this  knowl- 
edge and  faith  as  extensively  as  possible.  The  earth — the  whole 
earth — is  laboring  under  "moral  putrescence,  and,  tlierefore, 
throughout  the  whole  earth,  is  the  divine  counteractive  to  be  dif- 
fused. There  are  two  or  three  very  important  practical  conclu- 
sions, which  come  out  of  this  statement  of  the  case. 

In  the  first  place,  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  propriety  and 
obligation,  as  tlierc  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  necessity,  of  christian 
missions  to  heathen  and  infidel  nations.     They  are  wide-extended, 

water  of  tribulation,  and  the  heat  of  love ;  and  tiien,  thirdly,  they  are  called 
salt,  "  ratione  consuetudinis,"  every  sacrifice  being  salted  with  salt.     This  is  a 
epecimcn  of  scholastic  exegesis. 
■■i^  Micah  V.  7. 


f 


PART  II.]        THE  POSITION  AND  DUTIES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  145 

putrifying  marslies,  and  can  only  be  healed  by  that  spiritual  salt, 
of  whose  healing  virtue,  the  salt  thrown  by  the  prophet  into  the 
bitter  empoisoned  waters  is  a  striking  figure.'^  Christians  who 
take  no  part  in  such  undertakings,  seem  to  deny  either  the  need 
of  the  heathen  world  or  the  power  of  christian  truth,  or  to  dis- 
claim at  once  the  possession  of  the  knowledge,  and  the  obligation 
of  the  duty,  implied  in  the  words,  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth." 
Their  conduct  seems  to  say,  the  earth  does  not  need  salt,  or  Chris- 
tianity is  not  salt,  or  wo  are  not  Christians. 

In  the  second  place,  it  seems  equally  bej'ond  doubt,  that  Chris- 
tians must  mingle  themselves  with  society,  in  order  to  serve  the 
purpose  of  their  being  constituted  the  salt  of  the  earth.  It  is  not 
tlie  will  of  our  Lord,  that  we  should  be  monks  or  hermits.  It  is 
his  will  that  christian  churches  should  be  select  bodies,  "  a  people 
taken  out  from  among  the  Gentiles" — "  a  peculiar  people" — "  a 
people  dwelling  alone."^^  It  is  his  will  that  his  people  in  their 
most  confidential  friendships,  should  follow  the  law  of  the  elective 
affinities  of  their  new  nature.  But  while  all  this  is  true,  it  is  not 
only  not  their  duty  to  go  out  of  the  world,  but  in  all  ordinary 
circumstances  they  cannot  do  their  duty  unless  they  are  in  it. 
The  world  is  surely  the  place  for  the  salt  of  the  world.  Chris- 
tians must  mingle  with  society,  and  in  mingling  with  society,  they 
must,  in  the  various  ways  which  may  seem  best  fitted  to  gain  their 
object,  apply  to  their  fellow-men  that  truth  by  which  alone  they 
can  be  saved. 

And  in  the  third  place,  it  seems  a  natural  conclusion  from  what 
has  been  stated,  that  the  capacity  of  a  Christian  to  produce  saving 
good,  and  his  obligation  to  attempt  it,  correspond  v/ith  the  close- 
ness of  the  relation  in  which  he  stands  to  the  individuals  who  are 
the  proper  objects  of  his  christian  benevolence.  The  closer  the 
salt  can  come  to  the  bod}^  that  needs  it,  the  more  intimately  it  can 
insinuate  itself  into  the  substance,  the  greater  probability  of  its 
serving  its  purpose.  lie  does  not  act  like  a  Christian,  who  does 
not  do  what  lies  in  him,  that  the  whole  earth  should  be  salted. 
But  he  acts  very  like  a  fool,  who  maks  great  exertions  to  put  down 
moral  putrescence  among  the  antipodes,  while  he  allows  it  to  ex- 
ist and  increase  in  his  own  country,-  his  own  city,  his  own  neigh- 
borhood, his  own  family.  Home  attempts  to  put  doAvn  spiritual 
corruption,  should  not  supersede  foreign  enterprise  for  the  same 
purpose.  But  since  the  pestilence  is  universal,  while  I  will  do 
what  I  can  to  send  remedies  to  the  inhabitants  of  Calabar  or  Ja- 
l)an,  I  will  especially  look  after  my  own  country,  in}^  own  city, 
my  own  relations,  my  own  family.  My  securest  way  of  extend- 
ing the  influence  of  Christianity,  is  first  to  influence  those  I  am 
most  intimately  connected  with,  and  then,  through  them,  those 
with  whom  I  have  a  comparatively  remote  connection.  I  expect 
to  find  the  best  missionar}'  agent  in  the  man  who  is  most  diiligent 
and  conscientious  in  attending  to  the  spiritual  concerns  of  "  his 
own,  especially  those  of  his  own  house."     I  shall  come  to  doubt 

21  2  Kings  ii.  19-22.  22  Acts  xv.  14.     1  Pet  ii.  9.     Numb,  xxiii.  9. 

10 


• 


146  THE   SEKMON   ON   THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

wlietlier  tliat  be  salt  at  all,  if  what  is  constantly  in  contact  with 
it  be  not  salted. 

The  wliole  of  our  Lord's  statement  goes  on  tbe  supposition, 
that,  to  be  successful  in  making  others  Christians,  and  in  thus 
making  them  holy  and  happy,  we  must  be  ourselves  Christians, 
we  must  ourselves  be  christianly  holy  and  happy.  We  must 
"  have  salt  in  ourselves,'"'  if  we  would  be  the  salt  of  the  world. 
To  be  really  useful  as  foreign  or  home  missionaries,  or  christian- 
instruction  agents,  or  sabbath-school  teachers,  men  must  be 
Christians  indeed ;  not  merely  men  who  have  learned  a  system 
of  theology  by  rote,  and  are  fluent  enough  in  imparting  it  to 
othei's,  but  men  who  know,  and  believe,  and  experience  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  How  can  men  teach  what  they  do  not 
know  ?  How  can  they  exemplify  what  they  have  never  experi- 
enced ?  It  is  christian  truth  under  divine  influence,  that  makes 
men  christianly  good  and  happy ;  and  it  is  just  in  the  degree 
in  which  we  find  in  a  man  christian  truth  embodied,  and  christian 
influence  exemplified,  that  we  find  him  a  fit  agent  for  advancing 
Christianity.  "  Let  the  dead  bury  their  dead,"^*  but  let  them  not 
pretend  to  be  fit  agents  for  promoting  their  spiritual  resurrection. 

If  the  professed  followers  of  Christ,  mstead  of  holding  the 
truth,  embrace  error — if,  instead  of  leading  holy  lives,  they  live 
in  conformity  to  the  present  evil  world — it  is  plain  they  cannot 
serve  the  high  and  holy  purposes  for  which  they  are  separated 
from  the  world.  Unconverted  members  of  christian  churches  are 
plagues  to  the  church,  and  plagues  to  the  world.  And  however 
active  such  persons  may  be  made,  in  a  species  of  promoting  the 
cause  of  Christianity,  by  such  motives  as  they  can  alone  feel  the 
force  of — and  it  is  astonishing  what  exertions  they  can  be  brought 
to  put  forth — little  good  is  to  be  expected,  and  much  evil  is  to  be 
feared,  from  their  exertions.  Worldly-minded,  untender-walk- 
ing,  while,  at  the  same  time,  loud,  noisy,  bustling,  professors  of 
Christianity,  are  among  the  worst  enemies  of  Christ  and  Christi- 
anity, of  the  church  and  of  the  world.  Instead  of  being  such 
salt  of  the  world  as  counteracts  and  even  cures  putrescence, 
they  are  like  salt  of  anoth*  kind,  which,  when  brought  into 
contact  with  putrifying  substances,  accelerates  the  progress  of 
decomposition.  These  men  may  well  make  the  world  worse, 
but  they  will  never  make  it  better.  As  true  consistent  active 
Christians  arc  the  greatest  of  all  benefactors  to  mankind,  so  there 
are  not  worse  enemies  to  society  than  worldly,  wicked,  professors 
of  the  religion  of  Christ.  They  are  "  to  every  good  Avork  repro- 
bate"— useless  to  others — and  in  a  situation  even  more  deplorable 
and  less  hopeful  than  that  world,  obviously  lying  in  wickedness, 
of  which,  from  their  profession,  they  should  be  the  active  efiicient 
reformers. 

These  sentiments  are  stated  with  terrLQc  plainness,  though,  in 
appropriately  figurative  language,  in  the  words  that  follow: — 
"  But  if  the  salt  lose  its  savor,  wherewith  shall  it  be  salted?     It 

»  Mark.  ix.  50.  2<  Matt,  viiiv  22. 


# 


PART  II.]        THE  POSITION  AND  DUTIES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  147 

is  thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  forth  and  to  be 
trodden  under  foot  of  men."" 

The  salt  used  by  the  Jews,  was  by  no  means  so  thoroughly 
purified  as  that  which  we  employ.  It  was  native  salt,  mixed 
up  with  earthy  substances,  which  formed  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  whole  mass.  With  us  salt  cannot  lose  its  savor  or  taste, 
without  being  itself  lost.  With  them  the  compound  substance 
called  salt,  when  long  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  had.  the  saline 
particles  exhaled  or  wasted  away,  and  there  remained  an  insipid, 
useless,  earthy  mass.  An  old  but  singularly  trustworthy  orien- 
tal traveller^'  states,  that  in  passing  through  the  Valley  of  Salt, 
near  Aleppo,  in  Syria,  he  took  up  a  piece  of  salt,  and  breaking 
off  portions  of  it  which  had  been  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  air, 
and  rain,  found  that  though  they  had  all  the  external  appear- 
ances of  salt,  they  had  entirely  lost  its  taste.  This  insipid  sub- 
stance is  good  for  no  purpose.  It  is  entirely  useless.  It  does 
not  even  serve  the  purpose  of  manure.  We  are  told  that  as  vast 
quantities  of  salt  were  employed  in  the  temple,  as  condiment  for 
the  sacrifices,  that  which  became  vapid  by  exposure  to  the 
atmosphere,  being  useful  for  no  other  purpose,  was  strewed,  as 
we  do  sand  or  gravel,  in  the  courts  of  the  temple,  to  be  trampled 
under  foot.  Let  us  endeavor  to  discover  the  ineanin*  of  this 
figurative  representation. 

Some  interpreters"  consider  the  phrase  "  wherewith  shall  it 
be  salted?"  as  equivalent  to,  "Wherewith  shall  the  earth  be 
salted  ?"  As  if  he  had  said,  '  If  those  who  should  be  the  in- 
structors and  reformers  of  the  world  become  ignorant  and 
wicked,  what  is  to  become  of  the  world  ?  must  it  not  be  consigned 
to  hopeless  corruption?'  This  is  an  important  and  impressive 
thought,  but  it  does  not  seem  to  be  our  Lord's  thought. 

From  what  follows — "It" — i.  e.,  the  salt — "is  henceforth 
good  for  nothing  but  to  be  cast  out  and  trodden  under  foot  of 
men,"  it  is  obvious  that  the  sense  is,  '  K  the  salt  lose  its  taste, 
how  is  it  to  recover  it?'  The  sentiment  intended  to  be  conveyed 
seems  to  be  this :  A  professed  Christian,  especially  if  he  has 
seemed  to  be  distinguished  for  the  knowledge  and  experience  of 
the  saving  truth,  and  by  being  so,  has  seemed  to  be  useful  in 
making  the  world  wiser  and  better,  who  becomes  careless,  and 
ignorant,  and  worldly,  and  irreligious — who  loses  the  hold  he 
seemed  to  have  of  trutli — who  ceases  to  manifest  anything  like 
its  native  influence  on  his  temper  and  conduct — is  in  a  state 
peculiarly  deplorable.  There  is  less  probability  that  he  shall  be 
reclaimed  than  that  the  grossly  ignorant,  the  openly  ^jrofane, 
should  be  converted.  An  ignorant  wicked  heathen,  is  in  a  less 
iiopeless  condition  than  an  apostate  Christian,  whether  the 
apostasy  be  avowed  or  silent. 

This  is  a  sentiment  very  strongly  expressed  by  the  inspired 
apostles,  who  had  the  mind  of  Christ : — "  It  is  impossible  for 

2J  "Nil  est  tritius  quam  qui  vult  divinus  haberi,  ac  non  est." — Bengel. 
26  Maundrell.  "  Luther. 


luudre 

f 


148  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

those  who  were  once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly 
gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have 
tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to 
come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  to  repentance ; 
seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put 
him  to  an  open  shame.  For  the  earth  which  drinketh  in  the 
rain  that  cometh  oft  upon  it,  and  bringeth  forth  herbs  meet  for 
them  by  whom  it  is  dressed,  receiveth  blessing  from  God :  but 
that  which  beareth  thorns  and  briers,  is  nigh  unto  cursing : 
whose  end  is  to  be  burned.'"*  "  If  after"  men  "  have  escaped 
the  pollutions  of  the  world,  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again  entangled  therein,  and 
overcome,  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  the  beginning. 
For  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  known  the  way  of 
righteousness,  than,  after  they  have  known  it,  to  turn  from  the 
iioly  commandment  delivered  unto  them.  But  it  has  happened 
unto  them  according  to  the  true  proverb,  '  The  dog  is  turned  to 
his  own  vomit  again ;  and  the  sow  that  was  washed,  to  her 
wallowing  in  the  mire.'  "*^ 

Such  individuals  are  in  all  but  a  desperate  state,  in  reference 
to  theh  own  salvation.  They  may  be  saved ;  but  it  will  be  as  by 
tire.  They  may  be  saved ;  but  the  probability  is,  they  shall 
perish,  must  perish,  because  they  will  perish.  They  serve  no 
good  purpose.  They  pollute  the  church  if  they  are  allowed  to 
continue  in  it.  They  have  disgraced  it  in  the  estimation  of  men, 
even  though  they  leave  it,  or  are  expelled  from  it.  Such  men 
are  viewed  in  the  passage  as  retaining  the  name  of  Christian. 
They  are  still  called  salt.  But  they  bear  a  name  they  do  not 
fieserve ;  and  it  is  not  the  better  for  them,  while  it  is  the  worse 
for  otbers,  both  in  the  church  and  the  world,  that  they  do  bear 
so  worthy  a  name. 

A  professed  Christian,  who  does  not  serve  the  avowed  purpose 
of  his  being  a  Christian,  making  men  wiser  and  better,  who  is 
not  in  some  measure  the  salt  of  the  earth,  is  the  object  of  con- 
tempt, even  to  worldly  men.  They  are  compelled  to  respect  the 
man,  though  they  may  smile  at  his  enthusiasm,  who  acts  a  con- 
sistent part  as'  a  Christian,  in  endeavoring  habitually  that  all 
men  with  whom  he  is  brought  into  connection,  may  become,  not 
only  almost,  but  altogether,  such  as  he  is,  Christians,  with  the 
exception  of — what  he  is  very  sensible  of^ — his  defects  and  his 
faults ;  but  they  can  have  no  respect  for  the  man  whose  profes- 
sion proclaims  one  thing,  while  his  life  declares  another. 

The  man  who,  in  order  to  secure  the  approbation  of  the  men 
of  the  world,  abstains  from  taking  that  part  in  endeavors  to 
promote  the  improvement  of  mankind  on  christian  principles, 
which  his  conscience  tells  him  he  ought  to  do,  fulls  into  a  very 
serious  mistake.  Contempt,  not  respect,  is  the  sentiment  his 
conduct  excites.  And  as  this  is  true  of  individuals  calling  them- 
selves  Christians,    so   it   is  true   of  bodies  calling  themselves 

•^  Ileb.  vi.  4-8.  29  2  Pet.  ii.  20-22. 


• 


PART  II.]        THE  POvSITION  AND  DUTIES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  149 

churches.  It  is  a  fearful  sight,  but  it  has  often  been  witnessed, 
when  those  "  whose  high  vocation  is  to  save  the  world  around 
them  from  ruin,  curse  that  world  with  the  insipidity,  on  which  it 
will  contemptuously  trample,  when  thej  should  have  blessed  it 
with  a  savor  of  life  to  rescue  it  from  moral  corruption — ^from 
eternal  death.'"" 

But  what  is  all  the  disgrace  which  the  useless  professor  of 
Christianity  (the  savorless  salt)  can  draw  upon  himself  here,  in 
comparison  of  the  shame  and  everlasting  contempt  which  awaits 
him  in  the  other  world  ?  How  fearful  will  be  the  doom  of  the 
unprofitable  servant — "cast  into  utter  darkness,"  where  there 
is  "weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  !"^' 

It  is  quite  possible  that  our  Lord  may  have  a  reference  to  the 
use  of  salt  in  sacrifice ;  '  It  is  by  you  the  Gentiles  shall  be  pre- 
pared for  being  laid  as  a  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  God ;  and  if 
you  do  not  serve  this  purpose,  instead  of  being  laid  on  the  altar, 
you  will  be  cast  out  to  the  outer  courts,  and  trodden  on  by  all 
who  frequent  them."^ 

§  2.  The  light  of  the  world. 

The  same  truths  which  are  taught\us  by  Christians  being  termed 
the  salt  of  the  earth,  are  brought  before  the  mind  under  a  different 
figurative  representation  in  the  words  that  follow,  "  Ye  are  the 
light  of  the  world."'' 

"  The  world,"  that  is,  the  inhabitants  of  the  world,  are  supposed 
to  be  in  a  state  of  darkness.  Darkness,  in  Scripture,  is  the  em- 
blem of  ignorance,  of  error,  of  sin,  and  of  misery.  Mankind  are 
here  then  represented  as  in  a  state  of  ignorance,  error,  guilt,  de- 
pravity, and  misery ;  and  the  disciples  of  our  Lord  are  held  forth 
as  the  instrumental  means  of  dispelling  this  darkness,  of  bringing 
men  to  the  knowledge  and  faith  of  the  truth,  and,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  that  truth,  making  them  truly  holy  and  happy. 

Our  Lord  himself,  in  the  highest  and  fallest  meaning  of  the 
term,  is  "  the  light  of  the  world,"  "the  light  of  men,"'*  the  true 
sun  of  the  moral  world,  the  source  of  knowledge,  holiness,  and 
happiness  to  man.  But  it  is  through  the  instrumentality  of  his 
people,  that  he  communicates  these  blessings  to  mankind.  They 
themselves  were  once  "  darkness,"  ignorant,  depraved,  unhappy ; 
but  through  the  knowledge  and  belief  of  the  truth,  under  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit,  they  are  become  "  light  in  the  Lord  ;"'* 
and  being  enlightened  by  him,  like  the  moon  and  planets,  though 
in  themselves  opaque  bodies,  when  illuminated  by  the  sun,  they 
shine  by  the  reflection  of  his  light.  "  They  hold  forth  the  word 
of  life."'"     In  their  profession,  chjaracter,  and  conduct,  they  live 

^J  Bennet.  :»  Matt.  xxv.  'M. 

3^  "  Noil  itaque  calcatur  ab  homiuibus  qui  patitur  perbccutioiicm,  sed  qui  per- 
secutionem  timeudo  infatuatur.  Calcari  euim  non  potest  nisi  inferior,  sed  in- 
ferior non  est,  qui  quaravis  corpore  multa  in  terra  sustineat,  corde  tamen  fixus  in 
coelo  est." — ^Augustin.  •>"  Matt.  v.  14.  ^'  John  viii.  12  ;  i.  4. 

^5  Eph.  V.  8.  2s  Phil.  ii.  16. 


150  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

to  the  world  a  representation  of  true  Christianity.  Like  mirrors, 
they  reflect  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  manifested  in  the  person 
and  work  of  him,  who  is  "the  image  of  the  invisible  God" — 
"  the  Father  of  lights."" 

These  words  are,  no  doubt,  peculiarly  applicable  to  the  apostles, 
and  to  the  public  teachers  of  Christianity,  but  they  are  by  no 
means  to  be  confined  to  them.  Every  Christian  out  to  consider 
himself  as  laid  under  obligations  to  communicate  the  blessings  of 
Christianity,  to  diffuse  the  light  with  which  he  himself  has  been 
enlightened. 

This  duty  is  strongly  enjoined  by  our  Lord  in  the  words  which 
follow,  and  the  propriety  and  reasonableness  of  it  are  strikingly 
illustrated  by  two  appropriate  figures.  "  A  city  set  on  an  hill 
cannot  be  hid.  Neither  do  men  light  a  candle  and  put  it  under 
a  bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick,  and  it  giveth  light  to  all  in  the 
house.  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see 
your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven." 

The  general  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  by  these  words  seems 
to  be  this,  '  The  design  of  my  calling  you  to  be  my  disciples,  is 
not  only  your  own  advantage,  but  the  advantage  of  others ;  and 
if  you  do  not  sedulously  endeavor  to  gain  that  end,  you  do  not 
act  in  character.  You  act  an  anomalous  and  absurd  part.  It 
would  be  an  absurd  thing  to  attempt  to  conceal  a  city,  built  on  a 
hill,  from  the  view  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country. 
If  it  had  been  meant  to  be  hid,  it  Avould  not  have  been  placed 
there.  It  is  built  on  a  hill  that  it  may  be  seen.  It  would  be  an 
absurd  thing  to  light  a  lamp  (so  the  word  should  have  been  ren- 
dered, for  candles,  properly  so  called,  were  not  in  use  among  the 
Jews,)  and  then  cover  it  with  a  large  vessel,  which,  though  it 
might  not  extinguish  it,  would  prevent  it  from  answering  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  lighted.  When  a  lamp  is  lighted,  com- 
mon sense  dictates  that  it  should  be  placed  on  the  lamp-stand, 
that  it  may  give  light  to  all  who  are  in  the  house.  If  you  do  not 
diffuse  the  knowledge  and  blessings  of  Christianity  around,  3'-ou 
do  not  serve  one  great — the  great — 'purpose  for  which  I  have 
called  you  to  be  my  disciples.  You  act  as  absurdly,  as  if  you 
were,  after  building  a  city  on  a  hill  that  it  might  be  seen,  to  en- 
close it  with  a  high  wall  that  it  might  not  be  seen;  after  kindling 
a  lamp  that  it  may  give  light,  covering  it  with  a  vessel  that  it 
may  not  give  light.'  Such,  I  apprehend,  is  the  force  of  the  two 
figurative  illustrations. 

Let  us  now  attend  a  little  more  closely  to  the  injunction  which 
they  are  intended  to  illustrate  and  enforce.  "  Let  your  light  so 
shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  antl  glorify 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

What  arc  we  to  understand  by  the  Cliristian's  "light"?  and 
what  by  his  making  it  "  shine  before  men"  ?  The  Christian  is 
naturally,  hke  the  rest  of  mankind,  entirely  destitute  of  true  light. 

37  Col.  i.  15.  James  i.  17.  "Joannes  lumeu  illuminat.um  ;  Christua  lumen  illu- 
minans." — August.,  Ser.  cl.\xii.  5. 


PART  II.]        THE  POSITION  AND  DUTIES  OF  CHRISTIANS.  151 

"Ye  were  sometime  darkness,"  says  the  apostle,  "but  now  are 
ye  light  in  the  Lord."  "  Christ"  gives  him  "  light.'"'  The  word 
of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  is  light ;  when  it  is  understood  and  be- 
lieved, it  becomes  the  light  of  him  who  understands  and  believes 
it.  Till  he  understands  and  believes  it.  it  is  not  his  light.  It 
shines  around  him,  but  all  is  dark  within  ;  but  when,  under  thj?  , 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  understands  and  believes  it,  "it" 
shines  in  his  heart,"  and  diffuses  its  purifying,  cheering  influence 
over  the  whole  inner  chambers  of  the  soul,  producing  holiness 
and  peace;  nor  is  this  all,  so  subtile  and  penetrating  is  this 
heavenly  light,  that,  though  dwelling  within,  it  pervades  the 
man,  and,  as  it  were,  invests  his  whole  exterior,  that  which  his 
fellow-men  can  see,  his  conduct,  with  a  holy  radiance.  The  holy 
happy  character  formed  by  the  truth  understood  and  believed, 
discovers  itself  in  a  great  variety  of  appropriate  manifestations. 
This  is  the  Christian's  light :  the  truth  dwelling  in  him  producing 
holiness  and  peace. 

If  this  is  the  Christian's  light,  it  is  not  difficult  to  perceive 
what  is  meant  by  his  "  letting  his  light  shine  before  men."  The 
injunction  obviously  implies,  that  Christians  are  not  to  retire 
from  the  active  scenes  of  life,  but  are  to  continue  to  associate 
with  their  fellow-men.  The  salt  could  not  serve  its  pui-pose,  un- 
less scattered  over  the  putrifying  mass.  The  lamp,  when  lighted, 
must  be  placed  a,mid  the  darkness  which  it  is  intended  to  dispel. 
To  "  let  our  light  shine,"  is  just  to  make  a  plain  distinct  profes- 
sion of  the  truth  which  we  have  received, — to  do  all  that  lies  in 
our  power  to  bring  clearly  before  the  minds  of  all  with  whom  we 
are  connected,  that  truth  in  its  meaning  and  evidence,  that  they 
may=believe  it ;  and  then,  what  is  not  less  important,  and — what, 
as  it  would  appear  from  what  follows,  our  Lord  had  primarily  in 
view — exhibit  in  our  temper  and  behavior  the  native  effects  of 
that  truth  on  our  own  minds  in  making  us  holy  and  happy.  It 
is  equivalent  to  a  command,  never  to  shrink  from  the  avowal  of 
Christian  truth,  nor  from  the  performance  of  Christian  duty. 
"  Hold  forth  the  word  of  life."  Let  men  see  what  real  Christian- 
ity is.' 

The  great  end  to  be  sought  by  Christians  in  thus  making  their 
light  shine  before  men  is,  that  these  men  "  may  see  their  good 
works, "^'' and  may  "  glorify  their  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ;"^° 
that  is,  that  by  seeing  their  good  works,  they  may  be  led  to  glo- 
rify their  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  The  necessary  consequence 
of  letting  the  christian  light  shine,  that  is,  of  yielding  to  the  in- 
,  fluence  of  christian  truth  on  the  mind  and  the  heart,  is  the  pro- 
duction of  good  works.  "  The  grace  of  God,"  which  is  the 
great  subject  of  christian  truth,  teaches  men  to  "  deny  ungodli- 
ness, and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly 

38  Eph.  V.  14. 

39  "v/xuv  Ipya.  Vestra  opera.  Opera,  noa  vos, — splendorem,  non  lyclinum." 
— Bengel. 

^"  "The  Lord  says  not  here,  Let  your  light  shine  before  men  that  they  may 
glorify  you ;  but  that  they  may  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven." — Trench. 


152  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

in  this  world."  Christian  truth,  when  really  understood  and  be- 
lieved, moulds  the  character  and  guides  the  conduct.  In  the 
degree  in  which  men  are  influenced  by  it,  and  manifest  its  influ- 
ence, they  are  harmless,  and  useful,  and  happy.  When  others 
see  their  "good  works,"  and  see  that  they  are  the  result  of  chris- 
tian principle,  notwithstanding  the  natural  enmity  of  the  human 
mind  and  heart  to  christian  truth,  a  conviction  is  lodged  in  their 
minds,  that  that  must  be  good  which  produces  such  peculiarly 
excellent  effects.  The  holy  examples,  and  the  abundant  good 
works  of  genuine  Christians,  soften  men's  prejudices,  win  them 
to  attend  to  the  truth,  and  are  instrumental  to  their  conversion, 
by  which  they  glorify  God,  and  become  his  worshippers  and  ser- 
vants. The  exhortation  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  "  Have  your  con- 
versation honest  among  the  Gentiles ;  that,  whereas  they  speak 
against  you  as  evil-doers,  they  may,  by  your  good  Avorks,  which 
they  shall  behold,  glorify  God  in  the  day  of  ^dsitation,""  expresses 
the  same  sentiment  as  the  injunction  of  our  Lord  which  we  have 
just  illustrated. 

When  professed  Christians  do  not  let  their  light  shine  before 
men,  do  not  manifest  the  native  practical  influence  of  the  truth, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  act  in  a  manner  inconsistent  with  their  pro- 
fession, then  men  seeing  their  evil  works,  "blaspheme  that 
worthy  name  by  the  which"  they  "are  called,""  and  thus  those 
who  should  be  the  means  of  their  fellow-men's  salvation,  become 
instruments  of  their  perdition.  There  is  no  class  of  men  who 
have  a  more  fearful  weight  of  guilt  lying  on  them,  than  worldly, 
inconsistent,  unholy  professors,  especially  if  teachers,  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

The  command  of  our  Lord  in  this  verse,  may  seem  incon- 
sistent with  what  he  says  respecting  prayers,  and  alms,  and  fast- 
ing, in  the  sixth  chapter,  1-6,  and  16-18.  "  Take  heed  that  ye 
do  not  your  alms  before  men,  to  be  seen  of  them ;  otherwise  ye 
liave  no  reward  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Therefore, 
when  thou  doest  thine  alms,  do  not  sound  a  trumpet  before 
thee,  as  the  hypocrites  do  in  the  synagogues,  and  in  the  streets, 
that  they  may  have  glory  of  men.  Verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
They  have  their  reward.  But  when  thou  doest  alms,  let  not 
thy  left  liand  know  what  thy  right  hand  doeth ;  that  thine  alms 
may  be  in  secret;  and  thy  Father,  which  sceth  in  secret,  him- 
.self  shall  reward  thee  openly.  And  when  thou  prayest,  thou 
ijhalt  not  be  as  the  hypocrites  are :  for  they  love  to  pray  standing 
irj  the  synagogues,  and  in  tlie  corners  of  the  streets,  that  they  may 
be  seen  of  men.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  They  have  their  re- 
ward. But  thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet ;  and 
when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  tliy  Father,  which  is 
in  secret;  and  thy  Father,  which  seeth  in  secret,  shall  reward 
thee  openly."  "Moreover,  when  ye  fast,  be  not  as  the  hypo- 
crites, of  a  sad  countenance :  for  they  disfigure  their  faces,  that 
they  may  appear  unto  men  to  fast.     Verily  I  say  unto  you,  they 

*'  1  Pet.  ii.  12.  ^^  James  ii.  7. 


PART  III.]      CHRISTIANITY  AJS'D  ANCIENT   REVELATIONS.  153 

have  their  reward.  But  thou,  when  thou  festest,  anoint  thine 
head,  and  wash  thy  face ;  that  thou  appear  not  unto  men  to  fast, 
but  unto  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret :  and  thy  Father,  which 
seeth  in  secret,  shall  reward  thee  openly."  The  inconsistencj^  is, 
however,  merely  apparent ;  our  Lord  does  not  condemn  the 
Pharisees  for  doing  in  public  such  duties  as  are  of  a  public 
nature,  but  for  publisliing  and  proclaiming  what  ought  to  be 
"secret.  He  does~  not  find  fault  with  them  for  going  up  to  the 
temple  to  pray,  but  for  choosing  the  most  public  part  of  the 
street  for  their  secret  devotions ;  and  even  in  the  case  of  public 
alms,  it  is  not  so  much  the  circumstance  of  their  publicity,  as  the 
object  in  view,  which  he  censures.  It  is  "the  doing  alms  before 
men,  that  they  might  be  seen  of  them."  The  seeking  publicit}' 
in  order  to  obtain  a  selfish  and  unworthy  object,  is  obviously  a 
very  different  thing  from  giving  alms  under  the  influence  of 
christian  principle,  and  while  not  coveting  public  notice,  yet  by 
no  means  sedulously  avoiding  it,  that  "  men,"  seeing  our  "  good 
works,"  may  "  glorify  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 


III.   THE   RELATION  OF   CHRISTIANITY  TO    THE   ANCIENT 
REVELATIONS. 

The  duties  of  a  public  instructor  of  mankind  in  Christianity 
are  multifarious  and  difficult.  He  must  state  the  truth  clearly 
and  fully,  and  he  nmst  guard  against  those  misapprehensions 
which  the  statement  of  truth,  however  clear  and  full,  not  unfre- 
quently  occasions  in  ignorant,  half-informed,  prejudiced  minds. 

If  he  content  himself  with  merely  stating  the  truth,  he  may 
unintentional!}^  become  the  j)ropagator  of  error,  and  his  authority 
may  be  set  up,  and  his  words  quoted,  in  support  of  a  system, 
materially  different  from,  or  even  diametrically  opposite  to,  that 
which  he  meant  to  establish. 

Our  blessed  Lord  in  this,  and  in  everj^  other  department  of  the 
art  of  public  teaching,  has  set  his  ministers  an  example,  and  they 
should  follow  his  steps.  His  statements  with  respect  to  the 
nature  of  the  blessings  to  be  bestowed  by  the  Messiah,  and  the 
character  of  those  who  were  to  enjoy  these  blessings,  were 
equally  opposed  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Jewish  teachers,  and  to 
the  sentiments  almost  universally  entertained  by  the  Jewish 
people;  and  he  most  distinctly  taught,  that  a  complete  change 
of  mind  must  take  place  in  order  to  a  participation  in  the  ad- 
vantage of  that  heavenly  economy,  which  was  just  about  to  be 
established  in  the  world.  It  was  not  unnatural  for  those  who 
were  firmly  but  mistakingl}^  persuaded,  that  the  views  they  en- 
tertained on  these  subjects  were  warranted  by,  and  founded  on, 
the  Old  Testament  revelation,  the  writings  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  when  they  heard  our  Lord's  discourses,  to  come  to  the 
conclusion,  that  his  intention  was  to  subvert  the  authority  of 
these  inspired  writers,  and   substitute   his  own  in  its  room — to 


154  THE  SEKMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  I. 

destroy  the  ancient  religion,  and  to  establisli  a  new  one  on  its 
ruins.  Sucli  a  notion  was  entirely  unfounded  in  truth,  and  its 
prevalence  was  calculated  in  various  respects  to  throw  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  our  Lord's  success.  We  find  liim,  therefore,  in 
the  passage  which  follows,  strongly  disavowing  every  hostile  de- 
sign in  reference  to  the  ancient  Scriptures,  and  placing  in  a  true 
point  of  light  the  reference  which  his  doctrines  and  laAvs  bore  to 
the  previous  manifestations  of  the  mind  of  God  by  Moses  and 
the  prophets.  "  Think  not,"  as  some  of  you  are  apt  to  suppose, 
"  think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets ; 
I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.""  He  thus  states  his  ob- 
ject both  positively  and  negatively. 

§  1.  Negative — not  destructive. 

"  The  law"  is  here,  as  in  many  other  parts  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, employed  as  a  designation  for  the  five  books  of  Moses,  as 
distinguished  from  the  other  inspired  writings  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, here  termed  the  prophets.  "The  law  and  the  prophets," 
is  just  equivalent  to,  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures. 

The  phrase  "to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets,"  is  peculiar, 
and  there  is  some  difficulty  in  fixing  its  precise  signification.  It 
is  obvious  that  the  word  "  destroy,"  is  not  to  be  understood  in  its 
literal  meaning.  Our  Lord,  in  these  words,  does  not  mean  to 
disclaim  any  intention  to  treat  the  sacred  books  as  the  converted 
Ephesians  did  their  books  of  magic,  when  they  "brought  them 
together,  and  burnt  them  before  all  men.""  The  word  is  plainly 
used  figurativel3\  But  wheu  figuratively  used,  the  word  has 
various  significations,  and  therefore  it  is  necessary  to  inquire 
which  of  these  it  bears  in  the  present  instance. 

The  word  "  destroy,"  in  its  figurative  acceptation,  may  mean 
to  abrogate,  or  to  violate,  or  to  invalidate.  Many  interpreters 
understand  the  word  in  the  first  sense,  and  consider  it  as  a  de- 
claration, that  it  was  not  our  Lord's  intention  to  abrogate  the 
moral  law.  There  are,  however,  insuperable  objections  to  this 
mode  of  exposition.  We  have  no  right  to  restrict  the  term 
"law,"  to  the  moral  part  of  the  Mosaic  institute  :  and  there  can 
be  no  doubt  with  a  careful  reader  of  the  New  Testament,  that 
our  Lord  did  come  to  abrogate  the  law  of  Moses.  It  belonged 
to  a  temporary,  as  Avell  as  a  typical  economy.  "  It  was  added 
because  of  transgressions,  until  the  seed  should  come,  in  refer- 
ence to  whom  the  promise  was  made,""  and  then,  having  served 
its  purpose,  it  was  to  cease ;  and,  accordingl}'-,  we  are  informed, 
tliat  our  Lord  has  "taken  it  out  of  the  way,"  that  he  has  "blot- 
ted out  the  handwriting"  which  was  against  the  Gentiles,  that  he 
has  nailed  it  to  his  cross,""  so  that  his  people,  whether  Jews  or 
Gentiles,  are  no  longer  under  that  "  pajdagogue,""  having  been  in- 
troduced by  him  into  a  state  of  mature  sonship.     Besides,  it  is 

<3  Matt.  V.  17.  "  Acts  xix.  19. 

«  Gal.  iii.  I'J.  -ts  KpL.  ii.  14,  15.     Col.  ii.  14.  ■»•  Gal.  iii.  25. 


PART  III.]      CHRISTIANITY  AND  ANCIENT  REVELATIONS.  155 

plain  that  our  Lord  does  not  so  much  speak  of  the  law  properly 
so  called,  as  of  the  five  books  of  Moses,  of  which  the  law  was  a 
principal,  but  by  no  means  the  only  subject.  It  also  deserves  to 
be  noticed,  that  the  sense  of  abrogation  does  not  apply  to  predic- 
tions as  it  does  to  laws,  and  still  less  to  books  containing  pre- 
dictions. 

It  does  not  appear  to  me  that  a  more  satisfactory  sense  is 
brought  out  by  understanding  the  word  "  destroy,"  in  the  sense 
of  violate.  '  I  am  not  come  to  \dolate,  or  to  teach  others  to 
violate,  the  law.'  For  here,  as  in  the  former  case,  the  term 
applies  rather  to  the  law  itself,  than  to  the  books  Avhich  contain 
an  account  of  it,  and  it  is  not  at  all  applicable  to  the  prophetical 
writings. 

I  am  disposed  to  consider  the  term  as  equivalent  to  invalidate.*'^ 
'  I  am  not  come — as  some  of  your  teachers  may  surmise,  and  as 
some  of  you  ma}^  suppose,  from  my  teacliing  being  so  very  un- 
like any  teaching  you  have  ever  heard,  while  3'our  teachers  pro- 
fess to  derive  their  doctrines  and  precepts  from  the  sacred  wri- 
tings— I  am  by  no  means  come  to  invalidate,  to  represent  as 
of  no  authority,  or  of  diminished  authority,  these  former  revela- 
tions of  the  Divine  will.' 

I  think  it  not  improbable,  that  in  mentioning,  not  the  sacred 
writings  generall}^,  but  "the  law  or  the  prophets,"  and  saying, 
not  "  the  law  and  the  prophets,"  but  "the  law  or  the  prophets,"^* 
our  Lord  refers  to  the  dishonor  done  to  the  different  portions  bf 
the  sacred  writings,  by  the  two  dominant  sects  among  the  Jews. 
The  Pharisees  explained  away  many  of  the  precepts  of  the  law, 
making  "void  God's  commandment  by  their  traditions;"  and  the 
Sadducees  do  not  seem  to  have  admitted  the  divine  authority  of 
the  prophetical  writings;  the  one  invalidated  the  law,  and  the 
other  the  prophets.  But  our  Lord  says,  I  am  not  come  to  explain 
away,  or  to  deny,  any  part  of  the  ancient  revelation  :  m}^  object 
is  directly  the  reverse, — "  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil." 

§  2.  Positive — completive. 

The  phrase  "  to  fulfil  the  law  and  the  prophets,"  is  fully  as  ob- 
scure as  "  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets."  It  has  been  com- 
mon to  explain  the  phrase,  as  if  it  meant  that  the  object  of  our 
Lord's  mission  was  to  obey  the  precepts  of  the  moral  law  in  its 
covenant  form,  and  endure  its  curse  in  the  room  of  his  people — 
to  verify  the  various  types  of  the  ceremonial  law — to  introduce 
that  spiritual  system  of  government  of  which  the  judicial  law 
was  an  emblem,  and  to  accomplish  all  the  various  predictions  in 
the  books  of  the  prophets  respecting  the  Messiah.  All  this  is 
truth,  and  important  truth;  but  it  is  truth  dressed,  most  of  it,  in 

■•^  ''  Ka-a?.vaai  idem  quod  KaTapy7/aai." — Cameron. 

*^  7}  is  never  precisely  equivalent  to  icai.  In  some  cases  they  may  be  inter- 
changed ;  but  this  is  not  one  of  them.  Chrysostom  repeats  the  ;/  thus—?}  tov 
VOfiov,  Tj  Tovg  TTOOipr/ra^. 


166  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

comparatively  a  very  artificial  and  very  modern  garb ;  trutli  put 
into  our  Lord's  Avords,  rather  than  brought  out  of  them.  Be- 
sides, it  is  plain  that  the  term  "fulfil,"  according  to  this  interpre- 
tation, is  made  to  signify,  not  one  thing,  but  a  great  many  things. 

It  has  been  supposed  b}'  some  very  judicious  interpreters,  that 
the  word  "fulfil"  here  means  fully  to  expound,  to  bring  out  the 
true  meaning,  in  opposition  to  the  false  glosses  of  the  Jewish 
teachers.  That  the  word  is  used  in  this  sense  is  plain  from  a 
passage  in  Rom.  xv.  19:  "I  have  fully  preached" — literally,  I 
have  fulfilled,  clearly  and  completely  unfolded — "  the  Gospel  of 
Christ ;""  and  they  have  thought  that  there  is  here  a  reference 
to  what  they  consider  as  the  expositions  of  the  law  which  follow. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  our  Lord,  both  personally  and  by  his 
disciples,  did  unfold  the  true  meaning  of  much  that  was  recondite, 
and  much  that  had  been  misrepresented,  in  the  Old  Testament 
Scriptures  ;  yet,  still,  I  scarcely  think  this  formed  so  great  a  part 
of  his  teaching,  as  to  be  represented  as  the  design  of  his  coming 
as  a  teacher ;  and  I  more  than  doubt  if  the  statements  which 
immediately  follow  are,  strictly  speaking,  expositions  of  the  law. 

I  apprehend  the  word  "falfil"  is  used  in  the  sense  of  'com- 
plete,' 'fill  up,'  'perfect.'  This  is  so  common  a  use  of  the  term, 
as  to  make  it  unnecessary  to  quote  examples  of  it."  It  is  as  if 
he  had  said,  "  my  design  is  not  to  invalidate  the  Old  Testament 
revelation,  but  to  complete  it.  It  is  but  the  first  part  of  a  great 
divine  manifestation  ;  I  come  to  give  the  remaining  and  the  most 
important  part  of  it'  Our  Lord  came  to  complete  divine  revela- 
tion, both  inasmuch  as  he  came  to  do  and  suffer  tliose  things, 
which  were  to  form  the  subject  of  that  part  of  the  divine  revela- 
tion which  yet  remained  to  be  given,  and  inasmuch  as,  by  his 
Spirit,  through  the  instrumentality  of  his  apostles,  he  actually 
made  that  revelation.  Revelation  seems  viewed  as  an  unfinished 
building.  'Now,'  says  oui"  Lord,  '  I  do  not  come  to  demolish  it ; 
I  do  not  come  to  remove  one  stone  of  it ;  my  purpose  is  to  carry 
forward,  and  complete,  the  divine  edifice."" 

In  these  words  our  Lord  sanctions  the  divine  authority  of  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures,  and  at  the  same  time  holds  himself  up 
as  the  person  appointed  by  God  to  finish  the  work  which  they 
had  left  incomplete,  and  therefore  entitled  certainly  to  not  less 
reverence  and  faith,  than  Moses  and  the  prophets : — The  "  God 
who  at  sundry  times  and  in  divere  manners,"  had  spoken  "  in 
time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,"  was  now  to  speak  to 
them  "  by  his  Son."" 

In  the  verse  which  follows,  our  Lord,  who  was  to  complete  the 
work  of  divine  revelation,  declares  the  inviolable  authority  of 
the  law^  until  all  be  fullillcd  or  completed: — ''For  verily  I  say 
unto  you,  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall 
in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled."" 

5"  Trr-'/.TjpuKt'rai  to  i:ia})t'Aiiji'  rov  Xpta-ov. 

*'  See  Luke  vii.  1.    Acts  xiii.  25  ;  xiv.  26.    Col.  i.  25.    Phil.  ii.  2.     2Thess.  i.  IL 

*^  "  Rabbini  agnoscunt,  Messius  esse,  Legem  perficere. " — Ben'okl. 

53  Heb.  j.  1.  5<  Matt  v.  18. 


PART  UI.]      CHRISTIANITY  AND  ANCIENT  REVELATIONS.  157 

These  words  have  often  been  considered  as  a  declaration  of  the 
perpetual  authority  and  obligation  of  the  moral  law.  That  the 
moral  law, — which  is  indeed  just  another  name  for  the  duties 
A^hich  necessaril)-  rise  out  of  the  relation  in  which  a  rational  and 
accountable  being  like  man  stands  to  the  all-perfect  Being,  his 
creator,  his  preserver,  his  benefactor,  his  moral  governor, — must 
forever  remain  unrepealed  and  unrepealable,  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  While  man  continues  a  rational  being,  and  God  con- 
tinues an  all -perfect  Being,  it  cannot  change ;  and  this  is  not 
only  an  indubitably  true,  it  is  also  an  infinitely  important, 
principle. 

At  the  same  time,  I  do  not  think  that  it  is  the  principle  our 
Lord  states  here.  "  The  law,"  is  a  phrase  Avhich,  to  a  Jew,  con- 
veyed the  idea  of  the  Mosaic  institution,  the  peculiar  order  of 
things  under  which  the  Israelitish  people  were  placed  at  Mount 
Sinai.  That  is  the  law  to  which  our  Lord  seems  to  refer ;  and 
I  apprehend  interpreters  would  not  likely  have  supposed  that 
the  reference  was  to  anything  else,  had  it  not  been  that  they 
found  difficulty  in  explaining  words,  which  seemed  to  them  to 
imply  a  declaration  of  inviolable  stability  to  a  system  which  was 
temporary  as  well  as  local,  and  which  has  in  fact  long  ceased  to 
exist. 

If  the  words,  however,  are  carefully  examined,  they  "v\dll  be 
found  to  contain  in  them,  not  an  indefinite  declaration  of  the  in- 
violable authority  of  the  law,  but  a  declaration  of  its  inviolable 
authority  till  a  certain  period,  till  certain  events  had  taken  place, 
— "  till  heaven  and  earth  pass," — "  till  all  things  be  fulfilled." 
'  Heaven  and  earth  passing  away,'  understood  literally,  is  the 
dissolution  of  the  present  system  of  the  universe  ;  and  the  period 
when  that  is  to  take  place,  is  called  the  "end  of  the  world." 
But  a  person  at  all  familiar  with  the  phraseology  of  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures,  knows  that  the  dissolution  of  the  Mosaic 
economy,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Christian,  is  often  spoken 
of  as  the  removing  of  the  old  earth  and  heavens,  and  the  creation 
of  a  new  earth  and  new  heavens.  For  example — "  For,  behold 
I  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth ;  and  the  former  shall  not 
be  remembered,  nor  come  into  mind."  "  For  as  the  new  hea- 
vens, and  the  new  earth,  which  I  will  make,  shall  remain  before 
me,  saith  the  Lord,  so  shall  your  seed  and  your  name  remain."" 
The  period  of  the  close  of  the  one  dispensation,  and  the  com- 
mencement of  the  other,  is  spoken  of  as  "  the  last  days,"  and 
"  the  end  of  the  world ;"  and  is  described  as  such  a  shaking  of 
the  earth  and  heavens,  as  should  lead  to  the  removal  of  the 
things  which  were  shaken.^"  The  phrase  in  the  end  of  the  verse, 
"  till  all  things  be  fulfilled,"  seems  to  refer  to  the  typically  pro- 
phetical character  of  the  law,  and  to  be  equivalent  to  '  till  all  the 
things  figured  in  it  he — take  place,  really  exist, — till  the  true 
priest,  and  the  true  altar,  and  the  trae  sacrifice,  come.' 

In  these  words  there  is  an  allusion  to  the  language  used  in  the 

55  isa.  Ixv.  17  ;  and  Ixvi.  22.  ^s  Hag.  ii.  6.     Heb.  xii.  26,  27. 


168  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT,        [EXP.  IV. 

previous  verse.  "  T  am  not  come  to  destroy,"  that  is,  to  invali- 
date, the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  but  to  complete  them. 
Now  the  period  referred  to,  is  the  period  when  Divine  revelation 
was  completed  by  the  Son  of  God.  That  period,  I  apprehend, 
was  the  pouring  out  of  the  Holy  Grhost  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost, 
the  giving  that  Divine  instructor  who  was  to  "  teach  the  apostles 
all  things — lead  them  into  all  the  truth."  From  that  period  "the 
law,"  the  Mosaic  institution,  ceased  to  be  of  obligation  ; — it  had 
served  its  purpose  ;  it  entirely,  as  a  system,  passed  away.  "  The 
middle  wall  of  partition""  was  completely  taken  down.  But, 
till  that  period,  not  the  slightest  freedom  must  be  used  with 
regard  to  requisitions :  every  one  of  them  must  be  I'eligiously 
observed. 

The  Jewish  teachers  professed  a  great  regard  for  the  law,  yet 
they  tampered  with  its  authority.  They  explained  away  some 
of  its  most  important  requisitions — for  example,  the  command  to 
provide  for  parents — and  by  instituting  unauthorized  distinctions, 
the}'  enabled  men  to  violate  it  without  directly  outraging  their 
consciences,  as  in  the  case  of  oaths.^*  It  is  said  to  have  been  a 
common  doctrine  among  them,  that  their  eminent  teachers,  and 
the  high  council,  the  Sanhedrim,  at  Jerusalem,  had  full  power  to 
set  aside  any  part  of  the  law. 

Our  Lord  condemns  such  impiety,  and,  as  it  were,  says,  '  I 
have  a  much  greater  respect  for  the  law  than  those  men  who 
would  represent  me  as  its  destroyer  :  I  declare  to  you  "  not  one 
iota  or  tittle  shall  pass  from  the  law,  till  heaven  and  earth  shall 
pass  away,  till  all  be  completed."'  The  "iota"  or  jod  is  the 
smallest  of  the  alphabetical  characters  used  in  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, being  little  more  than  a  point,  and  the  word  "  tittle"  is 
expressive  either  of  the  little  flourishes  which  were  made  in 
writing  at  the  end  of  the  HebrcAv  letters,  or  rather  of  the  minute 
and  almost  indiscernible  marks  by  which  some  of  the  Hebrew 
letters,  which  are  remarkably  similar,  are  distinguished  from  each 
other.'''  The  phrase,  "a  jot  or  tittle  shall  not  pass  awn.y,"  is  just 
a  strong  mode  of  expressing  this  truth :  '  No  change,  not  even 
the  smallest,  can  take  place  with  regard  to  "  the  law," — a  divine 
institution, — till  it  has  fully  served  the  purposes  for  which  it  was 
intended,  and  till  the  period  appointed  lor  its  termination  hy  him 
who  instituted  it  has  arrived.  Till  then,  every  one  of  its  minutest 
regulations  is  binding  on  the  conscience. 

1  think  it  likely  this  was  said,  not  only  with  a  reference  to 
the  impious  freedom  which  the  Jewish  doctors,  notwithstanding 
all  their  professions  of  reverence  for  the  law,  were  in  the  habit  of 
using  with  regard  to  many  of  its  requisitions,  but  also  to  prevopt 
his  disciples  from  supposing  that  they  Avere  immediately  to  be 
delivered  from  the  yoke  of  ceremonial  bondage.     He  carefully 

"  Eph.  ii.   14.  s^  Mark  vii.   11.     Matt,  xxiii.  20. 

59  It  is  a  saying  of  the  llabbins,  "si  quia  Dalctlj  in  Deut.  vi.  4  iiiutaret,  concul- 
cret  totum  inundum."  The  effect  would  be  to  change  one  God  into  another  God, 
"riN  into  nnx. 


PART  III.]      CHRISTIANITY  AND  ANCIENT  REVELATIONS.  159 

observed  the  law  liimself,  and  required  his  followers  to  observe 
it  so  long  as  its  authority  continued ;  and,  in  the  verses  which 
follow,  he  states  that  a  neglect  of  any  of  its  institutions,  would  be 
anything  rather  than  a  recommendation  of  a  person  to  a  high 
place  in  that  kingdom  of  God  which  was  about  to  be  established. 

"  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  break  one  of  the  least  com- 
mandments,'" and  shall  teach  men  so,  he  shall  be  called  the  least 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  whosoever  shall  do  and  teach 
them,  the  same  shall  be  called  great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."" 
These  words  have  generally  been  interpreted  as  if  they  meant, 
*  Whosoever  shall  wilfully  and  habitually  transgress  any  of  the 
requisitions  of  the  moral  laAv,  even  those  which  ■  may  appear 
the  least  important,  that  person  shall  be  considered  as  the  least, 
the  most  contemptible,  in  the  christian  church ;  while,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  person  who  shall  fully  and  honestly  exj)ound  all 
these  requisitions,-  and  illustrate  his  expositions  by  his  example, 
that  man  shall  be  highly  esteemed,  greatly  honored,  in  the  chris- 
tian church.'  Viewed  in  their  connection,  our  Lord's  words  ap- 
pear to  me  to  be  intended  to  convey  a  somewhat  different  mean- 
ing. 

The  Jewish  doctors  were  held  in  estimation,  and  admired  for 
the  dexterity  with  which  they  "rendered  void  the  command- 
ments of  God  by  their  traditions."  "  But,"  says  our  Lord,  "the 
teacher  who  explains  away  any  of  the  requisitions  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  and  who  encourages  others  in  their  violation  of  them  by  his 
example,  that  teacher  shall  be  little  thought  of;  he  shall  be  de- 
spised and  condemned  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven," — ^under  the  new 
djspensation  which  the  Messiah  is  to  introduce ;  while,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  teacher  who  fully  and  faithfully  expounds  the 
law  of  Moses,  and  pays  a  strict  attention  himself  to  its  statutes, 
that  man  shall  be  called  great — he  shall  be  highly  honored  and 
esteemed — in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, — under  the  New  Testament 
dispensation.  Instead  of  encouraging  his  followers  to  disregard 
the  law  of  Moses,  our  Lord  insists  on  the  most  scrupulous  ad- 
herence to  it,  "  till  all  things  should  be  fulfilled  ;"  and  when  all 
things  should  be  fulfilled,  and  not  only  an  iota  and  a  tittle,  but 
the  whole  law,  should  pass  away,  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
should  be  introduced,  not  the  neglecter  or  violator  of  the  law  of 
Moses,  but  the  person  who  had  strictly  and  conscientiously  ob- 
served it,  would  be  accounted  truly  honorable,  worthy  of  all  re- 
spect ;  so  that,  instead  of  requiring  less  from  his  disciples  than 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  did  from  theirs,  so  far  as  the  law  of 
Moses  was  concerned,  our  Lord  required  more. 

*"  Campbell's  rendering  is  preferable,  "  -were  it  the  least  of  these  command- 
ments." 

"'  Matt  V.  19. 


160  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 


IV.   THE    RIGHTEOUSNESS   OF   CHRISTIANS  SUPERIOR  TO  THE 
RIGHTEOUSNESS   OF  THE  SCRIBES   AND   PHARISEES. 

§  1.  Introductojn/  statement. 

"  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  except  your  righteousness  shall  ex- 
ceed the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in 
no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."" 

These  words  in  the  20th  verse  are  not  only  deserving  of 
our  most  considerate  attention,  as  embodying  a  most  important 
practical  truth,  but  as  being,  so  to  speak,  the  text  of  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  remainder  of  the  discourse,  occupied  in  illustrating, 
by  examples,  how  the  righteousness  of  the  citizens  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  was  to  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees. 

To  understand  a  discourse,  nothing  is  of  greater  importance 
than  a  clear  apprehension  of  its  object  and  design.  If  this  be 
not  distinctly  understood,  the  most  perspicuous  statements  may 
appear  obscure,  the  most  conclusive  arguments  unsatisfactory, 
and  the  most  apposite  illustrations  irrelevant.  A  great  deab  of 
the  obscurity  which,  in  most  men's  minds,  rests  on  verj^  many 
passages  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  is  to  be  accounted  for  on  this 
principle.  They  do  not  distinctly  perceive,  or  they  altogether 
misapprehend,  the  object  of  the  inspired  writer ;  and  while  they 
do,  it  would  be  wonderful  if  they  should  clearly  understand  his 
])articular  statements,  arguments,  and  illustrations.  The  object 
of  the  inspired  writers,  in  any  particular  part  of  their  writings, 
may  generally,  without  much  difficulty,  be  discovered  ;  and  when 
it  is  found  out,  it  is  the  best  key  for  unlocking  the  treasures 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge  therein  contained.  It  is  often  dis- 
tinctly stated  in  so  many  words,  and  when  it  is  not  so,  it  may 
usually,  by  a  heedful  perusal  of  the  context,  be  satisfactorily  as- 
certained, 

I  apprehend  a  good  deal  of  misinterpretation  has  prevailed  in 
reference  to  that  paragraph  of  our  Lord's  sermon  on  the  Mount, 
in  the  exposition  of  which  we  are  about  to  engage,  in  consequence 
of  mistakes  as  to  its  object  or  design. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some,  that  our  Lord's  object  is  to  ex- 
pound the  law  of  the  ten  coimnandments,  and  to  show,  by  a  few 
examples,  its  exceeding  breadth  and  spiritual  reference.  They 
suppose  that  our  Lord  asserts  that  the  sixth  commandment  for- 
bids not  only  murder,  but  malignant  feeling ;  and  the  seventh 
not  only  adultery,  but  impure  desire.  That  the  divine  law  docs 
take  cognizance  of  tlie  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  lieart,  there 
can  be  no  doubt,  and  that  malignant  feeling  and  impure  desires 
are  sins  in  the  estimation  of  Him  who  looks  on  the  heart ;  but 
whether  the  sixth  and  seventh  commandments,  strictly  speaking, 
do  forbid   anything  but  what,  in  plain  terms,  they  prohibit,  is  a 

"  Matt  y.  20, 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  161 

totally  different  question,  and  one  which,  I  apprehend,  our  Lord's 
statements  do  not  furnish  us  with  the  means  of  answering. 
There  is  nothing,  either  in  the  way  of  direct  statement  or  other- 
Avise,  to  lay  a  foundation  for  the  conclusion  that  our  Lord,  in  the 
remarks  which  we  are  about  to  illustrate,  had  it  for  his  object  to 
show  that  the  laAv  of  the  ten  commandments  had  a  hidden,  re- 
condite, spiritual  meaning,  besides  the  literal  signification  of  the 
words  in  which  it  is  couched. 

Others  have  supposed  that  our  Lord's  design  is  to  contrast  the 
morality  of  the  law  with  that  of  the  Gospel,  the  morality  of  Juda- 
ism with  the  morality  of  Christianity.  But  the  morality  of  the 
law,  and  the  morality  of  the  Gospel,  the  morality  of  Judaism,  as 
Judaism  is  taught  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  morality  of  Chrs- 
tianity,  as  Christianity  is  taught  in  the  New  Testament,  are  sub- 
stantially the  same.  Moses  requires  suprem.e  love  to  God,  and 
disinterested  love  to  man,  and  Jesus  Christ  requires  no  more. 
The  details  of  religion  and  moral  duty,  in  the  two  volumes  of 
inspired  Scriptures,  are,  no  doubt,  modified  by  the  circumstances 
in  which  the  church,  under  the  old  and  new  dispensations,  was 
placed ;  but  the  principles  of  religious  and  moral  duty  appear 
in  both  to  be  what  they  are,  what  they  cannot  but  be,  unchanged 
and  unchangeable,  like  him  in  whose  nature  they  originate,  and 
whose  will  they  express,  "  without  variableness  or  shadow  of 
turning."  "  That  which  is  of  the  Old  Testament  can  never  be 
M/i-christian,  it  is  only  ^/-oto-christian."*' 

The  object  of  our  Lord  seems  to  us  very  distinctly  and  clearly 
stated  by  himself,  in  the  twentieth  verse.  That  object  was  to 
show  that  the  system  of  religious  and  moral ,  duty,  which  was  to 
be  taught  and  exemplified  in  "  the  kingdom  of  God,"  the  new 
economy,  was  to  be  greatly  superior  to  that  system  of  religious 
and  moral  duty  taught  by  the  Scribes,  and  exemplified  by  the 
Pharisees;  and,  as  the  sj'stemof  duty  taught  by  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  was  generall\'  accounted  by  the  Jews  the  right  one, 
that  object  was  farther  to  impress  on  their  minds  the  great  truth, 
which  the  whole  discourse  seems  to  be  intended  to  illustrate  and 
enforce,' that  they  must  "repent,"  change  their  minds,  now  that 
"  the  kingdom  of  God  was  at  hand ;  for  unless  they,  by  this 
change  of  mind,  were  "  born  again,"  they  could  not  "  see  it," 
nor  "enter  into  it;"  they  could  not  understand  its  nature,  nor 
enjoy  its  blessings.  All  that  follows,  from  the  20th  verse 
down  to  the  18th  verse  of  the  next  chapter,  is  an  illustra- 
tion by  example  of  the  principle  here  stated.  Our  Lord's  object, 
then,  is  not  to  contrast  the  true  meaning  of  the  ten  command- 
ments with  the  limited  signification  ascribed  to  them  by  the 
Jewish  teachers ;  still  less  is  it  to  contrast  the  morality  of  the 
law  with  the  morality  of  the  Gospel ;  but  it  is  to  contrast  the 
righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  v/ith  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  kingdom  of  God,  that  is,  the  system  of  religious  and 
moral  duty  taught  by  the  Scribes,  and  exemplified  by  the  Phari- 

*3  Olshausoa. 
VOL.  r.  1  ] 


162  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

sees,  with  tlie  system  of  religious  and  moral  duty  to  be  taught 
and  exemplified  by  the  true  followers  of  Messiah   the  Prince. 

"  The  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees"  is  just  the 
system  of  religious  and  moral  duty  taught  and  exemplified  by 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees.  That  this  is  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase  is  plain  from  the  specimens  of  this  "  righteousness,"  which 
our  Lord  refers  to  in  the  succeeding  context. 

"  The  Scribes,"  so  often  mentioned  in  the  gospel  history,  were 
the  same  class  who  are  termed  "  mastery  in  Israel,"  and  "doctors 
of  the  law,"  expounders  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  They 
did  not  form  a  separate  sect,  though  they  seem  generally  to  have 
been  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees.*"  The  origin  of  this  sect  is 
involved  in  great  obscurity.  Their  distinctive  appellation  is 
equivalent  to  separatists,  and.  was  likely  assumed  by  them  to  in- 
dicate that  they  were  distinguished  jfrom  other  Jews  by  the 
gi"eater  strictness  of  their  manner  of  life.  At  the  time  of  our 
Lord's  appearance,  they  were  the  most  numerous — and,  when 
compared  with  the  infidel  Sadducees,  and  the  mystical  and  en- 
thusiastic Essenes,  the  most  respectable — of  the  Jewish  sects. 

The  Scribes  were  looked  up  to  by  the  Jewish  people  as  the 
teachers  of  religious  and  moral  dut}^ ;  and  the  Pharisees  were 
considered  as  the  class  which,  in  the  most  exemplary  manner, 
reduced  their  lessons  to  practice.  The  highest  idea  which  a  car- 
nal Jew  could  form  of  a  religious  man,  was  a  person  who,  in  his 
behavior,  conformed  himself  to  the  teaching  of  the  Scribes,  and 
to  the  example  of  the  Pharisees.  The  first  were  considered  as 
the  best  expounders  of  Scripture ;  the  latter  as  the  most  illus- 
trious patterns  of  holiness.  It  was  a  proverb  among  them  that, 
if  but  two  men  were  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  one 
would  be  a  Scribe,  and  the  other  a  Pharisee." 

Our  Lord's  doctrine  of  the  necessity  of  repentance,  or  a  change 
of  mind,  could  scarcely  be  put  in  a  form  more  calculated  to  asto- 
nish his  countrymen,  than  that  which  it  wears  in  these  words. 
They  expected  that  all  Jews  were,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  enter 
into  the  kingdom;  they  expected  that  Scribes  and  Pharisees 
would  occupy  high  places  of  distinction  and  honor  in  that  king- 
dom. How  must  they  have  been  amazed  to  hear  it  proclaimed 
that,  unless  a  man's  righteousness  exceeded  that  taught  by  the 
Scribes,  and  exemplified  by  the  Pharisees,  he  could  not  be  a  sub- 
ject of  that  kingdom  at  all !  The  general  idea  is,  '  The  religion 
and  the  morality  which  is  to  distinguish  the  citizens  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  is  to  be  of  a  far  more  exalted  character  than  that 
taught  by  the  Scribes,  and  exemplified  by  the  Pharisees.' 

The  prevailing  doctrines  among  the  Jewish  teachers,  in  the 
age  of  our  Lord,  respecting  religion  and  morality,  seem  to  have 
been  verx-^  corrupt.  They  are  said  to  have  maintained,  that  the 
doctors  of  the  Jaw,  and  the  high  council  at  Jerusalem,  had  a 
power  to  dispense  with  Divine  requisitions :  we  are  certain  that, 
oy  unauthorised  traditions,  and  by  false  interpretations  of  Scrip- 

**  TriglandiuB  de  tribus  Judieorum  sectis. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  163 

ture,  they  "  made  void  the  commandments  of  God."  And  the 
conduct  of  the  Pharisees  was  not  better  than  such  a  course  of 
instruction  might  be  expected  to  produce.  Under  an  appear- 
ance of  devotion,  they  were  strangers  to  the  spirit  of  piety  ;  and, 
pretending  to  uncommon  worth,  tliey  were  deficient  in  ordinary 
integrity.^" 

The  righteousness  taught  by  the  Scribes  and  exemplified  by 
the  Pharisees,  was  almost  entirety  external,  and  often  hypocriti- 
cal. It  consisted  almost  exclusively  in  a  round  of  bodily  obser- 
vances, and  even  these  were  often  performed  to  serve  a  purpose 
very  different  from  that  which  Avas  avowed  : — "  Woe  unto  you, 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  ye  devour  widows'  houses, 
and  for  a  pretence  make  long  prayers ;  therefore  ye  shall  receive 
the  greater  damnation."  "  Woe  unto  you,  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, hypocrites !  for  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and 
of  the  platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  and  excess. 
Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first  that  which  is  within  the  cup 
and  plattei-,  that  the  outside  of  them  may  be  clean  also.  Woe 
unto  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  ye  are  like  unto 
whited  sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful  outward,  but 
are  within  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness. 
Even  so  ye  also  outwardly  appear  righteous  unto  men,  but 
Avithin  ye  are  fall  of  hypocrisy  and  iniquity."'" 

It  Avas  extremely  partial.  They  made  a  selection  among  the 
Divine  precepts  ;  and,  while  they  scrupulously  obeyed  some,  and 
those  chiefl}^  of  secondary  importance,  they  systematically  vio- 
lated others,  and  those  of  prime  importance : — "  Woe  unto  you. 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye  pay  tithe  of  mint  and 
anise,  and  cummin,  and  have  omitted  the  Aveightier  matters  of 
the  law,  judgment,  mercy,  and  faith:  these  ought  ye  to  have 
done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone."" 

It  proceeded  from  principles  defective  or  unsound — not  from 
the  fear  and  love  of  God — from  respect  to  his  authority,  and  a 
desire  to  please  him— from  disintei-ested  benevolence,  or  even 
from  enlightened  self-love  ;  but  from  low,  confined  views  of  self- 
interest — from  a  Avish  to  obtain  human  applause,  and  secure 
Avealth  and  honor  for  themselves.  "  But  all  their  Avorks  they  do 
for  to  be  seen  of  men  :  they  make  broad  their  phylacteries,  and 
enlarge  the  borders  of  their  garments,  and  love  the  uppermost 
rooms  at  feasts,  and  the  chief  seats  in  t  le  synagogues,  and  greet- 
iuf,s  in  the  markets,  and  to  be  called  of  men,  Eabbi,  Eabbi."°* 

And,  Avhile  in  their  religion  and  morality  there  Avas  thus  so 
much  wanting,  and  so  much  Avrong,  they  yet  plumed  themselves 
on  them,  as  if  they  gave  them  a  title,  not  merely  to  the  respect 
of  men,  but  to  the  favour  of  God ;  not  only  to  the  good  things 
of  earth,  but  to  the  joys  of  heaven.     They  thanked  God  that 

65  For  many  of  the  thoughts  and  expressions  in  this  sketoh  of  the  righteousness 
of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Brewster. — Lectures,  pp. 
121-164. 

«6  Matt  xxiii.  14,  25-28.       '        ^i  Matt,  xxiii.  23.  *'*  Matt,  xxiii.  5-7. 


164  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

thev  were  not  as  other  men.  They  "  trusted  in  themselves,  that 
thej  were  righteous,  and  contemned  others."  They  said,  in  ex- 
act correspondence  with  the  appellation  thev  had  assumed  to 
themselves,  "  stand  by,  we  are  holiei-  than  you." 

Such  was  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees ;  and 
our  Lord's  assertion  is,  that  the  subjects  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
must  be  characterized  by  a  much  more  elevated  kind  of  religion 
and  morality.  Their  righteousness  must  be  spiritual  and  sin- 
cere ;  it  must  be  universal ;  it  must  originate  in,  and  be  sustained 
by,  pure  motives ;  and  it  must  never  be  made  a  ground  of  con- 
fidence before  God,  or  an  occasion  of  self-gratulation,  or  vain 
boasting. 

The  righteousness  or  religion  which  characterizes  the  true  sub- 
jects of  the  Messiah,  is  not,  like  that  of  the  Scribes  and  Phar- 
isees, merely  external ;  nor  is  it,  as  very  generally  in  the  case  of 
the  latter,  hypocritical.  What  is  external  in  it,  is  the  expres- 
sion of  thought  and  feeling,  and  the  genuine  expression  of 
thought  and  feeling.  Its  principle  is,  "  God  is  a  spirit ;  and  they 
who"  would  "  worship  him,  must  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth," 
"I  serve  God  with  my  spirit,"  says  the  apostle  Paul;  "we  are 
the  circumcision" — that  is,  the  true  people  of  God,  the  spiritual 
Israel — "  who  worship  God  in  the  .spirit.""" 

Universality,  in  opposition  to  partiality,  is  another  distinguish- 
ing feature  of  the  righteousness  by  which  the  true  subjects  of 
the  Messiah  are  characterized.  Knowing  that  every  part  of  the 
Divine  law  wears  the  stamp  of  supreme  authority,  they  "  account 
its  commandments  concerning  all  things  to  be  right,  and  abhor 
every  wicked  way." 

In  opposition  to  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
the  righteousness  which  distinguishes  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah, 
originates  in,  and  is  sustained  by,  motives  rising  out  of  the  char- 
acter and  will  of  God,  and  our  duty  and  happiness  as  connected 
with  these.  The  rule  is,  "  Whatsoever  ye  do,  do  it  lieartily,  as 
to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men."'" 

And,  finally,  the  righteousness  of  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah, 
onhke  that  oi'  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  must  never  be  made  a 
ground  of  confidence  before  God,  or  an  occasion  of  boasting. 
The  man  who  is  under  the  influence  of  the  views  wliicli  the 
Gospel  unfolds,  cannot  place  confidence  in  anything  but  in  the 
mercy  of  God  manifested  in  consistency  with  his  righteousness, 
through  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ.  Ilis  obedience,  even 
though  it  were  perfect,  could  not  afford  him  who  has  already 
violated  the  law,  and  incurred  its  penalty,  any  reasonable  ground, 
lor  hope  of  pardon  and  salvation ;  and  knowing,  as  he  does,  that 
his  best  services  are  defective  and  sinful,  he  sees  that  they  never 
can  deserve  to  be  rewarded,  for  their  own  sake,  but  need  to  be 
graciously  accepted,  for  the  sake  of  his  Saviour ;  and  well  aware 
that,  if  his  heart  and  life  be  more  in  accordance  with  the  mind 
and  will  of  God  than  those  of  some  of  his  fellow-men,  it  is  owing 

"  John  iii.  24.     Rom.  i.  9.     Phil.  iii.  3.  '  "  Col.  iii.  23. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  165 

entirely  to  the  operation  of  divine  influence, — he  sees  that  he  has 
great  cause  of  gratitude,  but  no  ground  of  pride,  for  that  it  is 
"  by  the  gi'ace  of  God,  that  he  is  what  he  is."  This  character- 
istic feature  of  the  righteousness  of  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah's 
kingdom,  is  beautirully  delineated  in  the  following  words  of  one 
of  the  holiest  of  these  subjects  ; — "Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count 
all  things  but  los-^  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  m}'  Lord :  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things, 
and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found 
in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law, 
but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  God  by  faith."" 

To  prevent  mistakes — mistakes  of  vital  importance  to  the  in- 
terests of  the  soul — it  is  necessary  again  to  remark  that  the 
design  of  our  Lord  is  not  to  state  the  terms  on  which  men  may 
obtain  the  Divine  favor,  but  to  delineate  the  characteristics  of 
the  religion  of  those  who  are  in  possession  of  the  Divine  favor. 
It  is  not  oar  Lord's  intention  to  say,  '  You  must  first  obtain  pos- 
session of  this  righteousness,  so  far  superior  to  that  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  and  then,  as  the  reward  of  your  exertions  in 
making  this  acquirement,  you  shall  be  made  partakers  of  the 
blessings  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;"  but  it  is  his  intention  to 
say,  '  You  have  not  entered  into  that  kingdom ;  you  are  not 
possessed  of  its  privileges  and  immunities,  whatever  may  be  your 
external  professions,  if  you  are  not  characterized  by  this  righte- 
ousness.' The  truth  is,  that  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  by  which  a 
man  enters  into  the  kingdom,  at  the  same  time  introduces  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  privileges  of  the  kingdom,  and  forms  the 
character  of  a  willing,  obedient,  happy,  subject  of  the  kingdom. 
The  answer  to  the  question.  How  is  tiiis  righteousness  to  be  ob- 
tained ?  is,  Through  the  faith  of  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 
That  truth,  believed,  "purifies the  heart;"  the  manifested  "grace 
of  God "  through  Christ  Jesus,  and  that  alone,  effectually 
"teaches  to  deny  ungodliness,  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live 
soberly,  righteously,  and  godly."" 

§  2.   The  righteousness  of  Christians,  and   that  of  the  Scribes  and 
PI larisces  compared,  in  reference  to  the  life  and  happiness  of  others. 

Having  stated  the  general  principle,  our  Lord  proceeds  to 
illustrate  it  by  a  variety  of  particular  instances,  in  which  the 
righteousness  of  those  who  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
must  exceed  that  taught  by  the  Scribes,  and  exempliiied  by  the 
Pharisees,  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  them  of  old 
time,  thou  shalt  not  kill ;  and  whosoever  shall  kill  shall  be  in 
danger  of  the  judgment.""  This  is  the  first  specimen  of  the 
righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  the  Pharisees ;  and  it  is  very 
good,  so  far  as  it  goes. 

"  riiil.  iil  8-9.  "  Acts.  xt.  'j.     Tit.  ii.  11,  12.  "^Matt  v.  21. 


166  THE   SERMON"   OX  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

The  words  rendered  "  by  thein  of  old  time,"  are  susceptible  of 
various  translations.  Tliej  may  be  rendered  "  in  ancient  times," 
or  "  to  the  ancients ;"  or,  as  our  translators  have  rendered,  "by 
the  ancients,"  or  them  of  old  time.  It  does  not  matter  very 
much  which  of  these  modes  of  rendering  is  adopted;  though, 
upon  the  whole,  we  consider  that  of  our  translators  as  the  pre- 
ferable one. 

By  "  them  of  old  time,"  some  understand  Moses,  in  whose 
writings,  no  doubt,  the  words,  "  thou  shalt  not  kill,"  are  to  be 
found :  but  it  seems  unnatural  to  call  Moses  "  them  of  old 
time  ;"  we  rather  think  our  Lord  here  quotes  the  very  words  of 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  when  teaching  their  disciples.  "  Ye 
have  heard,"  is  just  equivalent  to — 'The  Scribes  and  Pharisees 
are  accustomed,  when  explaining  human  duty,  to  use  this  lan- 
guage— "  It  is  said  by  them  of  old  time,"  that  is,  by  the  elders 
in  their  traditions,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  and  whosoever  shall  kill 
shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment."  ' 

In  teaching  this  department  of  human  duty,  they  confine  their 
attention  to  the  overt  act  of  violence  and  murder;  and  they  fix 
the  mind  on  the  temporal  punishment  awarded  by  the  law  for 
this  crime,  as  that  which  should  chiefl}^  or  solely  operate  on  the 
mind  as  a  motive  against  committing  it.  The  Scribes  and 
the  Pharisees  teach  that  men  should  not  take  away  one  another's 
lives  ;  and,  as  a  motive  to  induce  them  to  comply  with  this  law, 
they  say  that  he  Avho  violates  it  is  "  in  danger  of  the  judgment ;" 
or  rather,  is  liable  to,  is  exposed  to,  the  judgment.  "  The  judg- 
ment "  is  here  the  name  of  a  criminal  court.  In  every  city  in 
Judea,  according  to  Joscphus,  there  was  a  court,  consisting  of 
seven  judges,  who  had  the  power  of  life  and  death."  That  court 
is  here  termed  "  the  jvidgment." 

The  statement  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  then,  is  just  as  if 
a  person  in  this  country  were  saying,  '  It  is  the  law  of  the  land, 
that  no  man  commit  umrder ;  and  if  any  man  violate  this  law, 
he  is  liable  to  be  brought  before  the  High  Court  of  Justiciary, 
and  tried  ;  and,  if  found  guilty,  to  be  punished  with  death.' 

In  this  specimen  of  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, we  see  that  it  is  the  external  conduct  only  for  which  they 
legislate,  and  that  it  is  temporal  punishment  alone  by  which  they 
represent  the  law  respecting  mui-der  to  be  sanctioned. 

But  let  us  hear  our  Lord  explain  what,  on  this  particular  head 
of  moral  duty,  is  that  righteousness  which  exceeds  tlie  righteous- 
ness of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  without  knowing  and  ex- 
emplifying which,  a  man  cannot  be  a  subject  of  the  Messiah's 
kingdom : — "  But"  I  say  unto  you.  That  whosoever  is  angry  with 
his  brother  without  a  cause  shall  be  in  danger  of  tlie  judgment; 
and  whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother,  llaca,  shall  be  in  danger 
of  the  council ;  but  whosoever  shall  say.  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in 
danger  of  hell-fire."" 

"<  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  ii.  xx.  5;  Aut.  JiiJ.  Lib.  iv.  viii.  14. 

T>  "  'Eyw  (it  ?.iyu  v/ih'.  lUuU  iyti  acute  pronuuoiaiidutn." — Prio.«U8.    "^  Matt.  v.  22. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTLAJTITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  167 

The  general  meaninfr  of  these  words  is  plain  enough  :  "  The 
righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees"  speaketh  on  this 
wise — '  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  and  if  thou  dost,  thou  must  be  tried 
for  thy  life  ;'  but  "  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven" 
says — '  Thou  shall  not  cherish  malignant  feeling  towards  any 
man,  nor  manifest  it  in  any  way :  and  if  thou  dost,  thou  wilt 
offend  God,  and  expose  thyself  to  severer  punishments  than  any 
which  man  can  inflict  on  man.'  But  let  us  look  at  the  words 
somewhat  more  closely.  Let  us  see  what  the  righteousness  of 
the  kingdom  forbids,  and  then  let  us  see  what  are  the  punish- 
ments which  it  denounces  on  those  who  commit  the  crimes  it 
forbids. 

It  forbids  our  being  "  angry  with  our  brother  without  a  cause,"' 
that  is — it  forbids  all  unreasonable  anger, — anger  without  a  suf- 
ficient reason ;  and  it,  moreover,  forbids  all  immoderate  anger, 
that  is,  anger  in  a  higher  degree,  and  for  a  longer  time,  than  is 
lawful.  The  lawfulness  of  anger  has  been  questioned  by  some 
christian  moralists,  but  on  very  insufficient  grounds.  The  very 
words  before  us  seem  to  imply,  that  if  it  be  forbidden  to  be 
angry  "  without  a  cause,"  it  is,  at  least,  permitted  to  be  angry 
with  a  cause.  The  apostle  Paul  commands  us  to  "be  angry  and 
sin'  not" — words  which  seem  to  intimate,  not  only  that  it  is 
possible  to  be  angry  without  sinning,  but  that  there  are  circum- 
stances in  which  we  would  sin  if  we  were  not  angTy.  The 
apostle  James  seems  to  teach  us  the  same  truths  when  he  bids  us 
"  be  slow  to  wrath ;""  and  we  know  that  the  perfect  Exemplar 
of  holiness  in  human  nature  was  not  incapable  of  this  emotion ; 
for  we  read,  on  one  occasion,  that  he  was  not  only  "  grieved  for 
the  hardness  of  the  hearts"  of  his  audience,  but  "he  looked  round 
on  them  with  anger."'® 

It  is  obvious,  however,  that  the  principal,  if  not  the  only  oc- 
casion when  anger  is  lawfal,  is,  when  it  is  directed  against  sin ; 
and  then  the  strong  feeling  of  disapprobation  is  expressive  of 
zeal  for  the  Divine  honor,  and  is  quite  compatible  with,  and 
ought  ahvays  to  be  accompanied  by,  a  sincere  wish  for  the  true 
happiness  of  him  with  whom  we  are  angry.  Whenever  it  pro- 
ceeds from  pride  and  selfishness — whenever  it  is  accompanied 
with  malignant  feeling  towards  its  object — it  is,  undoubtedly, 
sinful ;  and  when  we  think  of  the  diificulty  of  regulating  this 
passion,  and  the  great  hazard  of  its  hurrying  us  into  offences 
against  the  law  of  love,  we  surely  should  have  very  good  cause, 
before  we  venture  to  indulge  in  it.  It  is  obvious  that  all  cause- 
less anger  is  sinful — all  anger  without  a  good  reason,  and  all 
anger  which,  in  degTee  or  continuance,  exceeds  the  reason  which 
may  exist. 

A  second  thing  forbidden  by  "  the  righteousness  of  the  king- 

"7  Epk  iv.  26.  James  i.  19. 

7^  Mark  iii.  5.  "  Merito  elu?/  additum.   Neque  enini  iracuudus  est  quisquis  irasci 

aolet,  sed  qui  ov(,  ov  del,  nal  M'  olc  ov  del,  koI  jiaAlov  y  (5e(,  ut  Aristoteles  loquitur." 
— Geotius. 


168  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

dom,"  is  the  calling  our  brother  "  raca."  In  the  dialect  gene- 
rally used  among  the  Jevy^s  in  the  time  of  our  Lord,  "  Eaca"' 
was  a  word  of  contempt  and  displeasure  which  angry  persons 
were  in  the  habit  of  applying  to  the  objects  of  their  displeasure. 
It  means  an  empty,  insignificant,  worthless  fellow.  The  qualify- 
ing phrase,  "  without  cause,"  seems  intended  to  extend  to  all  the 
three  statements  made  here.  We  are  not,  without  a  cause,  and 
without  a  very  sufficient  cause,  to  say  of  another  person,  "  He  is  a 
worthless  fellow,"  nor  to  say  to  him,  "  You  are  a  good-for-nothing 
miscreant."  There  may  be  a  good  reason,  however,  for  saying 
this,  and  a  great  deal  more  than  this,  both  of  and  to  men.  Our 
Lord  uses  worse  words  than  raca  both  of  and  to  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees;  but  he  does  not  do  it  "  without  a  cause."  All  abusive 
language  Ls  forbidden  by  the  law  of  the  kingdom — all  language 
expressive  of  malignity  and  of  undue  anger  or  contempt. 

A  third  thing  forbidden  by  this  law,  is  the  saying  to  a  brother, 
"  Thou  fool,"  or  rather  Moreh;  for,  I  apprehend,  the  word  is  uot 
a  Greek,  but  a  Hebrew  one,"'  and,  like  Raca,  should  not  have 
been  translated — a  word  expressive  of  still  greater  contempt  and 
detestation — signifying  a  rebel  and  apostate.  This  was  the  worst 
thing  a  Jew  could  say  of  a  Jew.  This  part  of  the  law  of  the 
kingdom  prohibits  all  rash  reflections  on  our  neighbor's  character, 
and  especially  all  harsh  judgments  rc.-3pecting  his  spiritual  state. 
There  may  be  cases  in  which  the  law  of  love  absolutely  requires 
us  to  say  to  a  man  that  he  is  an  apostate,  while  we  use  every 
means  in  our  power  to  reclaim  him.  But  what  is  forbidden  here 
is  the  using  such  terms  without  sufficient  reason,  and  as  an  ex- 
pression of  malignant  feeling. 

Let  us  now  attend  to  the  punishment  to  which,  according  to 
the  law  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  these  oflPences  expose  him  who 
is  guilty  of  them.  "  He  who  is  angry  with  his  brother  without  a 
cause  is  in  danger,"  is  liable  to  be  exposed  to  "  the  judgment." 
I  have  already  stated  that  "  the  judgment"  was  the  name  of 
t  hose  inferior  law  courts,  one  of  which  w^as  to  be  found  in  every 
-Fewish  city,  which  took  cognizance  of  ordinary  crimes,  such  as 
nmrder,  and  had  the  power  of  life  and  death.  These  words  are 
not  to  be  interiDreted  literallj^,  for  certainly  Messiah  the  Prince 
has  not  erected  any  court  similar  to  that  which  the  Jews  termed 
'the  judgment,"  hy  which  persons  who  are  guilty  of  causeless 
anger  are  to  be  tried  and  punished.  The  meaning  is,  '  He  who 
is  causelessly  angry  with  his  brother  is,  in  my  estimation,  not 
less  worthy  of  punishment  than  he  who,  on  account  of  a  crime 
committed  by  him,  is  dragged  before  "  the  judgment,"  and  is  by 
the  assessors  condemned.' 

79  "The  word  Tr:rz,  here  used  by  the  evangelist,  differs  only  in  number  from 
c^'ia,  the  cotnpellation  by  which  Moses  and  Aiiron  addressed  the  people  of  Israel, 
when  they  said  (Numb.  xx.  10),  with  manifest  and  indecent  passion,  as  rendered 
in  our  English  Bible,  'Hear  now,  ye  rehdn;'  and  wore,  for  their  punishment,  not 
permitted  to  enter  the  land  of  Canaan." — Vide  Campbell,  J^rt'f.  to  Mattlicws 
Ooapcl,  §  26.  Pauhi.'^,  a  respectable  authority  on  such  a,  subject,  adopts  this 
exegesis,  and  refers  to  I'saL  xxviii.  8.  '  See  Note  G. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PUAKISAISM.  109 

He  who  calls  his  brotlier  "  raca"  is  in  danger,  or  is  exposed 
to  "  the  council."  The  council  here  means  the  Sanhedrim — the 
highest  court  of  judicature  among  the  Je'Cvs,  both  political  and 
ecclesiastical,  consisting  of  seventy  judges.  The  seat  of  this 
court  was  at  Jerusalem.  This  court  took  cognizance  only  of  the 
more  flagrant  crimes,  and  had  the  power  of  condemning,  not 
only  to  death  by  the  sword,  but  by  stoning,  which  was  accounted 
a  more  severe  and  disgraceful  mode  of  punishment.  The  mean- 
ing of  our  Lord's  statement,  then,  is — '  He  who  not  merely 
cherishes  unreasonable  anger  against  his  brother,  but  uses  re- 
proachful and  contemptuous  language  towards  him,  is  guilty  of 
a  still  greater  crime  than  he  who  is  only  "  angry  at  him  without 
a  cause,"  and  is  exposed  to  a  punishment  proportionally  more 
severe.' 

He  who  calls  his  brother  "  fool,"  or  rather  "  moreh,"  rebel, 
apostate,  miscreant,  he  is  "  in  danger  of  hell-fire."  The  phrase 
"  hell-fire"  is  literally  "  the  gehenna  of  fire."  "  Gehenna"  is 
the  Syro-Chaldaic  word  for  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  or  of  the  son 
of  Hinnom,  called  also  Tophet.  This  was  a  fertile  valley,  lying 
to  the  south  of  Jerusalem,  which  had  been  the  scene  of  some  of 
the  most  abominable  rites  of  idolatrous  worship.*"  Here  it  was 
customary,  during  the  prevalence  of  idolatry,  to  burn  children 
alive,  in  honor  of  Moloch  or  Baal ;  and  the  name  of  Tophet, 
which  signifies  a  drum  or  tabor,  was  borrowed  from  the  custom 
of  attempting  to  drown  the  cries  of  the  victims  by  such- noisy 
music.  After  the  return  from  the  captivity,  the  Jews  showed 
their  abhorrence  of  the  transactions  of  which  this  place  had  been 
the  scene,  by  making  it,  after  the  example  of  Josiah,  the  recep- 
tacle of  dead  carcases,  and  other  filth  cast  out  of  the  city ;  and 
fires  were  kept  constantly  burning  in  it  to  consume  this  refuse. 
Hence  the  Jews  came  to  use  the  word  "  gehenna"  as  the  name  of 
the  place  of  punishment  after  death."  In  this  sense,  it  is  gen 
erally  used  in  the  New  Testament.  In  the  passage  before  us,  we 
understand  it  literally.  Our  Lord's  meaning  seems  to  be  :  '  He 
who  not  only  is  angry  with  his  brother  without  a  cause  ;  who  not 
only,  without  a  cause,  speaks  to  him  contemptuously  and  re- 
proachfully ;  but  who,  without  a  cause,  charges  him  with  apos- 
tasy, calls  him  not  only  foolish,  but  wicked,  holds  him  up  not 
only  to  the  contempt,  but  to  the  hatred,  of  mankind, — his  guilt 
is  still  greater,  and  he  deserves  still  severer  punishment.  If  he 
who  is  angry  witliout  cause  deserves  to  be  tried  and  punished  by 
the  judgment,  and  he  who  calls  his  brother  "  raca"  deserves  to 
be  tried  or  punished  by  the  Sanhedrim,  he  who  calls  his  brother 
"  moreh"  deserves  to  be  cast  out  as  refuse  into  the  valley  of  Hin- 
nom, and  there  to  be  consumed.' 

The  general  idea  is,  '  The  law  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  is 
much  more  strict  in  its  requisitions,  and  terrible  in  its  sanctions, 
than  the  Mosaic  law  as  expounded  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 

""  2  Kings  xxiii.  10. 

*'  Vide  b.  Petiti  Lcctioues  Variie.  CriticL  Sacri.     Vol.  vii. 


170  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

Under  the  Jewish  law,  murder  is  punished ;  but  under  the 
Christian  dispensation,  unreasonable  anger  will  be  esteemed  as 
black  a  crime,  and  punished  as  severely  as  murder  is  among  the 
Jews,  and  all  malevolent  affection  and  the  expression  of  it,  will 
expose  to  punishments,  the  least  of  which  will  be  more  severe 
than  that  awarded  by  the  Jewish  law  to  him  who  deprives  his 
fellow-man  of  life.' 

Let  us  remember,  my  friends,  that  we  live  under  this  dispen- 
sation, and  that  if  we  enjoy  its  advantages,  we  are  exposed  to  its 
hazards.  Let  us  never  forget  the  declaration,  that  "  he  who 
hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer,  and  we  know  that  no  murderer 
hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him."*^  Let  us  remember  that  none 
who  are  characterized  bj  "  hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath, 
strife,  envyings,  murders " — that  none  who  do  these  things — 
"shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  Let  us  remember  that  it 
is  the  law  of  our  Lord,  that  we  love  one  another,  as  he  hath 
loved  us  : — "Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clam- 
or, and  evil-speaking,  be  put  away  from  you  with  all  malice :" 
and  "  put  on,  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  bowels  of  mercies, 
kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering :  for- 
bearing one  anotlier,  and  forgiving  one  another,  if  any  man  have 
a  quarrel  against  any :  even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do 
ye."- 

In  the  words  which  follow,  our  Lord  draws  some  important 
practical  conclusions  from  the  statement  he  had  made,  the  sub- 
stance of  which  may  be  thus  expressed  : — '  Eeligious  worship 
cannot  be  acceptable,  while  he  who  offers  it  continues  under  the 
influence  of  malignant  principle  ;  and  as  malignant  principle  ex- 
poses to  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  will  be  punished  by  him,  it 
is  the  interest  of  all  to  rid  themselves  of  its  bondage,  before  they 
stand  at  his  judgment-scat,  where  a  final  and  irreversible  sen- 
tence will  be  pronounced  on  them.' 

Such  is,  I  api^rehend,  the  general  meaning.  Let  us  now  ex- 
amine the  words  somewhat  more  particularly: — "Therefore,  if 
thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there  remeniberest  that  thy 
brother  hath  ought  against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the 
altar,  and  go  thy  way ;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and 
then  come  and  offer  thy  gift."** 

It  was  the  doctrine  of  the  Scribes,  and  the  practice  of  the 
Pharisees  corresponded  with  it,  that  anger,  hatred,  and  the  ex- 
pression of  these,  if  they  did  not  go  so  far  as  overt  acts  of  vio- 
lence, were  among  the  minor  faults ;  and  that  God  would  not 
severely  judge  men  for  these,  if  they  were  but  regular  in  present- 
ing their  sacrifices,  and  observing  tlie  other  external  duties  of 
religious  worship.  In  opposition  to  this,  our  Lord  teaches,  that, 
according  to  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom,  having  one's 
mind  not  subject  to  the  law  of  justice  and  love,  would  render  aU 
external  religious  services  unacceptable  to  God. 

*''  1  John  iii.  15.  "  Gal.  v.  L'O,  'Jl.     Eph.  iv.  ol.     Col.  iii.  12,  1.3. 

"  Matt.  V.  2;},  24. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  171 

Under  the  law  of  Moses,  various  gifts  and  sacrifices  were  pre- 
sented, some  of  tliese  were  absolutely  obligatory,  and  the  occa- 
sions on  which  they  Avere  to  be  offered  are  very  particularly  de- 
scribed ;  others,  thoiigh  not  expressly  prescribed,  were  considered 
as  becoming  tokens  of  religious  gratitude.  These  were  denomi- 
nated "  free-will  ofPerings,"  as  their  being  presented  was  left  to 
the  option  of  the  worshipper.  Some  have  supposed,  that  there  is 
a  particular  reference  to  this  last  species  of  religious  gifts  in  the 
passage  before  us  ;  we  rather  think  that  the  word  is  to  be  under- 
stood in  its  general  sense,  and  that  "  when  thou  briugest  thy  gift 
to  the  altar,"  is  just  equivalent  to,  '  When  thou  art  about  to  per- 
form a  solemn  act  of  religion.  If  at  that  time  the  individual  re- 
membered that  his  brother  had  ought  against  him,  he  was  to  leave 
his  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  his  way,  and  be  reconciled  to  his 
brother,  and  then  come  and  offer  his  gift.' 

A  "brother,"  here,  is  equivalent  to  a  fellow-man.  For  are  we 
not  all  brethren?  Hath  not  God  "  made  us  all  of  one  blood?" 
"  Have  we  not  all  one  Father?  Hath  not  one  God  created  us ?'"' 
To  "  remember  that  our  brother  has  ought  against  us,"  is  to  re- 
collect that  we  have  done  some  injury  to  him,  that  we  have 
treated  him  in  some  way  or  other  unsuitable  to  the  relation  in 
which  we  stand  to  him,  not  as  a  brother — to  be  conscious  that 
we  have  wronged  him. 

In  this  case  the  person,  instead  of  oiiering  his  gift,  is  to  go  im- 
mediately to  his  brother,  and  to  be  reconciled  to  him ;  dismissing 
all  malignant  feeling  from  his  mind,  he  is  to  repair  the  injury  he 
has  done  to  his  brother.  If  he  has  deprived  him  of  his  property, 
he  is  to  restore  it ;  if  he  has  calumniated  him,  he  is  to  do  all  that 
lies  in  his  power  to  counteract  the  effect  of  his  calumny,  and 
acknowledge  his  regret  for  having  acted  so  unbrotherly  a  part. 
In  this  way  he  is  likely  to  be  reconciled  to  his  brother,  that  is, 
to  be  restored  to  his  brother's  favor. 

And  here  I  may  remarlc  by  the  way,  that,  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, to  be  reconciled  to  another  does  not  signify  so  much  to 
cherish  kindly  feelings  towards  one  with  whom  we  have  been 
offended,  as  to  be  restored  to  the  favor  of  one  whom  we  have 
offended.  This  throws  light  on  one  of  the  most  important  ex- 
hortations in  the  word  of  inspiration,  addressed  to  sinners  : — "  Be 
ye  reconciled  to  God,"  that  is,  '  not  lay  aside  your  dislike  of  God,' 
— though  that  too  is  a  duty — but  it  is  "  Be  restored  to  the  Divine 
favor,  which  you  have  forfeited."  "Receive  the  grace,"  the  free 
favor,  "  of  God."  In  the  faith  of  the  Gospel,  enter  on  the  possess- 
ion of  the  blessing  of  having  for  your  God  "Him,  who  is  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  not  imputing  unto  men 
their  trespasses."^" 

On  being  reconciled  to  his  brother,  the  officer  is  to  return  to 
the  temple,  and  then  present  his  gift.  The  general  principle  is 
this,  the  person  who  is  conscious  of  an  unrepaired  wrong  to  his 
fellow-man,  cannot  be  an  acceptable  worshipper  of  God. 

»^  Acts  xvii.  20.     Mai.  ii.  lU.  "^  2  Cor.  v.  18-21. 


172  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT,        [EXP.  IV. 

It  is  necessary  here,  however,  to  guard  agaiust  mistakes.  The 
man  who  rests  his  hope  of  the  acceptance  of  his  rehgious  services, 
on  the  consciousness  of  his  brother  having  nothing  against  him — 
on  the  consciousness  of  his  having  wronged  no  man — is  leaning 
on  a  broken  reed.  Tlie  only  gi'ound  of  hope  for  tlic  acceptance 
of  our  persons  or  services  is  the  free  grace  of  God ;  but  it  is  a 
plain  proof,  that  that  grace  is  not  believed  by  me,  and  therefore 
cannot  be  the  gi^ound  of  my  hope,  if  it  is  not  influencing  my  tem- 
per towards  my  brethren  of  mankind.  The  man  who  wilfully 
injures  a  brother,  and  persists  in  that  wilful  injury,  gives  plain 
evidence  that  the  love  of  God  is  not  shed  abroad  in  his  heart, 
and  he  cannot  be  an  acceptable  worshipper,  till  he  has  obtained 
mercy  himself  through  the  faith  of  the  truth.  That  faith,  work- 
ing by  love,  will  immediately  lead  him  to  repair  all  injuries  which 
he  is  aware  of  having  done  to  his  brother. 

This  passage  is  strangely  supposed  by  many  to  have  some  pe- 
culiar reference  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  is  often  grossly  abused, 
as  if  it  fui-nished  a  reason  for  neglecting  the  observance  of  that 
ordinance,  when  any  of  our  fellow  church  members  has  done  any- 
thing to  displease  us.  These  persons  seem  to  act  as  if  the  words 
ran,  not  'If  thy  brother  have  ought  agaiust  thee,'  but  'If  thou 
hast  ought  against  thy  brother.'  If  any  of  my  fellow  church 
members  do  anything  that  offends  or  dis]3leases  me,  the  first 
question  I  ought  to  ask  myself  is,  Ought  I  to  be  offended  or  dis- 
pleased ?  And  if  I  am  convinced  on  good  grounds  that  I  ought, 
then  my  duty  is  to  go  to  my  offending  brother,  and  tell  him  his 
fault  alone ;  and  if  this  does  not  reclaim  him,  then  I  am  to  go 
with  one  or  two  brethren  to  remonstrate  with  him  ;  and  if  this  is 
ineffectual,  then  I  am  to  bring  the  matter  before  the  proper 
ecclesiastical  assembly  ;  all  this  is  my  duty  ;"  but  in  no  step  of 
the  process  can  this  form  a  proper  reason  for  my  neglecting  to 
do  my  duty  in  obeying  our  Lord's  command — "  Do  this  in  re- 
membrance of  me."  But  the  passage}  has  no  peculiar  reference 
to  the  Lord's  Supper;  it  teaches  the  general  doctrine,  that  re- 
ligious worship,  performed  by  a  person  under  the  influence  of 
an  unjust  and  malignant  disjDosition,  cannot  be  acceptable  to 
God,  and  this  is  just  as  applicable  to  secret  prayer,  as  to  observ- 
ing the  Lord's  Supper. 

Our  Lord  proceeds  to  urge  the  duty  of  being  immediately  re- 
conciled to  the  brother  whom  we  have  injured,  lest,  dying  under 
the  guilt  which  unrcpented  of  and  unrepaired  injuries  to  our 
brother  necessarily  involve,  we  sliould  be  plunged  into  hopeless 
destruction.  For  this  does  seem  to  me  the  force  of  the  Avords  in 
the  25th  verse,  " agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly,  v.hiles  thou 
art  in  the  way  with  him  ;  lest  at  any  time  the  adversary'  deliver 
thee  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and 
thou  be  cast  into  prison."** 

Some  very  good  interpreters,  I  am  av/are,  consider  this  verse 
as  containing  a  counsel  of  prudence  with  regard  to  the  manage- 
"  Matt,  xviii.  16,  17.  83    Matt.  v.  25. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHAEISAISM.  •  173 

raent  of  differences,  an  advice  to  avoid  as  rancli  as  possible  eyeing 
into  law-courts  to  have  them  decided.  Such  a  counsel  Avill  be 
readil}^  admitted  by  all  1o  be  a  ^Yise  one ;  and  it  could  scarcely 
be  couched  in  more  appropriate  terras.  But  still  I  cannot  he!]") 
thinking,  that  such  a  mode  of  interpretation  strangely  breaks  tlie 
train  of  our  Lord's  illustration,  and  weakens  the  force  of  hi- 
argument,  besides  making  the  explication  of  this  verse  itself  ex- 
ceedingly perplexed.  The  language  of  these  verses  is  evidently 
too  strong  to  be  confined  to  the  effect  of  an  unsuccessful  litiga- 
tion; and,  accordiuglj',  those  who  explain  them  in  this  way, 
commonly  suppose  that  they  have  an  ultimate  reference  to  the 
last  judgment,  thus  giving  at  once  a  literal  and  metaphorical 
sense  to  the  same  words. 

"  Agree  with  thine  adversary"  is  the  same  as  "  be  reconciled 
to  thy  brother," — 'Seek  restoration  to  his  favor  by  repairing  the 
injury  you  have  done  him.  For  you  and  he  are  like  two 
litigants  going  to  the  judgment-seat.  You  are  as  certainly  going 
forward  to  the  tribunal  of  God,  where  your  injury  against  your 
brother  will  become  the  matter  of  judicial  inquiry,. — ^as  if  the 
man  you  have  injured  were  dragging  you  before  a  human  court 
of  law.  There  is  no  time  to  be  lost.  Should  you  die  while  mal- 
ice rankles  in  your  bosom,  and  the  wrong  you  have  done  is  un- 
repaired, then  you  are  as  it  were  finally  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  the  judge  ;  there  is  no  longer  room  for  reparation.'  "  Should 
you  die  in  such  a  state,  what  would  be  your  portion?  Dying 
under  the  influence  of  malignity,  you  must  be  utterly  unqualified 
for  joining  the  blessed  assembly  above,  where  all  is  peace  and 
love.  If  you  die  in  a  state  of  mind  unfit  for  worshipping  God 
on  earth,  will  you  not  be  still  more  unfit  to  worship  him  in 
heaven  ?  You  are  in  danger  then  of  being  cast  into  a  prison 
from  which  you  will  never  escape,  of  being  called  to  make  a  rep- 
aration which  you  will  never  be  able  to  pay,  of  being  delivered 
over  to  a  punishment  which  will  never  come  to  an  end."®°  "  Yer- 
ily,  I  say  unto  thee.  Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence, 
till  thou  hast  paid  the  uttermost  farthing.'"" 


6. 


The  righteousness  of  Christians  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  compared,  in  reference  to  chastity. 

In  the  verses  vvdiich  follow,  our  Lord  brings  forward  another 
example  of  the  superiority  of  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  to  "  the  ]-ighteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees."  _  It 
is  borrowed  from  that  department  of  moral  requisitions  which 
has  a  reference  to  chastity  ;  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by 
them  of  old  time.  Thou"  shalt  not  commit  adultery:  But  I  say 
unto  you,  That  whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her, 
hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart."" 

In  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  the  man 
89  Brewster.  ^  Matt.  v.  20.  »'  Matt.  v.  26,  27. 


174  THE   SERArON   ON   THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

wlio  was  guilty  of  the  crime  of  ad  alter  v,  was  considered  as  un- 
chaste ;  anything  short  of  this,  seems  by  them  to  have  been  con- 
sidered as  not  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  a  good  man ; 
but  in  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  the  desire  of  sin  is  sin ; 
and  he  who  allows  himself  to  cherish,  in  any  degree,  a  wish  after 
what  is  forbidden,  is  considered  as  a  transgressor.  The  wanton 
look,  the  impure  imagination,  the  irregular  desire,  are,  in  the  es- 
timation of  the  one  Lawgiver,  violations  of  the  law  of  purity. 

No  sin  is  more  strongly  prohibited  in  the  law  of  Christ  than 
impurity.  "  Fornication  and  all  uncleanness,"  says  an  apostle, 
"let  it  not  be  once  named  among  you.'"^^  No  species  of  sin  is 
more  degrading  to  the  intellectual  and  moral  nature  of  man. 
"  Fleshly  lusts  war  against  the  soul."  They  obscure  the  mind, 
they  harden  the  heart,  they  pervert  the  affections.  They  unfit 
the  mind  for  the  exercises  and  the  pleasures  of  religion,  and  in 
their  unhappy  victim  all  the  emotional  part  of  our  nature  seems 
strangely  converted  into  one  depraved  feeling  of  brutal  selfish- 
ness.*' 

This  species  of  sin  is  in  direct  opposition  to  the  design  of  God 
in  the  gospel  econom3^  "  For  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your 
sanctification,  that  ye  should  abstain  from  fornication  :  that  every 
one  of  you  should  know  how  to  possess  his  vessel  in  sanctification 
and  honor ;  and  not  in  the  lust  of  concupiscence,  even  as  the 
Gentiles  which  know  not  God :  for  God  hath  not  called  us  unto 
uncleanness,  but  unto  holiness.'""*  Christ  "gave  himself  for  us, 
that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  him- 
self a  peculiar  people."*' 

Impurity  is  utterfy  inconsistent  with  fellowship  with  God,  and, 
if  indulged  in  any  of  its  forms,  will  assuredly  exclude  from  the 
enjoyment  of  the  celestial  blessedness : — "  Meats  for  the  belly, 
and  the  belly  for  meats :  but  God  shall  destroy  both  it  and 
them.  Now  the  body  is  not  for  fornication,  but  for  the  Lord, 
and  the  Lord  for  the  body."  "  Know  ye  not  that  your  bodies 
are  the  members  of  Christ  ?  shall  I  then  take  the  members  of 
Christ,  and  make  them  the  members  of  an  harlot  ?  God  forbid." 
"  Flee  fornication.  Every  sin  that  a  man  doeth  is  without  the 
body  ;  but  he  that  committeth  fornication  sinneth  against  his  own 
body.  What!  know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye  are 
not  your  own?"°°  "Know  yo  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of 
God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you  ?""'  "  Know 
ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God  ?     Be  not  deceived ;  neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor 

92  Eph.  V.  3. 

9-<  Burns — one  who  iinliappily  could  speak  from  experieacc  ou  this  subject — 
one  never  to  be  named  but  with  admiration,  and  pity,  and  strong  moral  disap- 
probation,— says,  most  strikingly:  — 

" Oil,  it  liardcns  a'  within, 

And  petrifies  the  feeling." 
"  1  Thess.  iv.  3-7.  "  Titus,  ii.  14. 

"  1  Cor.  vi.  13,  15,  18,  19.  »M  Cor.  iii.  16. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  175 

adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  man- 
kind, nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor 
extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.'"'  "  For  this  ve 
know,  that  no  whoremonger,  nor  unclean  person,  nor  covetous 
man,  who  is  an  idolater,  liath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  of  God.""  "The  fearful  and  unbelieving,  and  the 
abominable,  and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers, 
and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone  :  which  is  the  second  death."*""' 

To  temptations  to  impurity  in  some  of  its  forms,  we  are  con- 
stantly exposed,  and  it  requires  constant  vigilance  to  avoid  fall- 
ing before  some  of  them.  There  are  a  few  advices  which,  on 
this  subject,  I  Avould  affectionately  urge  on  the  attention  of  the 
young.  Be  on  your  guard  against  loose  and  unprincipled  com- 
panions. "  Be  not  deceived  ;  evil  communications  corrupt  good 
manners."  It  is  impossible  to  associate  intimately  with  the  pro- 
fligate without  danger.  Abstain  from  the  perusal  of  books 
tainted  with  impurity.  These  are  scarcely  less  mischievous — in 
many  cases  they  are  more  so — than  the  company  of  the  wicked. 
The  deliberate  perusal  of  such  books  is  a  plain  proof  that  the 
mind  and  conscience  are  already  in  a  deeply-polluted  state. 
Keep  at  a  distance  from  all  indelicate  and  even  doubtful  amuse- 
ments— I  allude  chiefly  to  theatrical  amusements — where  the 
mind  is  exposed,  in  many  instances,  to  all  the  evils  at  once  of  de- 
praved society  and  licentious  writing.  Seek  to  have  your  minds 
occupied,  and  your  affections  engaged  with  "  things  unseen  and 
eternal."  Habitually  realize  the  intimate  presence  of  that  God, 
who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity.  Never  forget  that 
his  eye  is  on  your  heart,  and  that  "  ail  things  are  naked  and 
opened "  to  him ;  and,  as  one  of  the  best  and  most  effectual 
methods  of  mortifying  your  members  which  are  on  the  earth — 
crucifying  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts,  "  Set  your 
affections  on  things  above  ;"  "  Seek  the  things  which  are  at  God's 
right  hand.'"  Never  tamper  with  temptations,  bat  "  flee  youth- 
ful lusts;"  watch  and  "pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  tempta- 
tion.'" 

With  a  particular  reference  to  sins  against  purity,  our  Lord 
lays  it  down  as  a  general  principle,  applicable  to  all  violations  of 
the  Divine  law,  that  there  is  no  degree  of  self-denial  to  which  we 
ought  not  readily  to  submit,  in  order  to  secure  ourselves  from  the 
commission  of  sin,  the  natural  result  of  which  is  unqualified  and 
everlasting  destruction : — "  And  if  thy  right  eye  offend  thee, 
pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  for  it  is  profitable  for  thee 
that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish,  and  not  that  thy  whole 
body  should  be  cast  into  hell.  And  if  thy  right  hand  offend 
thee,  cut  it  off,  and  cast  it  from  thee  :  for  it  is  profitable  for  thee 
that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish,  and  not  that  thy  whole 
body  should  be  cast  into  hell.'" 

"»  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  "  Eph.  v.  5.  """  Rev.  xxi.  8. 

»  CoL  iii.  2-6.  2  2  Tim.  ii.  22.    Matt.  xxvi.  41.  ^  Matt  v.  29,  30. 


176     '        THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT,         [EXP.  IV. 

The  meaning  of  tlie  word  "  offend"  here  is  not  to  '  displease/ 
but  to  '  make  to  stumble,'  to  '  become  an  occasion  of  sin.'  The 
general  meaning  is,  '  We  are  resolutely  to  part  with  everything, 
Avhich  has  proved,  or  is  likely  to  prove,  the  occasion  of  sin  to  us, 
however  valuable  and  pleasant  it  may  be,  and  however  much,  in 
the  way  of  painful  feeling  and  strenuous  exertion,  the  sacrifice 
may  cost  us.'  Take  a  familiar  illustration.  A  person  is  fond  of 
wine :  it  is  agreeable  to  his  taste  ;  it  is  useful  in  refreshing  him 
after  severe  exertion.  But  he  finds  that  this  taste  has  seduced 
him  into  intemperance  ;  he  finds  that  there  is  constant  danger  of 
its  doing  so.  He  has  fallen  before  the  temptation  again  and 
again.  What  is  such  a  person's  duty  ?  According  to  our  Lord, 
it  is  obviously  to  abstain  from  it  entirely, — on  this  plain  principle, 
that  the  evil  he  incurs  by  abstaining,  however  keenly  felt,  is  as 
nothing  to  the  evil  to  which  the  intemperate  use  of  wine  subjects 
him — even  everlasting  punishment  in  hell :  and  to  make  this  ab- 
stinence his  duty,  it  is  not  necessary  that  he  should  know  that  he 
will  fall  before  the  temptation  :  it  is  enough  that  he  knows  that, 
as  he  has  repeatedly  fallen  before  it,  he  may  fall  before  it  again. 

Our  Lord  supposes  the  alternative  to  be,  on  the  one  side,  the 
parting  with  a  right  hand  or  a  right  eye ;  and,  on  the  others,  the 
body  being  cast  alive  into  the  fire  of  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  and 
there  consumed  to  ashes.  Who  would  not  part  with  a  right 
hand,  or  a  right  eye,  to  save  life,  much  more  to  avoid  the  horrors 
of  such  a  death  ?  Were  men  acting  on  the  same  principle  with 
regard  to  the  interests  of  the  immortal  soul,  they  would  not  hesi- 
tate for  a  moment  to  part  with  an}^  present  pleasure  or  advan- 
tage, which  they  were  conscious,  as  a  temptation  or  occasion  of 
sin,  exposed  them  to  the  hazard  of  spending  an  eternity  amid  de- 
gradation and  torment,  of  which  the  pollutions  and  fires  of  the 
valley  of  Hinnom  are  apt  but  most  imperfect  figures.  _ 

This  passage  has  been  by  some  understood  too  literally,  and 
they  have  thought  it  their  duty  absolutely  to  mutilate  their 
bodies  in  order  to  save  their  souls.  The  members  of  the  body 
are  but  the  instruments  of  sin  :  if  the  evil  principle  be  mortified, 
the  members  of  the  body  will  not  be  abused ;  and,  if  it  remain 
unmortified,  the  cutting  off  a  right  hand,  and  the  plucking  out  a 
right  eye,  will  be  of  no  use. 

Our  Lord's  statement  proceeds  on  the  principle,  that  the  mor- 
tifi-ation  of  sinful  passions  maybe  exceedingly  painful :  but  if 
men  consent  to  lose  their  liinbs,"  by  most  excruciating  operations, 
to  save  their  lives,  what  ought  they  to  shrink  from,  if  it  be  neces- 
sary, in  order  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul  ?  The  reason  why  men 
are  so  backward  to  give  uj)  what  is  pleasant  and  useful  to  them, 
when  it  exposes  their  soul  to  hazard,  is  their  not  really  and  firnily 
believing  that  the  loss  of  the  soul  is  that  tremendous  evil  which 
the  Scriptures  represent  it;  or  tliat,  what  they  love  and  value, 
does  indeed  tend  to  lead  them  into  sin,  and  thus  expose  them  to 
this  tremendous  evil.  No  man  will  part  with  his  right  hand  or 
his  riglit  eye,  if  he  is  not  persuaded  tiiat  this  is  necessary  to  save 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND    PHARISAISM.  177 

him  from  suffering  incomparably  greater  than  its  loss  can  occa- 
sion. But  let  him  once  be  persuaded  of  this,  and  he  will  count 
him  a  benefactor  who  deprives  him  of  them  ;  nay,  rather  than 
run  the  risk,  he  will  himself  cut  off  the  right  hand,  and  pluck  out 
the  right  eye ;  and,  it  is  equally  true,  that  there  is  no  advantage 
or  pleasui'e  which  a  man  will  not  immediately  abandon,  if,  under 
the  power  of  the  world  to  come,  he  is  convinced  that  his  aban- 
donment is  necessary,  in  order  to  his  being  saved  from  everlast- 
ing destruction.  Any  possession,  or  pursuit,  or  amusement,  or 
enjoyment,  however  useful,  however  agreeable  I  may  find  it, 
must  be  rejected  and  renounced  forever,  if  it  be  to  me,  though  it 
may  not  be  to  others,  a  necessary  source  of  temptation  or  occasion 
of  sin.  "  Though  it  should  be  a  source  of  pleasure,  though  it 
should  be  a  means  of  gain,  though  it  should  be  a  step  to  honor, 
though  it  should,  by  habit  and  use,  have  become  a  part  of  my- 
self, dear  as  a  right  eye,  useful  as  a  right  hand,  I  must  count  it 
as  nothing  when  compared  with  the  hazard  of  losing  the  life,  the 
happiness,  of  my  soul." 

Men  are  very  apt  to  think  and  feel,  though  they  may  not  say 
it,  that  this  part  of  our  Lord's  la\V  is  a  hard  saying ;  but  let  it  be 
tried  in  the  balance  of  sound  common  sense,  and  saj'-  if  it  is  not 
in  the  highest  degree  right  and  reasonable.  Is  it  hard  to  require 
men  to  do  for  their  souls,  what  they  readily  admit  they  ought  to 
do  for  their  bodies'?  If  the  body  is  not  more  valuable  than  the 
soul,  and  if  time  is  not  longer  than  eternity,  and  if  death  is  not 
more  dreadful  than  damnation,  the  words  of  our  Lord  arc 
"  words  of  truth  and  soberness." 

Are  we,  my  brethren,  acting  as  if  they  were  so  ?  Are  we  as 
careful  to  keep  oat  of  the  way  of  temptation,  and  to  avoid  every 
kind  of  unnecessary  intercourse  with  the  wicked,  as  to  keep  out 
of  the  way  of  evident  danger,  and  to  avoid  every  infectious  dis- 
ease? Would  we  rather  go  into  a  fever  hospital  than  into  a 
theatre  ?  .Are  we  as  readilj^  touched  with  penitence,  when  we 
have  fallen  into  sin  as  we  are  filled  with  regret  when  we  discover 
that  we  have  caught  a  dangerous  distemper '?  Are  we  as  dili- 
gent in  using  the  means  of  restoration  to  spiritual  health  as  t<i 
bodily  ?  Are  we  as  grateful  to  a  friend  for  caution  against  a  sin 
he  thinks  us  in  danger  of  committing,  as  we  would  be  to  him  for 
a  hint  not  to  take  a  path  where  he  suspected  we  were  likely  to 
be  robbed  or  murdered '? 

Alas !  how  very  different,  how  directly  opposite,  is  the  real 
state  of  matters  with  the  great  body  of  mankind.  They  carefully 
avoid  unwholesome  food,  and  keep  at  a  distance  from  every  in- 
fected habitation ;  but  they  recklessly  mingle  with  the  wicked, 
and  engage  in  ensnaring  amusements.  They  are  alarmed  bj 
the  first  symptoms  of  bodily  disease,  and  use  every  method  for 
obstructing  its  progress,  and  effecting  its  cui-e;  but  they  treat 
the  strongest  symptoms  of  spiritual  disease  as  matters  of  little 
importance,  and  obstinately  j-efuse  to  employ  the  means  which 
the  Great  Physician  has  appointed,  as  requisite  in  order  to  a  cure. 

VOL.  I.  12 


178  THE   SERMON   ON   THE   MOUNT.  [E^P.  IV. 

They  tliankfiilly  receive  cautions  in  reference  to  the  health  of 
their  body,  if  they  think  it  really  in  danger ;  but  they  often  in- 
•liguantly' spurn  at  every  hint  given  them  in  reference  to  the  sal- 
vation ojf  the  soul,  and  seem  to  count  him  an  enemy  who  speaks 
to  them  of  the  snares  amid  which  they  are  walking,  and  points 
out  to  them  the  manner  in  which  they  may  escape  being  entangled 
to  then-  everlasting  destruction.* 

This  is  not  an  unjust  representation  of  the  character  and  con- 
iluct  of  many  who  would  be  offended,  were  we  to  call  in  question 
their  faith  in  Christianity.  Yet,  no  inconsistency  can  be  more 
glaring  than  this.  Ere  long  it  will  be  seen  to  be  so.  The 
miserable  victim  of  his  own  obstinacy,  in  the  regions  of  hopeless 
misery,  feels  now — alas  !  that  he  could  not  be  brought  sooner  to 
believe  it — that  it  would  have  been  better  for  him  to  have  parted 
with  what  he  felt  to  be  dear  as  a  right  eye,  and  useful  as  a  right 
arm,  than  to  be  cast,  as  he  has  been,  into  hell-fire. 

§  4.   The  righteousness  of  Christians  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  compared,  in  reference  to  divorce. 

In  the  31st  and  o2d  verses,  our  Lord  gives  a  farther  illustration 
of  the  superiority  of  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  to 
the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees.  "  It  hath  been 
said,  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  let  him  give  her  a 
writing  of  divorcement :  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever 
shall  put  away  his  wife,  saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication, 
causetli  her  to  commit  adultery  ;  and  whosoever  shall  marry  hei 
that  is  divorced  committeth  adulter3^''^ 

Every  one  who  has  read  the  1st  verse  of  the  twenty-fourth 
chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  to  wliich  our  Lord  seems  here  to  refer, 
knows  that  divorce  was  permitted  by  the  law  of  Moses.  This 
permission  was  granted,  however,  only  to  prevent  greater  evils. 
It  was  found  to  be  necessary  for  the  hardness  of  the  hearts  of  the 
Jews.  Had  they  not  been  allowed  to  separate  from  their  wives 
when  they  had  taken  a  dislike  to  them,  they  might,  by  the  vio- 
lence of  their  tempers,  have  been  led  to  treat  them  with  cruelty. 
It  deserves  notice,  that  they  were  not  commanded  to  divorce 
their  wives  in  the  circumstances  specified,  they  were  only  per- 
mitted to  do  so ;  and  to  prevent  tlicm  doing  it  hurriedly,  and 
without  consideration,  they  were  required  to  give  the  wile  a  bill 
of  divorcement  written  out  in  due  form,  and  the  separation,  when 
thus  effected,  was  ti»al.  By  thus  requiring  divorce  to  be  a 
solemn,  and  making  it  an  irrevocable  transaction,  provision  was 
made,  as  far  as  was  pi'acticable,  for  ])reventing  its  being  done 
under  the  influence  of  passion,  or  for  a  trivial  cause." 

<  Brewster.  s  Matt.  v.  .31,32. 

''  "The  Mosaic  law,  intended  for  a  rude  people,  plaeed  restiuiuts  upon  unlim- 
ited wilfulness.  Political  legislation  must  adapt  itself  to  the  materials  ou  which 
it  has  to  act.  The  permission — for  it  was  no  more — was  owing  to  aK?.iipoKap6ia 
Tov  Xaoij.  Matt.  xix.  8." — Neandek.  "The  law  of  the  kiugdoiu"  is  not  a  state- 
law. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  179 

The  expounders  of  this  law,  however,  disregarded  altogether 
its  object.  Tliej  even  considered  jiermission  as  a  precept,  and 
taught  that  '  men  might  put  away  their  wives  for  every  cause.'' 
If  the  Scribes  taught  in  this  Avay,  the  practice  of  the  Pharisees 
corresponded  with  their  teaching.  Every  opportunity  Avas  seized 
for  putting  away  their  wives  and  manying  others.  The  great 
intentions  of  marriage  were  in  a  good  degTee  frustrated.  Full 
encouragement  was  given  and  taken  to  furious  passions,  and 
irregular  desires.  Many  cruelties  were  committed,  and  great 
misery  was  produced.' 

This  was  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  with 
respect  to  marriage.  But  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  was  of  a  higher  order,  and  "  speaketh  in  this  wise :" 
"  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife, 
saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication,  causeth  her  to  commit 
<'.dultery  :  and  whosoever  shall  marry  her  that  is  divorced,  com- 
mitteth  adultery.'"  According  to  tliis  law,  adultery  is  the  only 
suflicient  reason  of  divorce.  He  who  for  any  other  cause  puts 
away  his  wife,  is  to  be  held  an  adulterer  if  he  marry  another 
woman  ;  and  slie,  b}^  marrying  him,  commits  adultery ;  while,  at 
the  same  time,  lie  becomes  the  guilty  occasion  of  adultery,  if  the 
woman,  who  is  still  his  wife,  marry  another  man  ;  for  in  this  case 
she  commits  adultery,  as  he  also  does  who  marries  her. 

Our  Lord,  in  another  place  (Matt.  xix.  4,  5),  shows  very 
plainly  that  the  indissolubility  of  marriage,  as  well  as  the  pro- 
priety of  that  relation  being  confined  to  one  man  and  one  woman, 
were  intimated  in  the  circumstances  in  which  it  was  instituted. 
"  God  created  them  at  first,  a  male  and  a  female,'"*  one  man  and 
one  woman,  "thus  putting  it  beyond  their  power  to  be  united  to 
more  than  one,  or  to  separate  from  eacli  other  to  join  another 
connection.  He  thus  taught  them,  that  any  other  arrangement 
would  neither  be  conducive  to  their  happiness,  nor  agreeable  to 
his  will,  and  intimated  that  they  should  continue  through  life 
wholly  devoted  to  each  other."" 

Few  things  have  done  more  to  promote  the  happiness  and  the 
moral  improvement  of  man,  than  our  Lord's  re-establisliing  the 
principle,  that  the  conjugal  relation  is  indissoluble  save  for  one 
<'ause.  Let  all  who  stand  in  this  relation  to  each  other  seriously 
consider  the  nature  of  their  relation,  and  the  importance  of  their 
duties.  Let  them  reflect,  that  since  they  form  as  it  Avere  one 
body,  they  ought  also  to  have  one  mind  and  heart.  Let  them 
reflect,  that  as  they  are  so  intimately  conn'icted,  they  ought  to 
cherish  each  other  with  the  same  attention  and  affection,  as  they 
do  their  own  bodies.  Let  them  strive  to  have  the  same  inclina- 
tions, as  they  have  the  same  interests,  and  guard  against  all  dis- 
putes and  disagreements.  Let  them  beware  of  all  irritating  lan- 
guage or  disrespectful  treatment,  and  alvv^ays  show  each  other 
every  becoming  token  of  civility  and  kindness.  Let  them  bear 
with  each  others  infirmities;  study  each  other's  tempers;  en- 
'  Brewster.  «  Matt.  v.  32.  "  Campbell.  '"  Brewster. 


180  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXF.  IV. 

deavor  to  correct  each  other's  faults.  Let  them  always  conduct 
themselves  with  gentleness,  and  perform  their  respective  duties 
faithfullv,  though  they  may  not  receive  the  return  they  have  a 
right  to  expect.  Let  them  suppress  ever}^  dislike  which  might 
produce  in  their  mind  even  a  wish  to  be  separated,  or  which 
might  render  them  more  remiss  in  the  duties  which  they  owe  to 
each  other.  Let  them  forbear,  and  forgive,  and  conciliate,  and 
comfort,  and  cheer  one  another.  Let  them  consider  themselves 
as  bound  to  promote  to  the  utmost  of  their  power,  not  only  the 
present  prosperity,  but  the  future  felicity  of  each  other.  Let 
them  often  together  draw  near  to  the  throne  of  their  common 
Father,  and  pray  for  one  another,  mutually  exhorting,  instruct- 
ing, and  comforting  one  another.  Let  them,  in  fine,  live  togeth- 
er as  heirs  of  the  grace  of  life,  as  those  who  know  that  death, 
the  only  lawful  cause  of  separation,  will  ere  long  cut  the  other- 
wise indissoluble  bond  ;  and  let  them  seek  to  be  bound  together 
by  a  tie,  which  even  death  itself  cannot  dissolve, — even  the 
faith  of  the  same  truth,  the  love  of  the  same  Saviour,  the  hope 
of  the  same  salvation.  Thus  will  the}'-  spend  a  happy  lifetime 
together  on  earth :  thus  will  they  spend  a  happy  eternity  togeth- 
er in  heaven." 

§  5,   The  righteousness  of  Ghristiatts  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  compared,  in  reference  to  oaths. 

Our  Lord  now  brings  forward  a  fourth  illustration  of  the  su- 
periority of  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  to  that  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  not  less  striking  than  any  of  those  which 
we  have  considered.  "  Again,  ye  liave  heard  that  it  hath  been 
said  by  them  of  old  time.  Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself,  but 
shalt  jDerform  unto  the  Lord  thine  oaths.  But  I  say  unto  you, 
vSwear  not  at  all :  neither  by  heaven ;  for  it  is  God's  throne : 
nor  by  the  earth  ;  for  it  is  his  footstool :  neither  by  Jerusalem  ; 
for  it  is  the  city  of  the  Great  King.  Neither  shalt  thou  swear  by 
thy  head,  because  thou  canst  not  make  one  hair  white  or  black. 
But  let  your  communication  be.  Yea,  yea ;  Nay,  nay :  for  what- 
soever is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil.''" 

Let  us  first  incpiire  into  what  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  teaches  on  the  subject  of  oaths;  and  then  into 
what  the  righteousness  of  the  kiTigdom  teaclies  on  the  same  sub- 
ject, and  in  the  course  of  this  inquiry,  it  will  become  very  evi- 
dent that  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  greatly  exceeds  the 
righteousness  of  tlie  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 

The  sum  of  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  was 
a  prohibition  of  perjury.  They  taught  that  oaths,  solemnly 
uttered  in  the  name  of  Jehovah,  were  binding,  and  that  he  who 
violated  them  was  guilty  of  a  great  sin.  So  far  all  was  right. 
The  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  teaches  the  same  thing.     He 

'I  Brewster.  '  •'  Matt.  v.  3a-37.     See  Note  C. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND    PHARISAISM.  181 

who  can  deliberately  declare  a  falsehood,  under  the  sanction  of 
an  oath,  or  refuse  to  perform  what  he  has  not  only  promised, 
but  sworn  to,  is  obviously  guilty  of  a  shocking  complication  of 
impiety,  falsehood,  and  injustice.  It  is  impossible  too  strictly  to 
prohibit,  or  too  strongly  to  condemn,  this  crime. 

But  the  Scribes,  in  their  doctrine  with  respect  to  oaths,  while 
in  words  they  held  that  perjury  was  sinful,  did  much  to  lessen 
the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  and  to  smooth  the  way  for  this  worst 
form  of  falsehood.  They  made  a  distinction  among  oaths.  Ac- 
cording to  them,  some  Avere  binding,  others  were  not.  The 
obligation  of  an  oath  depended  upon  the  nature  of  the  object  by 
which  the  person  swore.'*  Oaths  to  or  by  God,  which  are  par- 
ticularly specified  in  the  text,  were  obligatory,  and  all  oaths 
taken  before  a  magistrate  were  of  this  kind.  But,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  oaths  by  tlic  gold  of  the  temple,  and  by  the  sacrifices 
of  the  altar — which,  for  some  selfish  or  superstitious  reason,  thev 
held  to  be  binding — the}^  appear  to  have  taught,  that  to  swear 
by  any  created  thing  was  of  very  little  consequence,  created  no 
obligation,  and  might  be  done  in  common  conversation  without 
sin ;  and  the  practice  of  the  Pharisees  seems  to  have  been  such 
as  might  have  been  expected  from  such  teaching  of  the  Scribes. 
They  prohibited  flilse  swearing  b}^  God,  but  they  did  not  prohibit 
unnecessary,  and  therefore  profane,  swearing,  even  by  God ;  and 
they  considered  oaths,  where  the  Divine  name  was  not  men- 
tioned, with  the  two  exceptions  above  referred  to,  as  harmless 
expletives,  and  destitute  of  obligation. 

Such  was  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 
But  what  saitli  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  ?• — •''  I  say  unto 
you,"  says  the  one  Lawgiver  of  that  kingdom,  "  swear  not  at  all ; 
neither  by  heaven ;  for  it  is  God's  throne :  nor  by  the  earth ; 
for  it  is  his  footstool :  neither  by  Jerusalem ;  for  it  is  the  city  of 
the  Great  King.  Neither  shalt  thou  swear  by  thy  head,  because 
thou  canst  not  make  one  hair  white  or  black.  But  let  your  com- 
munication be.  Yea,  yea  ;  Nay,  nay :  for  whatsoever  is  more  than 
these  Cometh  of  evil."'" 

The  contrast  between  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  and  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  has 
been  variously  stated.  Some  interpreters  have  supposed  that 
our  Lord  meant  to  say,  '  The  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  condemns  false  swearing ;  but  the  righteousness  of  the 
]j:ingdora  proscribes  swearing  altogether.  The  first  prohibits 
perjury  ;  the  last  aims  at  making  perjury  an  impossibility,  by 
prohibiting  swearing.' 

These  interpreters  seem,  however,  to  have  misapprehended  our 
Lord's  meaning.  There  is  plainly  nothing  in  the  nature  of  the 
thing  which  makes  an  oath  criminal.  If  there  «had,  it  never 
could  have  been  enjoined  at  all  by  Divine  authority,  as  it  obvi- 

13  Matt  xxiii.  16.  Oaths  by  the  gold,  i.  c,  the  treasure  of  the  temple,  were 
binding.  "The  ipi'Adpyvjjoi  thought  tlie  oath  by  their  god  mammon  had  the  great- 
est force.     Luke  xvi.  14." — Olshausex.  "  '^  Matt.  v.  34-37. 


182  THE  SERMON  OX  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

ouslj  is: — "Tliou  slialt  fear  tlie  Lord  tTiy  God,  and  serve  him, 
and  slialt  swear  by  his  name.'"^  An  oath  is  simply  an  appeal  to 
the  Omniscient  One  who  searches  the  heart,  and  the  just  Gov- 
ernor of  the  world  who  punishes  fraud  and  falsehood,  as  to  the 
truth  of  our  testimony,  and  the  sincerity  of  our  promises.  It  is 
merely  expressing  in  plain  terms  what  ought  to  be  present  in  the 
mind  in  all  our  declarations.  We  find  the  Apostle  Paul  re- 
peatedly making  affirmations,  under  the  solemnity  of  an  oath : — 
"  Moreover,  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul,  that  to  spare 
you  I  came  not  as  yet  unto  Corinth."  "  For  neither  at  any  time 
used  we  flattering  words,  as  ye  know,  nor  a  cloak  of  covetous- 
ness ;  God  is  witness.'"^  We  find  our  Lord  answering  to  the 
high  priest's  adjuration,  which  was  the  Jewish  mode  of  taking  an 
oath.'''  We  find  an  angel  represented  as  "  swearing  by  him  that 
liveth  for  ever  and  ever:'"*  we  find  God  himself  introduced  as 
swearing.'"  All  this  seems  quite  unaccountable,  if  our  Lord's 
meaning  here  was  that,  under  the  New  Testament  economy, 
swearing  in  every  form  was  unla^vful.  While,  then,  I  cannot 
consider  these  words  as  an  absolute  prohibition  of  "  the  oath,"  it 
is  very  obvious  that  the  call  to  use  it  must  be  very  plain  and  dis- 
tinct, to  make  it  safe  to  have  recourse  to  it.  The  greater  part  of 
the  oaths  which  prevail  in  society  do  nothing  but  mischief.  The 
requiring  them  is  a  temptation  to  sin,  in  one  of  its  most  heinous 
forms,  before  which  multitudes  fall.  They  do  not  prevent  the 
evil  which  they  are  intended  to  guard  against.  They  increase 
it.  If  oaths  were  never  imposed,  and  never  taken,  but  with  an 
enlightened  and  pure  conscience,  there  would  be  but  little 
swearing.*" 

I  apprehend  that  our  Lord  himself  limits  the  reference  of  what 
he  says  to  ordinary  conversation,  when  he  says,  ■'  Let  your  co7n- 
munication'^  be.  Yea,  yea;  Nay,  nay."  He  does  not  refer  to 
judicial  transactions  at  all,  but  to  the  ordinary  intercourse  of 
Hfe." 

The  contrast  between  the  law  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
and  the  law  of  the  kingdom,  is  this — The  first  prohibits  only 

IS  Deut.  vi.  13.  '«  2  Cor.  i.  23.     1  Thess.  ii.  5. 

'7  Matt.  xxvi.  63,  64.  '^  Rgv.  x.  5,  6. 

'9  Gen.  xxii.  16.  Isa.  xlv.  23.  Jer.  xlix.  13 ;  li.  14.  Amos  vi.  8.  Psal.  Ixxxix. 
3,  35 ;  ex.  4. 

2"  Bengel's  note  is  good.  "  Multi  veteruni  Christianorum  sinipliciter  banc 
literam  acceperunt,  eoque  facilius  juramenta  ethnica  deeliuarunt :  vide  tamen 
Ap.  X.  6  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  8 :  Es.  xlv.  23,  qui  locus  tempora  N.  T.  spectat:  Contra  hodi% 
periculum  est  ne  paucissima  in  tot  juramentis  vera  sint ;  et  in  veris  paucissima 
necessaria;  et  in  neeessariis  paucissima  liberfi,  fructuosa,  sancta  et  Iceta.  Multa 
ad  pompani,  ad  calumniam,  ad  compescendas  suspiciones  juatas,  comparata  sunt." 
"  M?/  o/ioaai.  sponte,  ultro,  absque  necessitate,  in  omni  omnmo  casu,  in  communibus 
rebus." — Episoopius. 

2'  6  Aoyoc  vfiuv^ 

22  Calvin  has  hit  the  point  of  contrast.  "Deus  non  modo  jjcrjuriam  daninavit, 
sed  jurandi  levitatem  qiue  uoniinis  ejus  rcverentise  derogat.  Neque  enim  is  solum 
accipit  nomon  Dei  friistra,  qui  pejerat,  scd  qui  in  rcbiis  fiivolis,  vel  in  eommuni 
aermone  temer6  et  contemptim  noinen  iJei  nrripit."  "The  yaviour  forbids  abso- 
lutely such  oatlis  only  as  arc  hostile  to  the  reverence  that  is  due  to  God." — ^Tno- 
LUCK,  whose  note  deservi'S  t(»  be  consulted. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  183 

false  swearing  in  judgment  by  tlie  name  of  God — the  latter  pro- 
hibits all  vain  unnecessary  swearing  in  ordinary  conversation, 
not  only  by  the  name  of  God,  but  "  by  any  other  oath,"  as  the 
Apostle  James  expresses  it."  "  I  say  unto  you,"  says  our  Lord, 
"  in  your  communication,  swear  not  at  all,"'* — use  no  oaths,  no 
approximation  to  oaths,  in  jour  ordinary  conversation — not 
merely  do  not  swear  by  God,  but  do  not  swear  at  all,  for  all 
oaths,  if  they  have  any  meaning,  are  in  reality  addressed  to  God. 
"  Swear  not  by  heaven,  for  heaven  is  the  throne  of  God,"  and  he 
that  swears  by  heaven,  if  his  words  are  not  empty  sounds,  swears 
by  that  throne,  and  him  who  sits  on  it,  "Swear  not  by  the 
earth,  for  the  earth  is  God's  footstool,"  and  he  that  swears  by  it. 
swears  by  the  God  whose  footstool  it  is.  "  Swear  not  by  Jeru- 
salem," for  if  the  oath  have  meaning,  it  is  an  oath  by  the  God 
who  has  chosen  Jerusalem  as  the  seat  of  his  worship.  "  Swear 
not  by  the  temple  "  for  that  is  to  swear  by  Him  who  dwells  in  it. 

"  Swear  not  by  your  own  head,"  for  that  too  belongs  to  God ;  it 
is  his  far  more  than  yours — ^you  did  not,  you  cannot,  make  one 
of  its  hairs — you  cannot,  by  your  will,  even  change  the  color  of 
one.  An  oath  by  your  head,  if  it  be  not  absolutely  unmeaning, 
is  an  oath  by  the  universal  Creator  and  Proprietor.  Every  oath, 
just  because  it  is  an  oath,  is  an  ultimate  reference  to  Deity. 
Carefully  avoid  everything  like  a  profane  or  irreverent  reference 
to  God  ;  and  abstain  from  all  such  unmeaning,  or  worse  than  un- 
meaning, asseverations. 

"  But  let  your  communication,"  your  ordinary  conversation, 
"  be,  Yea,  yea ;  Nay,  nay."  These  words,  taken  by  themselves, 
seem  most  naturally  to  convej''  this  idea — '  Speak  the  truth  at  all 
times.'  Even  when  not  called  solemnly  to  swear  by  God,  let 
your  yea  be  yea — ^let  your  nay  be  nay — according  to  the  Jewish 
proverbial  mode  of  describing  a  man,  whose  word  and  promise 
may  be  trusted — ^"  His  yes  is  yes — and  his  no  is  no.""  The 
apostle  uses  the  phrase  in  this  sense  when  he  states  "  the  prom- 
ises of  God  in  Christ  are  yea  and  amen  ;"^''  certain,  infallible, 
truths. 

At  the  same  time,  viewed  in  contrast  with  what  goes  before, 
and  with  what  follows  after,  it  seems  plain,  that  this  is  not  our 
Lord's  idea  here.  The  meaning  is,  '  Be  content  with  simph' 
stating  the  truth,  whether  you  are  af&rming  or  denying,  and  if 
any  person  question  the  truth  of  your  assertion,  j  ust  repeat  it, 

23  James  v.  12. 

^'J  "The  oAug  'at  all,'  which  perplexes  Augustine  so  muL-h,  and  has  perplexed 
80  many,  is  doubtless  to  be  interpreted  and  limited  by  what  immediately  follows. 
All  these  kinds  of  oaths  wliicli  I  specify  are  forbidden  you.  You  do  not,  by  u.sing, 
them,  avoid  taking  God's  name  in  vain.  For  why  have  these  oaths  anything 
binding?  It  is  God's  presence  in  these  created  things  which  gives  tliem  any  hold 
over  your  consciences.  Eveiy  oath  is  an  awful  thing,  and,  in  its  ultimate  ground, 
rests  upon  God,  though  tlie  lightness  and  frivolity  of  men  cause  them  willingly 
to  conceal  this  fact  from  their  ej'es." — Trench. 

z-'  "His  yea  in  word  is  a  yea  in  deed,  and  his  nay  in  word  is  a  nay  in  deed." 
The  word  corresponds  with  tlie  thought,  and  feeling,  and  purpose,  and  the  deed 
will  correspond  with  the  word.  2"'  2  Cor.  i.  20. 


184  "  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

but  do  not  confirm  your  assertions  with  anything  in  the  form  of 
an  oath  or  asseveration.  If  you  have  any  assertion  to  make,  or 
a  denial  to  make,  do  so  simply,  without  any  oath,  or  anything 
approaching  to  an  oath.' 

"  For  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil."  These 
words  may  be  rendered  "  cometh  of  the  evil  one,"  but  we  prefer 
the  rendering  of  our  translators  as  more  comprehensive."  The 
use  of  strong  asseverations,  oaths,  or  approximations  to  oaths, 
can  proceed  from  no  good  cause.  It  may  proceed  from  the  per- 
son's knowing  that  what  he  utters  is  false,  and  therefore  stands 
in  need  of  confirmation.  He  is  conscious  that  he  is  saying  what 
is  not  true,  and  therefore  concludes  that  he  may  not  be  believed, 
as  he  knows  he  deserves  not  to  be  believed.  For  this  reason  he 
seals  his  word  with  Lis  oath,  in  order  to  secure  for  it  the  credit 
he  knows  it  docs  not  merit.  Surely,  when  it  cometh  from  this 
cause,  it  "  cometh  of  evil ;"  it  were  better  to  retract  his  word 
than  to  support  it  Avith  an  oath.  To  swear  to  a  lie  is  a  double 
sin — it  is  adding  perjury  to  falsehood.  Or  it  may  proceed  from 
a  person's  being  suspected  of  falsehood.  If  the  person  is  justly 
suspected  of  falsehood,  then  it  cometh  of  evil.  If  he  is  justly 
suspected,  it  must  be  because  he  is  addicted  to  falsehood ;  and 
the  only  way  of  getting  a  better  character  is  not  to  make  strong 
assertions,  but  henceforward  scrupulously  to  speak  the  truth. 
Indeed,  with  all  reflecting  men,  the  use  of  unnecessary  oaths  and 
asseverations,  will  only  make  a  man's  testimony  more  and  more 
suspected.  If  the  person  is  unjustly  suspected  of  falsehood — • 
then  in  justice  to  himself,  to  discredit  such  uncharitable  sus- 
picions, he  should  positively  refuse  to  confirm  his  declarations  by 
an  oath.  To  swear  in  such  a  case,  is  an  admission  that  his  word 
is  not  sufficient.  He  who  is  known  to  be  a  liar,  will  not  get 
credit  even  by  his  oath ;  and  he  who  is  a  man  of  truth,  volun- 
tarily exposes  his  character  to  suspicion  when  he  condescends  in 
ordinary  conversation  to  confirm  his  word  by  swearing."*  Or  the 
])ractice  may  proceed  from  a  principle  of  irreverence,  a  want  of 
a  due  fear  for  that  great  and  terrible  name,  the  Lord  our  God ; 
and  I  need  not  sa}^  this  is  evil — the  root  of  all  evil — the  want  of 
the  fear  of  God.  It  cannot  proceed  from  anything  better  than  a 
j-eckless  disregard  of  the  Divine  declaration,  that  "  for  every  idle 
word  that  men  speak,  they  must  give  an  account  in  the  day  of 
judgment."^"  It  must  be  plain  to  every  person,  that  all  profane 
swearing,  and  even  what  ai'c  ordinarily  termed  minced  oaths, 
are  completely  forbidden  by  tlie  law  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Such  is  our  Lord's  fourth  illustration  of  the  superiority  of  the 
righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  to  the  righteousness  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees.'" 

'■"  "  I  consider  it  as  a  maxim,  in  translating — when  a  word  is,  in  all  respects, 
equally  susceptible  of  two  inter|)rctations,  one  of  which,  as  a  genus,  comprehends 
the  other, — ahvays  to  prefer  the  more  extensive.  'Tlie  evil  one'  is  compre- 
hended \inder  the  general  term  'evil.'" — Cami-bell.  '■'^  Brewster. 

"  Matt.  xii.  ao. 

^  Since  writing  the  above,  a  somewhat  dilFercat  exegesis  has  suggested  itself 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  185 


§  6.   The  righteousness  of  Christians,  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  compared  in  reference  to  retaliation.^^ 

"We  are  presented  with  a  fifth  illustration  iu  the  38th  and 
succeeding  verses.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said, 
An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth  :  but  I  say  unto  you, 
That  ye  resist  not  evil ;  but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy 
right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.  And  if  any  man  will 
sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away  thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy 
cloak  also.  And  whosoever  shall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go 
with  him  twain.  Give  to  him  that  asketh  thee ;  and  from  him 
that  would  borrow  of  thee,  turn  not  thou  away."'^ 

In  the  law  of  Moses  we  meet  with  the  following  enactments : — 
"  And  if  a  man  cause  a  blemish  in  his  neighbor;  as  he  hath 
done,  so  shall  it  be  done  to  him.'"'  "  Eye  for  eye,  tooth  for 
tooth,  hand  for  hand,  foot  for  foot,  burning  for  burning,  wound 
for  wound,  stripe  for  stripe.""  "  And  the  judges  shall  make 
diligent  inquisition :  and,  behold,  if  the  Avitness  be  a  false  wit- 
ness, and  hath  testified  falsely  against  his  brother  ;  then  shall  ye 
do  unto  him  as  he  had  thought  to  have  done  unto  his  brother : 
so  shalt  thou  put  the  evil  away  from  among  you.'"°  It  is  evident, 
however,  that  this  law  was  intended  to  guide  the  magistrate,  and 
to  show  him  how  far  he  might  go  in  inflicting  a  penalty,  or 
granting  a  compensation,  for  acts  of  cruelty  and  injustice.  This 
lex  talionis  is  the  rule  of  justice  which  naturally  suggests  itself  to 
every  man,  and  is  the  basis  of  the  ancient  Greek  and  Eomah 
legislation.  As  Tholuck  well  says,  "  it  is  an  elastic  law,"  in  the 
good  use  of  the  term.  It  is  not  a  rule  or  precept  for  the  conduct 
of  injured  individuals.  They  were  not  authorized  to  take  such 
vengeance  themselves,  nor  were  they  required  to  insist  on  such 
strict  retaliation  in  the  laws  of  justice.  It  was  intended,  not  to 
foster  the  spirit  of  revenge,  but,  on  the  contrarj^,  to  prevent  that 
spirit  from  breaking  out  into  violations  of  law  and  order,  by  put- 
ting it  in  the  power  of  the  injured  |3erson  to  obtain  legally  an 
exact  requital,  so  far  as  was  possible,  for  what  he  had  suffered. 

But  the  Scribes  had  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others,  perverted 

to  my  mind,  and  tliougii  not  so  fully  satisfied  -with  it  as  to  substitute  it  for  the 
common  one  adopted  in  the  text,  I  tliiiik  it  right  to  indicate  i,t  here,  for  the  con- 
sideration of  scholars.  I  have  always  felt  it  as  odd  to  apply  "  these  "  to  the  par- 
ticles "yea  and  nay."  May  the  pronoun  not  refer. to  "oaths  " — the  subject  of  the 
whole  paragraph?  May  not  the  clause  be  translated  "  for  the  superabundance  of 
these  comes  of  evil "  i  and  raay  not  the  statement  mean — '  All  imnecessary  oaths 
are  wrong — the  undue  multiplication  of  oaths  is  a  great  evil '  ?  As  Bengel,  with 
his  characteristic  conciseness,  says,  "  Nimietas  viciosa. ' — Surely,  it  in  anything, 
in  solemn  appeal  to  God — especially,  as  in  oaths,  with  imprecation  of  his  ven- 
geance— there  should  be  "  nequid  nimis."  It  is  a  good  advice  though  coming  from 
a  heathen  : — oj)k.ov  TtapalTtjGai  el  /lev  olou  re  eig  dirav,  d  dc  /uij,  ck  tuv  ii'uvTwv. 
•'  Avoid  swearing  altogether  if  you  can ;  but  if  not,  then  as  much  as  possible." — 
Epictetus.  Most  justly  does  Sir 'William  Blackstone  say,  "  A  large  crop  of  oaths 
cannot  fail  to  produce  a  rich  harvest  of  perjuries." 

31  "Lex  talionis."  ^^  Matt.  v.  38-42.  "  Lev.  xxiv.  19. 

"*  Exod.  xxi.  24,  25.  ^^  Deut  xix.  18,  19,  20. 


186        ^     THE  SERMON  ON"  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

the  Divine  law.  Its  language  meant,  in  their  "righteousness," 
something  very  different  from  what  it  did  in  the  law  of  Moses. 
The  words  were  viewed  by  them  as  recommending,  or  even  re- 
quiring strict  retaliation;  and  it  has  been  supposed  that  they 
went  so  far  as  to  intimate,  that  individuals  were  at  liberty  to 
avenge  their  own  wrongs,  and  that  it  was  their  duty  to  do  so, 
provided  they  did  not  exceed  the  measure  of  punishment  pre- 
scribed in  the  law.  The  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharr- 
sees,  permitted  and  cherished  a  spirit  of  resentment,  and  sanc- 
tioned the  desire  of  retaliation  and  vengeance. 

How  different,  how  far  superior,  was  the  righteousness  of  the 
kingdom  of  Gocl,'"  "  But  I  say  unto  you.  That  ye  resist  not  evil ; 
but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him 
the  other  also.  And  if  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and 
take  away  thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also.  And  whoso- 
ever shall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain.  Give  to 
him  that  asketh  thee  ;  and  from  him  that  would  borroAv  of  thee 
turn  not  thou  aivay.'* 

To  "  resist  evil,""  is  very  much  the  same  thing  as  to  avenge 
ourselves  ;  it  is  to  set  ourselves,  as  it  were,  in  an  attitude  of  op- 
position to  our  assailant,  to  show  him  that  we  are  determined  to 
repel  his  threatened  violence,  to  resent  the  mischief  he  may  occa- 
sion us,  to  render  back  evil  for  evil,  and  to  avenge  ourselves  for 
our  losses  and  sufferings.^' 

Now  our  Lord  informs  us  that  all  this  is  wrong  according  to 
the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Its  subjects  are 
not,  cither  by  personal  violence  or  by  vindictive  legal  prosecu- 
tion, to  manifest  a  revengeful  spirit.  That  there  are  cases  in 
which  a  man  may  be  not  only  authorized,  but  required,  to  protect 
his  own  life,  liberty,  and  property,  at  the  peril,  and  by  the  pun- 
ishment, of  the  illegal  assailant,  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  but  in 
every  such  case,  the  animating  principle  must  not  be  vindictive. 
It  has  been  very  justly  remarked,  "  that  in  the  present  state  of 
human  nature,  there  is  but  little  need  to  enumerate  exceptions  and 
limitations  to  such  general  rules  as  that  before  us.  Self-love  will 
suffice,  and  more  than  suffice,  to  prevent  us  from  going  too  far  in 
such  a  direction.  In  all  ordinary  cases  it  is  better  to  give  way, 
and  yield  to  insult  and  injuries,  than  to  repel  them  by  force  or 
by  legal  process.  It  certainly  does  not  accord  with  the  spirit  of 
Christianity,  to  put  the  life  and  the  soul  of  a  man  in  competition 
with  a  sum  of  money,  however  great,  when  there  is  no  reason  to 
fear  further  violence  to  ourselves  or  to  others.  In  smaller  mat- 
ters, however,  from  which  our  Lord  selects  his  examples  for  the 
illustratiofi  of  the  general  precept,  there  is  no  room  for  hesita- 

3«  Matt.  V.  39-42.  '^  See  Note  D. 

37  It  matters  little  wiietlior  -u  Tror?/^)^  be  considered  as  masculine  or  neuter,  as 
the  evil  doer  or  the  evil  deed,  tlie  injurcr  or  the  injury.  The  latter,  for  reasons 
likely  to  occur  to  every  mind,  is,  liowever,  the  preferable  exegesis.  It  includes 
the  former.  Most  certainly  they  err  who  refer  the  word  to  him  who  is  emj)hat- 
ically  "the  wicked  one."     We  arc  cxjiressly  bound  to  "resist  him."    James  iv.  7. 

3^  lirewstor. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  187 

tiou  or  doubt.  If  a  man  give  a  disciple  of  Christ  a  contemptu- 
ous or  painful  blow  on  the  cheek,  it  is  his  duty  and  wisdom  to 
imitate  his  Master,  and  to  take  it  patiently,  nay,  to  turn  the  other, 
and  expose  himself  to  a  repetition  of  the  insult  or  injury,  rather 
than  to*  begin  a  contest,  by  returning  the  blow,''  sending  a  chal- 
lenge, or  commencing  a  process  at  law — even  although  he  should 
be  ridiculed  for  his  want  of  manl}-  spirit,  in  consequence  of  his 
obedience  to  the  law  of  his  Lord.  If  a  man  be  sued  at  law,  and 
be  unjustly  deprived  of  his  '  coat,'"  or  inner  garment,  which, 
though  not  of  great  value,  he  yet  might  be  ill  able  to  spare,  he 
had  better  suJEfer  himself  to  be  defrauded  of  his  "  cloak,""  or  up- 
per garment,  than  be  involved  in  the  temptations  and  evils  of 
seeking  legal  redress.  "  Under  many  pretences,  unreasonable 
men  make  demands  on  our  time  and  our  labor ;  and,  in  many 
cases,  it  is  better  quietly  to  comply  with  their  demands  than  to 
resist  them.  If  a  man  insist  on  my  going  a  mile  out  of  my  way 
to  serve  him,  I  had  better  go  two  than  quarrel  about  it.""  From 
the  use  of  a  word  borrowed  from  the  Persic,  descriptive  of  com- 
pulsory labor  ])erformed  in  the  service  of  the  State,  "the  compel- 
ler"  here  is  to  be  understood  as  some  official,  requiring  the  per- 
son referred  to,  to  serve  as  a  guide  or  messenger. 

This  command  of  our  Lord,  thus  illustrated  by  the  examples 
he  brings  forward,  plainly  does  not  forbid  us  to  defend  ourselves 
when  we  are  in  danger.  To  do  so  is  one  of  the  strongest  in- 
stincts of  our  nature,  the  law  of  God  written  on  our  heart.  But 
with  regard  to  personal  injuries,  when  there  is  no  hazard  of  life, 
as  in  the  case  specified,  it  is  our  duty  to  repress  resentment,  and 
to  abstain  from,  violence.  In  like  manner,  there  are  cases  in 
which  it  is  plainly  a  man's  duty  to  avail  himself  of  the  protection 
which  the  la  vV  gives  to  property.  Justice  to  his  creditors,  to  the 
public,  to  his  family,  may  require  him  to  defend  his  estate, 
though  even  this  must  not  be  done  under  the  impulse  of  private 
revenge.  But  we  ought  to  have  resort  to  the  tribunals  of  justice, 
only  when  the  cause  is  important  and  the  call  urgent ;  we  are  to 
prosecute  our  claims  with  humanity,  moderation,  and  a  spirit  of 
peace;  we  are  to  be  content  with  reasonable  satisfaction,  and 
embrace  every  opportunity  of  terminating  our  contests. 

In  reference  to  personal  liberty — ^there  can  be  no  doubt,  that, 
next  to  the  blessings  of  "a  good  conscience,  and  the  hope  of  eternal 
life,  it  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  privileges.  Every  Christian 
and  every  man  should  be  ready  to  do  much  and  suffer  much,  in 

S9  "  "Why  is  the  right  clieek  specified,  although,  when  we  strike — striklug  with 
the  riglit  hand,  we' strike  the  left  cheek?  Maldonatus  (one  of  the  hest  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  interpreters)  corr^criy  answers :  '  Non  ccedendi  consuetudinem, 
sed  loquendi  secutus  est ;'  it  being  always  the  custom  to  mention  the  right  first." 

TOOLUCK. 

w  XiTdv  is  the  under-coat  made  of  linen  or  cotton,  which  folded  closely  to  the 
body — the  Roman  "tunica." 

■1'  'IfiuTtop  is  the  cloak  worn  outmost,  made  of  various  stuffs,  according  to  the 
fortunes  of  the  wearer — from  camel's  hair  to  the  richest  silk.  It  hung  loose  about 
the  body,  corresponding  with  the  Roman  "toga,"  or  rather  "pallium." 

•12  Scott. 


188  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT.  [iiXF.  IV. 

order  to  secure  it  and  retain  it  for  himself  and  others.  Yet  at 
the  same  time,  he  will  not  only  "  patiently  submit  to  every  neces- 
sary burden,  and  constitutional  restraint,"  but,  in  obedience  to 
our  Lord's  precept,  he  "  will  bear  much  of  the  insolence"  of  men 
"  dressed  up  in  a  little  brief  authority,"  "  overlook  many  stretches 
of  power,  and  endure  even  a  variety  of  acts  of  oppression,  rather 
than  have  recourse  to  violence  and  tumult."" 

The  injunctions  in  the  42d  verse  are  a  farther  illustration  of 
that  noble,  generous  spirit,  which  the  righteousness  of  the  king- 
dom requu'es  in  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah — which  prevents  a 
man  from  standing  on  every  point  of  right,  and  induces  him, 
instead  of  insisting  or  rendering  evil  to  all  who  have  deserved  it 
at  his  hand,  to  do  good  to  those  who  have  no  particular  claim  on 
him.  The  words  are  plainly  to  be  understood  with  very  con- 
siderable limitations."  They  cannot  possibly  mean,  that  we 
should  give  and  lend  to  all  persons,  without  considering  what 
they  need  to  receive,  or  what  we  are  able  to  bestow.  To  do  this, 
w^ould  be  equally  inconsistent  Avith  the  dictates  of  Scripture, 
justice,  and  common  sense : — "  A  good  man  showeth  mercy, 
and  lendeth ;"  but  then,  it  is  added,  "he  will  guide  his  affairs 
with  discretion."  "  Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more  :  but  rather 
let  him  labor,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good, 
that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth.""  "  For  I  mean 
not  that  other  men  be  cased,  and  you  burdened ;  but  by  an 
equality,  xhat  now  at  this  time  your  abundance  may  be  a  sui^ply 
for  their  want,  that  their  abundance  also  may  be  a  supply  for 
your  want;  that  there  may  be  equality.''"  "  Now  concerning 
the  collection  for  the  saints,  as  I  have  given  order  to  the  churches 
of  Galatia,  even  so  do  ye.  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let 
every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store,  as  God  hath  prospered  him, 
that  there  be  no  gatherings  when  I  come.""  "  Then  the  dis- 
ciples, every  man  according  to  his  ability,  determined  to  send 
relief  unto  the  brethren  which  dwelt  in  Judea.""  "  He  answer- 
ctli  and  saith  unto  them,  He  that  hath  two  coats,  let  him  impart 
to  him  that  hath  none ;  and  he  that  hath  meat,  let  him  do  like- 
wise.'"" From  these  passages,  it  is  plain  that  we  are  to  give  or 
lend,  with  discretion,  to  those  who  have  need — out  of  our  abun- 
dance, as  God  hath  prospered  us — according  to  our  ability  ;  and 
that  we  are  to  impart  to  another,  not  the  whole,  but  a  portion,  of 

1^  Brewster. — Tholuck  has,  with  great  felicity,  in  a  few  words  summed  up  the 
true  nieauing  of  those  precepts.  "  Clirist,  with  indefinite  generality,  declares  in 
what  way  the  Christian  is  to  act  wlien  he  happens  to  he  subjected  to  violence. 
ITie  application  of  the  precept,  however,  is  in  many  waj's  conditional  upon  a  re- 
gard to  God's  glory,  the  good  of  the  injurcr,  and  the  good  of  the  community." 
Olshauscn's  idea  as  to  this,  and  the  paragraphs  about  marriage  and  oaths,  that 
they  are  applicable  ir  rij  liani'Atln  -uiv  wpaiCji'  but  not  h'  Tut  Koa/iui,  is  most  un- 
satisfactory, and  absolutely  amazing,  coming  from  so  good  a  man. 

»  Jerome  would  limit  tlie  prccej)!  to  spiritual  things ;  but  this  is  quite  arbi- 
trary. And  what  is  it  to  lend  and  borrow  in  tlicse?  There  is  much  good  sense, 
however,  in  his  remark — "I'^t  divites  si  semper  dcdcrint,  semper  dare  non 
poterunt." 

*■'  Eph.  iv.  28.  *^  2  Cor.  viii.  13,  1  i.  ••'  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,  2. 

«  Acts  xi.  29  "Luke  iii.  11. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  180 

wliat  we  possess  more  than  lie.'"  Our  Lord  recommends  a  kind 
and  liberal  spirit,  inciting  a  man  to  do  good  to  the  utmost  of  his 
power.  Such  was  the  spirit  of  Christ  to  an  impoverished  world, 
and  such  is  the  spirit  of  his  religion.  It  has  been  finely  said, 
"  Selfishness  is  in  every  shape  and  form  antichristian." 

To  all  to  whom  God  has  given  the  means  of  beneficence,  wc 
proclaim  the  law  of  the  kingdom ;  and  that  it  may  make  the 
deeper  impression,  we  proclaim  it  in  the  express  terms  of  the 
Divine  statute-book : — "  Withhold  not  good  from  them  to  whom 
it  is  due,  when  it  is  in  the  power  of  thine  hand  to  do  it.""  "  As 
we  have  therefore  opportunity,  let  us  do  good  unto  all  men, 
especially  unto  them  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith,"^" 
"  Look  not  every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man  also  on 
the  things  of  others.""  "But  to  do  good  and  to  communicate 
forget  not :  for  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased.""  And, 
as  motives  which  must  be  found  irresistible  by  every  christian 
heart,  we  put  them  in  mind  of  "  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
how  he  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive ;"  and  of 
his  work,  in  which  hii3  grace  so  marvellously  displayed  itself,  in 
that,  "  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  he  became  poor, 
that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich."^'' 


§  7.  The  righteovsTiess  of  Christians,  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  compared  in  reference  to  regard  and  treatment  of 
enemies. 

A  sixth,  and  certainly  no  less  striking  and  conclusive,  illustra- 
tion of  our  Lord's  principle,  that  the  righteousness  of  the  king- 
dom exceeds  that  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  is  contained  in 
the  verses  which  noAv  come  before  us  for  explication  :• — •"  Ye 
have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor, and  hate  thine  enemy.""'  This  is  "the  righteousness  of 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees"' — •"  But  I  say  unto  you,  Love  your 
enemies,  Isless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate 
you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute 
3''ou ;  that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven :  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the 
good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust.  For  if 
ye  love  them  Avhich  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye  ?  do  not  even 
the  publicans  the  same  ?  And  if  ye  salute  your  brethren  only, 
what  do  ye  more  than  others  ?  do  not  even  the  publicans  so  ? 
Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven 

s»  Brewster.  5i  ppov.  iii.  27.  ''^  Gal.  vi.  10.     See  also  1  Tim.  v.  8, 

s:*  Phil.  ii.  4.  -'^  Heb.  xiii.  Ui.  "  Acts  xx.  35.     2  Cor.  viii.  9. 

■i«  Maurice  is  the  only  interpreter  I  have  met  with  who  considers  these  words 
as  the  utterance  of  Divine  law.  "So  long  as  Israel  was  a  nation,  so  long  as  it 
owned  God  and  God  owned  it,  the  maxim,  '  Thou  shalt  hate  thine  enemjr,"  ex- 
pressed a  duty  as  real,  us  binding,  as  the  other  to  which  it  was  appropriated, 
•Thou  sli.ilt  love  thy  neighbor.'"  "A  man  is  far  gone  in  an  attachment  to  a  hy- 
pothesis, whether  liermeneutical  or  dogmatical,  who,  rather  than  abandon  it^  cau 
take  up  a  position  such  as  this. — ^Ialt.ice,  iii.  GO. 


190  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

is  perfect.""  This  is  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom.^ — Surely 
there  is  a  superiority,  an  infinite  superiority,  in  the  righteousness 
of  the  kingdom  above  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees! 

But  that  we  may  be  the  more  impressed  with  this  superiority, 
let  us  consider  somewhat  more  closely  the  respective  requisitions 
of  the  tAVO  contrasted  moral  systems.     The  passage  before  us  is  a 
very  satisfactory  confirmation  of  the  general  view  which  we  have 
taken  of  our  Lord's  object  in  this  section  of  the  discourse,  that  it 
is  not  to  contrast  the  Jewish  false  commentaries  on  the  law  of 
God  with  the  true  meaning  of  that  law  ;  that  it  is  not  to  contrast 
the  morality  of  the  law  with  the  morality  of  the  Gospel,  the 
morality  of  Moses  with  the  morality  of  Christ ;  but  that  it  is  to 
contrast  the  system  of  religious  and  moral  duty  taught  by  the 
Scribes,  and  exemplified  by  the  Pharisees,  with  the  system  of  re- 
ligious and  moral  duty  to  be  taught  and  exemplified  under  the 
new  economy  about  to  be  established  by  the  Messiah.     The  first 
part  of  the  moral  precept,  in  this  particular  dogma  of  the  right- 
eousness of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  is,  so  far  as  the  words  arc 
concerned,  to  be  found  in  the  Pentateuch,  though  bearing  a  very 
different  meaning  from  that  which  the  Scribes  attached  to  it ; 
the  second  is,  neither  as  to  language  nor  as  to  sentiment,  to  be 
found  anywhere  in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  and  is,  indeed, 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  spirit  of  the  morality  taught  by  Moses 
and  the  prophets.     In   Leviticus   xix.    18,    we   meet  with  this 
injunction — •"Thou   shalt    not   avenge,    nor    bear    any  grudge 
against  the  children   of  thy  people;  but  thou  shalt  love  thy 
neio^hbor  as  thyself."     In  the  estimation  of  the  Scribes,  the  per- 
sons who,  under  the  designation  of  neighbors,  are  represented  as 
the  proper  objects  of  love,  are  exclusively  their  compatriots — 
their  fellow  Israelites,  those  who  belonged  to  their  nation,  or  who 
professed  their  religion.      If  they   had  carefully  studied  their 
sacred  books,  they  would  have  found  that  the  Egyptians  are 
represented  as  the  neighbors  of  the  Israelites  ;**  and  that  in  the 
very  chapter  where  the  Avords  referred  to  occur,  the  following 
words  are  also  to  be  found :  "  And  if  a  stranger  sojourn  \a  ith  thee 
in  your  land,  ye  shall  not  vex  him.     But  the  stranger  that  dwcil- 
eth  with  you  shall  be  unto  you  as  one  born  among  you,  and  tliou 
shalt  love  him  as  thyself;  for  ye  were  strangers  in  the  land  of 
J^gypt:  I  am  the  Lord  your  God."'"     Strangers,  equally  with 
neighbors,  are  represented  as  the  proper  objects  of  such  a  love  as 
we  bear  to  ourselves ;  and  tliough  there  are  passages  in  which 
"  neio-hbor"  signifies  one  with  whom,  by  common  origin  or  vicin- 
ity of  residence,  we  are  "peculiarly  connected,  in  contrast  with  a 
foreigner  or  stranger,  yet  tlie  maimer  in  which  it  is  employed  in  the 
Decalogue,  is  sufficient  of  itself  to  show  that  the  term  is  often 
used  to  denote  mankind  at  large,  with  all  of  whom  every  individ- 

57  Matt.  V.  43-48.  *'  J-^od.  xi.  i. 

S9  Lev.  xix.  as,  34.     See  also  1  Sam.  xv.  28.     1  Kings  .xx.  ib. 
'  See  Note  F. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  191 

iial  is  connected  by  a  variety  of  ties.  When  they  were  prohibited 
from  bearing  false  witness  against  their  neighbors,  they  were  cer- 
tainly prohibited  from  bearing  false  witness  against  any  one;  and 
when  they  were  prohibited  from  coveting  the  wife  as  the  property 
of  their  neighbor,  surely  the  prohibition  had  a  universal  reference. 
The  command  to  love  their  neighbor,  properly  understood,  was  a 
command  to  love  all  mankind  ;  and,  by  consequence,  absolutely 
prohibited  malignant  feeling — for,  "  if  we  love  all  our  neighbors 
of  mankind,  there  will  remain  none  to  hate."°° 

But  if  the  first  part  of  this  dogma  of  the  Scribes,  though  ex- 
pressed in  scriptural  language,  was  utterly  unsupported  by 
Scripture,  rightly  understood,  the  second  part  of  it  is  directly 
opposed  equally  to  the  letter  and  spirit  of  scriptural  morality. 
There  is  no  such  command  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  "  Thou 
shalt  hate  thine  enemy."  There  is  no  such  sentiment  expressed 
under  any  form  of  words.  On  the  contrary,  the  opposite  senti- 
ment is  clearly  and  frequently  taught.  As  proof  of  this,  we 
appeal  to  the*  following  passages  of  the  Old  Testament  Scrip- 
tures : — "  If  thou  meet  thine  enemy's  ox  or  his  ass  going  astray, 
thou  shalt  surely  bring  it  back  to  him  again.  If  thou  see  the 
ass  of  him  that  hateth  thee  lying  under  his  burden,  and  wouldest 
forbear  to  help  him  ;  thou  shalt  surely  help  with  him.""  "  Re- 
joice not  when  thine  enemy  falleth ;  and  let  not  thine  heart  be 
glad  when  he  stumbleth ;  lest  the  Lord  see  it,  and  it  displease 
him,  and  he  turn  away  his  wrath  from  him.""  "  If  thine  enemy 
be  hungry,  give  him  bread  to  eat ;  and  if  he  be  thirsty,  give 
him  water  to  drink.  "^' 

It  is  true,  indeed,  that  the  Israelites,  as  the  executioners  of 
the  Divine  righteous  judgments  on  the  enormously  wicked  inhab- 
itants of  Canaan,  were  required  to  destroy  them.  The  language 
used  on  this  subject  is  very  strong.  "  Thou  shalt  not  seek  their 
peace  nor  their  prosperity  all  thy  days  for  ever.""  "And  whe-n 
the  Lord  thy  God  shall  deliver  them  before  thee,  thou  shalt  smite 
them,  and  utterly  destroy  them ;  thou  shalt  make  no  covenant 
with  them,  nor  show  mercy  unto  them  :  neither  shalt  thou  make 
marriages  with  them ;  thy  daughter  thou  shalt  not  give  u.nto  his 
son,  nor  his  daughter  shalt  thou  take  unto  thy  son.""'  "  Thou 
shalt  not  bow  down  to  their  gods,  nor  servo  them,  nor  do  after 
their  works ;  but  thou  shalt  utterly  overthrow  them,  and  quite 
break  down  their  images.""'  "  Therefore  it  shall  be,  when  the 
Lord  thy  God  hath  given  thee  rest  from  all  thine  enemies  round 
about,  in  tlie  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  givcth  thee  for  an  in- 
heritance to  possess  it,  that  thou  shalt  blot  out  the  remembrance 
of  Amalek  from  under  heaven ;  thou  shalt  not  forget  it.""  These 
injunctions,  however,  laid  no  foundation  for  the  general  principle 
that  it  is  lawful  to  hate  enemies.  These  nations  Avere  criminals, 
righteously  appointed  to  extermination  on  account  of  their  re- 

«u  Brewster.  si  Exod.  xxiii.  4,  5.  «'^  Pro  v.  xxiv.  17,  18. 

63  Prov.  XXV.  21.  •  6*  Deut.  xxiii.  6.  *^  Deut.  vii.  2,  3. 

6«  Exod  xxiii.  24.  ^''  Deut.  xxv.  19. 


192  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

markable  crimes  ;  and  the  Jewish  people  were  appointed  to  carry 
the  sentence  into  execution.  Even  in  this  case,  they  were  not 
warranted,  far  less  commanded,  to  hate  the  unhappy  criminals 
Avhom  they  were  yet  appointed  to  punish ;  and  to  suppose  that 
these  injunctions  justified  them  in  hating  their  enemies,  and 
in  ranking  among  their  enemies  all  who  did  not  belong  to  their 
nation,  and  adopt  their  religion,  was  altogether  an  unwarranted 
assumption  ;  and  was,  indeed,  a  making  void  God's  command- 
ment by  man's  tradition. 

The  substance  of  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees on  this  point,  seems  to  have  been — '  Jews  are  bound  to  love 
and  do  good  to  Jews ;  but  they  are  not  only  permitted,  it  is  a 
part  of  their  duty,  to  cherish  dislike  towards  the  Gentiles.'  Their 
statement  is  faulty  in  three  important  respects :  They  gave  an 
unduly  limited  sense  to  the  word  neighbor ;  they  reckoned  all 
who  were  not  neighbors,  in  their  sense  of  the  word,  as  ene- 
mies ;  and  they  considered  themselves  as  allowed  to  hate  their 
enemies.^* 

The  doctrine  of  the  Scribes  was  but  too  well  suited  to  the 
malignant  and  selfish  principles  of  human  nature,  and  we  find 
tlie  Pharisees,  and  the  Jews  generally,  acting  under  its  influence. 
A  heathen  historian,  speaking  of  the  Jews,  says,  "  They  readily 
show  compassion  to  their  own  countrymen,  but  they  bear  to  all 
others  the  hatred  of  an  enemy ;''""  and  the  ajDostle  Paul  describes 
them  as  "  contrary  to  all  men,  forbidding  us  to  speak  to  the 
Gentries  that  they  might  be  saved." 

We  find  the  same  malignant  and  selfish  principle  manifesting 
itself  among  other  nations  as  well  as  the  Jews.  The  Greeks  and 
Eomans  looked  on  foreign  nations  with  sentiments  of  malignant 
contempt,  and  treated  them  with  the  greatest  injustice  and 
cruelty,  and  there  is  but  too  much  of  the  same  spirit  to  be  traced 
even  in  our  own  times,  both  in  pviblic  transactions  and  in  private 
life. 

"  Lands  intersected  by  a  narrow  frith 
Abhor  each  other — mountains  interposed, 
Make  enemies  of  nations,  who  had  else, 
Like  kindred  drops,  been  mingled  into  one.''"'> 

In  opposition  to  this  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  the 
Pharisees,  our  Lord  declares  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom : 
— "  But  1  say  unto  you,  Love  yonr  enemies.""  This  precept  is 
equivalent  to  a  prohibition  of  malignant  feeling  towards  any 
human  being ;  a  command  to  cherish  kind  wishes  towards  all 
mankind.  Instead  of  warranting  us  to  confine  our  benevolent 
regards  to  those  whom  we  may  consider  our  neighbors — om* 
kindred  or  countrymen — our  benefactors  or  friends — men  of  our 
own  sect,  or  even  religion — our  Lawgiver  commands  us  to  cm- 
brace,  in  the  wide-spread  arms  of  our  benevolence,  all  mankind, 
— strangers,  foreigners,  heathens,  even  enemies.     Every  human 

• 

•8  Brewster.         '^^  Tacit,  lliat.  v.  5.  ■"  Cowper's  Toak.  •'  Matt.  v.  44. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  198 

being  is  to  be  regarded  witb  good  wUl ;  and,  as  we  have  oppor- 
tunity, to  be  treated  with  kindness.  It  is  quite  obvious,  that  we 
are  not  required  to  regard  with  precisely  the  same  kind  of  feelings 
a  christian  brother,  and  an  openly  profane  and  profligate  person 
— ^a  generous  benefactor  and  a  malignant  inveterate  enemy.  It 
is  not  possible — and,  if  it  were,  it  would  not  be  proper — to 
cherish  the  same  tender  regard  for  strangers,  as  for  "  our  own, 
those  of  our  own  household,"  the  same  gratitude  to  enemies  as 
to  benefactors,  the  same  esteem  for  the  bad  as  for  the  good.  But 
we  are  to  regard  all  men,  even  our  enemies,  with  love,  that  is, 
we  are  sincerely  to  wish  them  well ;  we  are  to  desire  their  good  ; 
we  are,  as  we  have  opportunity,  to  promote  their  happiness. 

In  the  clauses  which  immediately  follow,  our  Lord  illustrates 
what  he  means  by  loving  oui'  enemies  : — "  Bless  them  that  curse 
you."  To  bless  a  person,  in  Scripture,  often  means  to  implore 
blessings  from  God  on  him,  and  had  this  clause  stood  alone,  I 
should  have  been  disposed  to  interpret  the  phrase  in  the  passage 
before  us — '  Implore  blessings  on  the  head  of  him  who  is  impre- 
cating evils  on  yours.'  But  in  this  case,  the  injunction  would  be 
quite  synonymous  with ^ray  for  them.  To  "bless,"  here,  I  ap- 
prehend, signifies  to  speak  in  a  civil  and  friendly  manner,  so  far 
as  truth  will  permit,  both  to  and  of  those  individuals  who  speak 
to  and  of  us  in  a  very  different  way.  It  is,  I  think,  quite 
parallel  to  the  apostle's  injunction,  not  to  "  render  railing  for 
railing,  but  contrariwise  blessing."  '  Be  civil  and  kind  to  those 
who  are  rude  to  you,  and  be  ready,  when  you  can  do  so  with 
truth,  to  speak  to  the  advantage  of  those  who  have,  by  malig- 
nant and  untrue  statements,  endeavored  to  injure  your  repu- 
tation.' 

*'  Do  good  to  them  that  hate  j'^ou."  *  Your  benevolent  regard 
to  your  enemies,  is  not  to  be  confined  to  kind  wishes  and  civil 
speeches :  where  you  have  an  opportunity — and  you  ought 
readily  to  avail  yourself  of  every  opportunity  that  offers,  you 
ought  to  seek  such  opportunities — ^you  should  be  ready  to  do  a 
good  ofiice  to  him  who  has  proved  his  hatred  of  you  by  doing 
you  an  ill  office.' 

"  Pray  for  them  who  despitefuUy  use  you  and  persecute  you." 
'  Knowing  that  you  can  do  but  little  to  make  them  happy,  call  in 
the  aid  of  Omnipotence.  Instead  of  imprecating  vengeance, 
pray  for  forgiveness,  and  for  all  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings, 
to  them ;  and  do  this  for  your  most  inveterate  foes — "  for  them 
who  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you."  ' 

A  most  powerful  motive  to  the  discharge  of  these  difficult 
duties  is  suggested  by  our  Lord  in  the  words  that  follow : — 
"  That  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  : 
for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good, 
and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust,""  These  words 
may  either  mean,  'that  you  may  clearly  show  that  you  are  the 
children  of  God — that  ye  stand  in  a  peculiar,  close,  and  endear- 

"  Matt.  V.  45. 
VOL.    I.  13 


194  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

ing  relation  to  bim,  and  that  ye  have  been  formed  to  a  peculiar 
character  in  reference  to  him ;'  or  '  that  you  may  resemble  God, 
as  children  resemble  their  parents.'  I  apprehend  the  last  is  our 
Lord's  meaning.  Cherish  these  sentiments,  adopt  this  conduct, 
in  reference  to  enemies,  for  it  is  in  this  way  that  you  are  to  imi- 
tate him  Avhom  j'ou,  under  the  new  dispensation,  are  enabled  to 
call  Father,  with  a  peculiar  emphasis.  He  is  good  to  the  un- 
thankful and  evil ;  he  makes  His"  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  as  well 
as  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  the  unjust.  He 
is  merciful  even  to  those  who  resist  his  will,  and  rebel  against 
his  laws.  They  share  the  bounties  of  his  providence.  They  are 
invited  to  participate  in  the  blessings  of  his  salvation.  He  has 
no  pleasure  in  their  death.  He  is  not  willing  that  any  should 
perish.  He  is  long-suffering  towards  them,  that  his  goodness 
may  lead  them  to  repentance.  Surely  this  must  be  felt  by  every 
Christian  as  a  very  powerful  motive,  especially  when  he  con- 
siders what  must  have  become  of  himself, — what  must  have  be- 
come of  the  Avhole  race  of  man, — had  not  God  loved  his  enemies, 
and  "  commended  his  love  to  men,  in  that  while  they  were  ene- 
mies, he  spared  not  his  own  Sou,  but  gave  him  up,  the  just  in 
the  room  of  the  unjust."  The  man  who  hates  his  enemies  is  not 
like  God — cannot  be  a  child  of  God.  A  child  of  God ! — he  is  of 
his  father  the  devil,  and  the  works  of  his  father  he  does.  The 
more  we  love  our  enemies  the  more  we  resemble  God,  and  the 
more  evidence  do  we  exhibit  that  we  are  really  his  children. 

The  whole  of  our  Lord's  exhortation  goes  on  the  principle 
that,  from  "the  children  of  the  kingdom,"  it  is  reasonable  to  ex- 
pect such  a  conformity  to  the  character  of  their  Father ;  and 
that  if  this  is  not  manifested,  they  who  profess  to  be  children  of 
the  kingdom,  disgrace  at  once  their  profession  and  themselves. 
"  For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye  ?  do 
not  even* the  publicans  the  same?  And  if  ye  salute  your  breth- 
ren only,  what  do  ye  more  than  others  ?  do  not  even  the  publi- 
cans so  ?'"*  '  If  your  kind  regards  are  confined  to  those  who 
regard  and  treat  you  wdth  kindness,  you  do  no  more  than  the 
worst  and  most  despicable  class  of  men  are  in  the  habit  of  doing. 
Wicked  and  unprincipled  men  readily  express  their  gratitude  to 
those  who  have  befriended  them.  The  most  barbarous  and 
savage  nations  generally  return  kindness  for  kindness.  Even 
the  brute  creation  show  attachment  to  those  who  treat  them 
well.  Will  you  take  credit  to  yourself  for  having  acted  like  a 
Christian,  when  you  have  only  acted  not  worse  than  a  heathen, 
and  not  worse  than  a  brute  ?  If  3^ou  would  show  that  you  are 
the  children  of  God,  you  must  love  not  only  him  whom  the 
Scribes  call  your  neighbor,  but  him  also  whom  they  call  your 
enemy.  You  must  be  "  perfect  as  your  Father  in  heaven  is 
perfect." ' 

These  words  are  to  be  limited  by  the  context, — '  your  love  is  not 

'3  Beautifully  does  Bengel  say,  "  Magnifica  appellatio.     Ipse  et  fecit  solem  et 
gubernat,  et  babet  in  sua  nuius  potestate."  '*  Matt.  v.  46,  47. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIAJSriTY  AND   PHARISAISM.  105 

to  be  partial,  but  universal,  like  that  of  your  heavenly  Father. 
You  are  to  love  not  some  only,  but  all^  even  those  who  seem  the 
least  suitable  objects  of  benevolent  regard.'  That  this  is  the 
meaning,  is  plain  from  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke,  "  Be  ye 
merciful,  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  mercifnl.'"* 
While  I  have  no  doubt  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  words,  it  is  an 
important  truth,  that  the  Divine  moral  excellence  is  the  copy 
and  rule  of  the  Christian,  and  that  nothing  short  of  as  complete 
a  conformity  to  this,  as  the  limited  capacities  of  our  nature  ad- 
mit of,  should  satisfy  our  ambition.'^ 

To  love  enemies  is  not  natural  to  man  ;  and  the  only  effectual 
method  of  implanting  such  a  disposition  in  the  mind,  is  the  shed- 
ding abroad  in  the  heart  of  the  love  of  God  and  his  Son."  The 
man  who  really  believes,  that  when  he  was  an  enemy  of  God, 
God  so  loved  him  as  to  give  his  Son  to  be  the  victim  for  his  sins, 
cannot  deliberately  cherish  resentment  againt  any  human  being, 
but,  constrained  by  God's  love,  he  will  become  a  follower  of  him 
as  a  dear  child,  and  reason  in  this  way  : — '  If  God  for  Christ's 
sake,  has  forgiven  me,  sui-ely  I  should  forgive  my  brethren.' 
There  is  something  peculiarly  touching  in  the  manner  in  which 
the  Apostle  Paul  enforces  the  duties  here  enjoined,  in  his  Epistle 
to  Titus.  "  Speak  evil  of  no  man,  be  no  brawlers,  be  gentle, 
showing  all  meekness  unto  all  men.  For  we  ourselves  also 
were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts 
and  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  env}'',  hateful,  and  hating  one 
another.  But  after  that  the  kindjiess  and  love  of  God  our  Sa- 
viour toward  man  appeared,  not  by*works  of  righteousness  wliich 
we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the 
washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  lioly  Ghost  ] 
which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Sav- 
iour; that,  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made  heirs 
according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  This  is  a  faithful  saying, 
and  these  things  I  will  that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that  they 
which  have  believed  in  God  might  be  carefal  to  maintain  good 
works.     These  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men."" 

§  8.  The  righteousness  of  Christians^  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  compared  in  reference  to  the  duties  of  beneficence  and 
piety. 

In  the  sixth  chapter,  our  Lord  prosecutes  his  illustration  by 
examples,  of  the  principle  stated  at  the  20th  verse  of  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  '  that  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  greatly 
exceeds  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  of  the  Pharisees;' 

75  "  Perfect!  in  amore,  erga  omnes." — Bengel. 

76  "Ipse  secundum  naturam  suam,  nos  secundum  nostram." — Augustin. 

11  "  A  love  such  as  this,  man  cannot  appropriate  to  himself,  through  a  resolu- 
tion of  will,  or  by  means  of  endeavor,  because  this  love  is  a  divine  love  ;  he  can 
only  obtain  it  through  a  spiritual  communication  by  faith." — Olshauskn. 

7J  Tit.  iii.  2-8. 


196  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP,  IV 

tliat  is,  that  the  system  of  religious  and  moral  duty,  to  be  taught 
and  exemplified  under  the  new  economy,  was  to  be  greatly 
superior  to  that  taught  by  the  Scribes,  and  exemplified  by  the 
Pharisees.  The  instances  already  brought  forward  refer  to  that 
system  as  taught  by  the  Scribes;  the  instances  which  follow 
refer  to  it  as  exemplified  by  the  Pharisees. 

"Take  heed,"  says  our  Lord,  "  that  ye  do  not  your  alms  before 
men,  to  be  seen  of  them  ;  otherwise  ye  have  no  rcAvard  of  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven.""  It  is  generally  admitted,  by  the 
best  critics,  that  the  original  reading  of  the  passage  before  us  is, 
"  Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  your  righteousness^"  before  men  to  be 
seen  of  them,"  etc.  This  first  verse  is  a  statement  of  a  general 
principle  in  reference  to  religious  and  moral  duties,  which,  in  the 
succeeding  verses,  is  applied  to  the  three  jjarticular  duties  of  alms, 
prayer,  and  fasting. 

To  "do  our  righteousness"  is  just,  in  other  words,  to  perform 
those  duties  which  we  owe  to  God  and  to  man.  Now,  our  Lord 
prohibits  his  disciples  from  imitating  the  conduct  of  the  Phari- 
sees in  doing  these  duties  before  men  to  be  seen  of  them.  These 
words  are  not  to  be  understood  as  a  prohibition  of  the  perform- 
ance of  religious  and  moral  duty  in  the  presence  of  other  men  ; 
for  many  duties,  both  of  religion  and  morality,  are  of  a  public 
nature,  and,  therefore,  if  performed  at  all,  must  be  performed  be- 
fore men ;  but  they  are  to  be  understood  as  a  prohibition  of 
giving  an  unnecessary  publicity  to  our  performances  of  duty,  and 
especially,  of  our  performing  any  duty  in  public  in  order  to  attract 
attention  to  ourselves,  andK  secure  applause  for  our  conduct. 
There  are  cases  in  which  we  not  only  may  perform,  but  ought 
to  perform,  certain  duties  publicly,  and  perform  them  with  the 
wish  and  purpose  that  they  may  attract  notice  ;  we  are  to  "  pro- 
vide things  honest,"  that  is,  honorable,  "  in  the  sight  of  all 
men ;""  we  are  to  "  make  our  light  shine  before  men,  that  they 
may  see  our  good  works."*'  But  while  we  do  so,  we  must  have 
an  ulterior  object.  If  we  do  our  good  works  before  men  that 
they  may  see  them,  the  object  must  be,  not  that  they  may  ap- 
plaud us,  but  "  that  they  may  glorify  our  father  which  is  in 
heaven ;"  not  that  we  may  show  off  ourselves  to  advantage,  but 
that  we  may  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things. 
The  words  of  our  Lord  are  equivalent  to, — '  Beware  of  giving  an 
unnecessary  publicity  to  your  performance  of  duty;  and  beware 
of  making  the  approbation  and  applause  of  men  your  ultimate 
object  in  the  performance  of  duty.' 

This  injunction  is  enforced  by  a  very  powerful  motive: — 
"  Otherwise  ye  have  no  reward  of  your  P'ather  who  is  in  heaven:" 
that  is,  '  If  you  perform  your  duties  merely  in  order  to  obtain 
the  praise  of  men,  you  cannot  obtain  the  approbation  of  God, 

i'->  Matt.  vi.  1. 

'*"  "  6iKaio(jvv}],  instead  of  iXsri/ioavvT]." — Vide  TaoLVOK.  "Justitiam  generaliter 
noiuinavit,  dcinde  particular! ter  exflequitur;  est  enim  pars  aliqua  justitise,  opus 
quod  per  eleemosynam  fit." — Auoustin. 

t"  Rom.  xii.  17.  ■  82  Matt.  v.  16. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  197 

or  those  manifestations  of  his  approbation  in  which  the  re- 
ward of  duty  consists.'  This  statement  proceeds  on  a  principle 
which  pervades  the  whole  of  the  system  of  duty  enjoined  by  our 
Lord — that  actions  take  their  character  from  their  principles — 
and  that  nothing  is  an  act  of  duty  to  God  but  what  springs  from 
a  regard  to  his  authority,  and  from  a  desire  of  his  approbation. 
A .  number  of  men  perform  the  same  external  act — an  act  re- 
quired by  the  Divine  law — ^but  they  perform  it  from  different 
principles.  One  does  it  merely  because  it  is  customary,  and 
thus  proves  that  he  has  the  principle  of  imitation.  The  act  with 
him  is  little  better  than  a  mere  manifestation  of  instinct.  An- 
other does  it  to  increase  his  influence  or  power, — in  him  it  is  a 
display  of  ambition.  Another  does  it  to  advance  his  worldly  in- 
terests,'— 'in  him  it  is  a  manifestation  of  "  covetousness."  An- 
other does  it  to  acquire  applause, — in  him  it  is  a  display  of  vanity. 
Another  does  it  to  alleviate  or  remove  the  sufferings  of  his  fel- 
low-men,— in  him  it  is  a  manifestation  of  humanity.  Another 
does  it,  because  he  knows  it  to  be  the  will  of  God,  to  which  he 
is  desirous  of  being  in  all  things  conformed, — and  in  him  alone 
it  is  an  act  of  religious  duty.'*  He  alone  does  what  God  requires, 
which  is  not  only  to  do  some  external  act,  but  to  do  that  act  from 
a  regard  to  the  will  of  God ;  and,  of  course,  he  only  can  obtain 
God's  approbation,  and  those  manifestations  of  God's  approbation 
in  which  the  reward  of  duty  consists.  For  a  man  doing  right- 
eousness, doing  what  is  in  itself  good,  merel}^  in  order  to  obtain 
the  approbation  of  men — for  such  a  man  to  expect  God's  appro- 
bation, is  in  the  highest  degree  unreasonable.  He  is  not  seeking 
it ;  and  not  seeking  it,  most  assuredly  he  never  will  obtain  it. 

In  our  Lord's  Avords  there  is  involved,  not  only  the  principle, 
that  acts  in  themselves  good,  if  proceeding  from  unworthy  mo- 
tives, cannot  obtain  the  approbation  of  God,  or  the  manifesta- 
tion of  that  approbation  which  is  the  proper  reward  of  duty  ;  but 
also  the  converse  principle,  that  acts  in  themselves  good,  if  they 
proceed  from  right  motives,  must  meet  with  the  Divine  approba- 
tion, and  be  rewarded  by  suitable  manifestations  of  that  approba- 
tion. Nothing  we  can  do  can  merit  reward ;  but  it  is  the  natu- 
ral and  necessary  result  of  the  infinite  hohness  and  benignity  of 
the  Divine  nature,  that  every  act  of  real  allegiance  to  God,  every 
expression  of  love,  esteem,  veneration,  and  obedience,  is  regarded 
by  him  with  complacency,  and  draws  forth,  in  some  form  or  other, 
a  display  of  this  complacency,  in  conferring  a  gracious  reward. 

Against  the  practice  of  performing  duties  from  a  vain-glorious 
principle,  our  Lord  exhorts  his  disciples  with  peculiar  urgency  : — 
"  Take  heed^^  says  he,  "  that  ye  do  not  your  righteousness  to  be 
seen  of  men."  Our  Lord's  emphatic  language  intimates,  that 
what  he  warns  them  against  is  an  evil  of  great  magnitude,  and 
an  evil  which  they  were  in  great  hazard  of  incurring;  an  evil,  to 
borrow  the  quaint  language  of  Matthew  Henry,  that  they  were 
"  in  great  danger  hy^  and  in  danger  o/i"     Making  a  regard  for 

83  Brewster. 


198  THE  SERMON  ON"  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

human  approbation  and  applause,  the  great  motive  of  our  con- 
duct, is  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  very  being  of  religion.  It 
degi'ades  the  character,  and  ruins  the  soul.  He  who  primarily 
seeks  the  praise  of  men,  by  doing  so  excludes  himself  from  the 
praise  of  God;  and  he  who  finds  the  reward  of  his  conduct  in 
the  applause  of  short-sighted  and  misjudging  men  now,  will  find 
his  punishment  in  the  everlasting  contempt  of  all  truly  wise  in- 
telligent beings  forever.  As  it  is  an  evil  of  great  magnitude,  so 
,  it  is  one  from  which  we  are  in  great  danger.  The  love  of  the 
approbation  of  our  fellow-men  is  a  principle  natural  to  us ;  and, 
when  kept  within  its  proper  bounds,  it  is  a  very  useful  and  praise- 
worthy principle ;  but  it  is  ever  in  danger  of  passing  these  limits, 
and  usurping  to  itself  supremacy,  as  a  motive  to  action  It  has  been 
justly  said,  that  "  The  love  of  human  praise  is  a  very  subtle  and 
deceitful  desire.  It  imperceptibly  creeps  into  the  heart,  and  ere 
we  are  aware,  becomes  the  animating  and  regulating  principle  of 
conduct.'"^ 

To  prevent  mistake,  it  may  be  proper  to  observe,  that  nothing 
which  our  Lord's  says  here,  is  at  all  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine 
of  his  apostle,  who  teaches  us  that  "  every  one  should  please  his 
neighbor  for  his  good  to  edification."®"*  We  are  to  avoid  offend- 
ing those  with  whom  we  are  connected ;  we  are  to  seek  to  stand 
well  in  their  estimation.  We  are  to  do  so,  however,  not  from 
the  desire  of  their  praise,  but  because  God  has  commanded  us  so 
to  act,  and  because,  without  being  esteemed  by  them,  it  is  not 
likely  we  shall  have  it  in  our  power  to  be  really  useful  to  them. 
It  is  to  be  done  less  for  our  own  sake  than  for  theirs — not  that 
we  may  have  their  approbation,  but  that  we  may  promote  their 
welfare.  What  our  Lord  condemns,  is  not  the  wishing  to  stand 
well  in  the  estimation  of  our  fellow-men,  but  the  ostentatiously 
performing  religious  or  moral  duties  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
their  admiration  or  applause ;  in  one  word,  the  placing  a  regard 
to  the  opinion  of  man  in  the  room  of  a  regard  to  the  will  of 
God.*° 

It  may  also  not  be  without  its  use,  to  guard  against  an  undue 
contempt  of  the  opinion  of  man.  There  is  a  great  tendency  in 
the  human  mind  to  run  into  extremes.     That  man  is  in  a  serious 

*'  Brewster.  ^'s  Rom.  xv.  2. 

"^  "The"  excessive  "love  of  men's  admiration  and  applause  is  a  most  dangerous 
and  pernicious  principle.  It  leads  to  all  the  vanities  and  follies  of  this  world,  to 
fawning  and  flattery,  to  cunning  and  deceit,  to  envy  and  calumny,  to  ostentation 
and  hypocrisy,  to  ambition  and  murder,  to  infidelity  and  irreligion.  It  fetters 
the  faculties  of  the  mind,  and  perverts  the  feelings  of  tlie  iieart.  It  sots  con- 
science aside,  makes  the  word  of  God  of  none  effect,  and  gives  to  man  another 
rule  of  life — the  opinion  of  the  world:  an  uncertain  rule,  always  changing  ac- 
cording to  the  fancies  of  men — an  insufficient  rule,  leading  him  only  to  put  on  the 
appearance  of  righteousness — a  dangerous  rule,  as  likely  to  lead  him  to  evil  as  to 
good — a  Kinfid  rule,  substituting  the  will  of  man  in  the  room  t)f  the  will  of  God; 
and  the  individual's  own  lionor  in  the  room  of  God's  gloi-y — in  fine,  an  unchristian 
rule,  opposing  the  whole  spirit  anil  design  of  the  Gospel ;  filling  the  man  with 
the  thought  of  liis  excellencies  rather  tlian  witli  the  si-nse  of  his  deficiencies; 
flattering  liis  pride  instead  of  liuinhliiig  his  iieart;  teaching  him  to  live  to  him- 
self rather  than  to  liis  Mak(?r  and  Kodoewier." — Abridged  from  Bkewster. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  199 

error,  who  thinks  he  has  attained  true  dignity  of  character, 
merely  because  he  sets  at  defiance  public  opinion.  «In  very 
many  cases,  he  who  does  so,  is  in  reality  only  courting  public 
admiration,  by  pretending  to  despise  it.  He  wishes  the  world  to 
admire  him  as  a  person  superior  to  its  smiles  or  its  frowns.  The 
man  who  attends  to  the  duties  of  life,  from  a  regard  to  human 
opinion,  may,  to  a  certain  degree,  be  a  useful  member  of  society. 
The  man  who  is  neither  animated  by  the  love  of  praise,  nor  re- 
strained by  the  fear  of  contempt,  if  a  stranger  to  higher  and 
holier  motives,  is  likely  to  be  one  of  the  most  mischievous  mem- 
bers of  society. 

Having  laid  down  this  general  principle,  that,  unlike  the 
Pharisees,  his  disciples  should  not  allow  a  regard  to  the  opinion, 
and  a  desire  of  the  applause,  of  men,  to  be  their  leading  motive 
in  the  discharge  of  religious  and  moral  duties,  our  Lord  proceeds 
to  apply  this  general  principle  to  particular  uses.  He  applies  it, 
in  succession,  to  alms,  to  prayer,  and  to  fasting. 

(1.)  Alms. 

Our  Lord  applies  the  principle  first  to  alms: — "Therefore, 
when  thou  doest  thine  alms,  do  not  sound  a  trumpet  before  thee, 
as  the  hypocrites  do  in  the  synagogues,  and  in  the  streets,  that 
they  may  have  glory  of  men.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  They  have 
their  reward.  But  when  thou  doest  alms,  let  not  thy  left  hand 
know  what  thy  right  hand  doeth ;  that  thine  alms  may  be  in 
secret :  and  thy  Father,  which  seeth  in  secret,  himself  shall  re 
ward  thee  openl}^"" 

It  is  obvious  that  our  Lord  goes  on  the  supposition,  that  his 
disciples  would  give  alms.  At  this  time  our  Lord's  disciples 
were  comparatively  few,  and  the  great  body  of  them  belonged  to 
the  laboring  class,  and  yet  he  takes  for  granted  that  they  would 
give  alms.  True  religion  always  teaches  men  to  be  merciful ; 
and  it  is  the  duty  of  all  who  have  more  than  what  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  their  own  support,  and  that  of  their  families,  to 
give  what  they  can  spare  to  those  who  need.  I  do  not  think 
Christ  Jesus  would  have  acknowledged  any  person  as  a  disciple 
who  did  not  give  alms,  unless  he  was  himself  absolutely  indigent. 
J  Our  Lord  gives  directions,  both  negatively  and  positively,  as 
to  the  manner  in  which  alms  should  be  given.  Let  us  look  at 
his  negative  directions  : — "  When  thou  doest  thine  alms,  do  not 
sound  a  trumpet  before  thee,  as  the  hj^pocrites  do  in  the  syna- 
gogues, and  in  the  streets,  that  they  may  have  glory  of  men. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  They  have  their  reward." 

It  has  been  supposed  by  interpreters,  that  in  this  passage  there 
is  a  reference  to  a  custom  among  the  Jews,  of  which  we  have  no 
particular  record.  It  is  well  known  that,  among  some  of  the 
ancient  nations — the  Romans,  for  example — it  was  a  custom  for 
the  rich  to  distribute  at  their  doors,  at  stated  times,  money  and 

"  lilatt.  vi.  'lA. 


200  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

provisions  among  their  poor  dependants;  and  it  lias  been  sup- 
posed that  this  custom  had  been  introduced  among  the  Jews, 
It  has  also  been  supposed^  that  on  such  occasions  a  trumpet  was 
sounded,  professedly  to  assemble  the  poor,  but  really  to  give 
public  notice  that  the  rich  were  engaged  in  a  work  of  generosity. 
This  is,  however,  merely  a  conjecture,*'  though  not  an  improbable 
one.  We  have  good  evidence  that,  in  oriental  countries,  mendi- 
cants often  carry  a  trumpet  along  with  them,  which  they  sound 
on  receiving  alms,  in  honor  of  those  who  bestow  them ;  and  it 
has  been  supposed  that  the  Pharisees  selected  such  mendicants  as 
the  objects  of  their  alms,  that  their  liberality  might  be  duly  cele- 
brated.®' It  is  quite  possible,  however,  that  the  word  may  be 
merely  a  proverbial  way  of  expressing  the  sentiment : — '  Make  no 
unnecessarily  ostentatious  display  of  your  liberality  in  almsgiv- 

"^  Our  Lord  terms  the  persons  who  were  in  the  habit  of  acting 
in  this  way,  "  hypocrites."*"  There  can  be  no  doubt  the  reference 
is  to  the  Pharisees,  to  whom  he  often  gives  this  name.  The 
word  signifies  stage-players — actors — persons,  who  assume  a  char- 
acter. The  gi-eat  body  of  the  Pharisees  seem  to  have  been  of 
this  description.  They  assumed  the  appearance  of  great  sanctity, 
while  they  were,  in  reality,  the  slaves  of  worldly  and  selfish  pas- 
sions. They,  in  doing  their  alms,  inade  an  ostentatious  display 
in  the  s^'nagogues  and  in  the  streets. 

The  word  "synagogue"  is  usuallj^,  in  Scripture,  employed  as 
a  distinctive  name  for  the  houses  in  which  the  Jews  used  to  meet 
for  instruction  and  devotion.  The  word,  however,  just  means  a 
meeting.  The  English  word  meeting  is  often  used  in  the  south 
to  signify  a  dissenting  place  of  worship  ;  but  still  it  is  also  often 
used  without  this  particular  reference;  and,  in  the  same  way,  I 
apprehend  "  synagogues"  are  here  to  be  understood  generally  of 
places  of  public  concourse,  as  we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  it 
was  the  custom  among  the  Jews  to  give  alms  in  the  synagogue." 
These  hypocritical  Pharisees  chose  the  most  public  situations  for 
bestowing  their  alms — where  there  was  to  be  found  the  greatest 
number  of  spectators  and  admirers. 

Their  object  in  doing  so  was,  "  that  they  might  have  glory  of 
men,"  In  giving  pubHcity  to  their  alms,  their  object  was,  not 
that  others  might  be  led  to  imitate  their  example — and  thus  God 
might  be  glorified,  and  the  poor  relieved — but  that  they  might 
secure  for  themselves  a  large  share  of  public  estimation,  and  thus 

**^  We  may  safely  say  so,  since  the  learned,  and  laborious,  and  honest  Lightfoot 
has  said — "  Non  inveiii,  quaesiverim  licet  multum  serioqne,  vel  minimum  tuba 
vestigium  in  nrtestandis  Eleemosynis ;  a  doctioribus  (wliere  were  these  to  be 
found?)  libentissime  hoc  discercm."  Ikenius,  another  most  learned  man,  makes 
the  same  acknowledgment. 

""  Harmer's  Observations,  vol.  i. 

S"  The  state  o£  Greek  learning,  j)revi()us  to  tiie  age  immcdijvtely  before  the  Ref- 
ormation, may  be  judged  of  from  Lyra's  account  of  the  etymology  of  viroKptTTJc : 
"Dicitur,"  says  he,  "ah  hypox  quod  ost  sub  et  crisu,  aurutn,  ([uia  sub  auro,  vel  sub 
honestate  e.vterioris  conversation  is  hiibct  absconditum  p/ambuin  falsitatis." 

"  Erasmus,  Grotius,  Klsner,  Wolfius,  Kuinrcl,  and  Wabl. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  201 

be  placed  in  more  favorable  circumstances  for  gaining  their  own 
interested  objects. 

Our  Lord  most  emphaticallv  adds — "Verily  they  have  their 
reward."  They  obtain  what  they.seek,  and  they  shall  obtain  no 
more.  The  praise  of  men  is  their  reward — ^all  their  reward. 
They  have  the  admiration  of  men,  and  the  disapprobation  of 
God ;  and  they  are  to  the  full  rewarded.  Indeed,  their  ostenta- 
tious and  selfish  ends  rendered  them  even  unworthy  of  the  praise 
of  men.  They  have  obtained  more  than  they  deserve,  and  it 
would  be  unreasonable  in  them  to  expect  any  farther  recompense. 
Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  give  positive  directions  as  to  the 
manner  in  which  alms  should  be  given.  "  When  thou  doest 
alms,  let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy  right  hand  doeth."" 
It  is  an  ingenious  remark,  that  there  is  probably  here  an  allu- 
sion to  the  fact  that  the  chest  for  receiving  alms  was  placed  at 
the  right  hand  entrance  into  the  synagogue,  so  that,  in  passing 
it,  the  right  hand  was  employed  in  putting  into  it  contributions 
for  the  poor.°^  "Whether  there  be  a  reference  to  this  custom  or 
not,  the  meaning  of  the  words  is  plain  : — '  Let  your  almsgiving 
be  as  private  as  possible — ^let  not  those  at  your  left  hand  know 
what  you  are  giving  in  charity  with  your  right — ^let  not  even 
your  nearest  relatives,  who  are  most  at  your  hand,  be  told  of 
your  works  of  mercy,  unless  there  be  some  good  reason  for  their 
knowing  them ;' — or  '  Endeavor  to  conceal  them  even  from  your- 
self Do  not  dwell  on  them  in  your  mind  as  a  source  of  self- 
complacent  reflection."*' 

The  first  clause  of  the  4th  verse  should  be  read  in  connection 
with  the  3d,  thus  :  "  Let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy  right 
hand  doeth,  that  thine  alms  may  be  in  secret."  '  Use  every 
proper  method  to  avoid  ostentation  in  giving  alms.  In  this  case, 
the  praise  of  men  cannot  be  expected ;  but  if  the  alms  be  be- 
stowed from  a  regard  to  the  Divine  authority,  as  one  of  God's 
appointed  methods  for  promoting  the  happiness  of  his  children 
and  our  brethren,  we  shall  obtain  a  much  richer  reward.  Our 
Father,""  who  seeth  in  secret,  is  the  witness  of  our  alms ;  he  sees 
what  we  do,  and  he  sees  the  principle  from  which  we  do  it.  He 
approves  of  our  conduct,  and  he  will  manifest  his  approbation  of 
our  conduct.  That  manifestation  of  his  approbation  shall  be 
public.     He  will  reward  you  openly.' 

The  best  illustration  of  this  is  to  be  found  in  Matthew  xxv. 

98  Matt.  vi.  3.  93  pienry. 

9*  The  exposition  of  Luther  is  original.  According  to  him,  such  a  giving  by 
the  right  hand  is  meant — as  that  the  left,  knowing  nothing  of  the  matter,  cannot 
stretch  itself  out,  in  order,  by  the  reception  of  the  honor,  to  make  iip  the  loss. 
"That  is  called  givers  havers,  as  children  joke  -with  each  other." — Tholuck. 
Teencu  very  happily  gives  the  meaning — "Let  your  alms  be  given  so  secretly, 
that,  if  that  were  possible,  no  part  of  yourselves,  save  that  actually  engaged  in 
the  giving,  should  know  of  the  gift — not  even  the  brother  hand." — Exposition  of 
the  yermou  on  the  Mount,  p.  85. 

9'  "  Numero  singular!  Pater  meus  dicere  unigeniti  proprium  est :  Pater  tuua 
dicitur  ad  fideles  ;  pater  vel  pater  noster  a.  fidelibus  dicitur.  Con£  John  xx.  17." 
— Bengel. 


202  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

"  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy 
angels  with  him,  tlien  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory," 
"  And  the  King  shall  answerand  say  unto  them,  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  Inasmuch  as  yjehjjU'^JJcrone  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of 
these  mj^  brethren,  ye  ha^^^'e]^ne  it  unto  me."  "And  these  shall 
go  away  into  everlasting  punishment ;  but  the  righteous  into 
life  eternal.'"" 

>  Our  best  works  deserve  no  recompense  at  his  hands.  If  we 
think  of  them  as  we  ought,  we  shall  see  so  much  wanting  and  so 
much  jvrong,  that  we  will  not  presume  to  think  them  worthy  of 
his  notice.  Yet  he  will  notice  the  least  and  the  most  secret  of 
all ;  he  Avill  openly  approve  them  ;  he  will  abundantly  reward 
them.  "  God  i3  not  unrighteous  to  forget  the  work,  and  labor 
of  love,  which  they  show  to  his  name.""  But  it  must  be  the 
work  and  labor  of  love,  and  it  must  be  showed  to  his  name.  It 
deserves  notice,  that,  in  the  Divine  administration,  it  is  so  ordered 
that  the  selfish  person  is  disappointed  in  the  end,  while  he  who 
seeks  the  good  of  others  shall  find  his  own.-  No  works  of  man 
can  deserve  reward  from  God.  If  any  man  think,  by  a  series  of 
beneficent  actions,  to  atone  for  his  sins,  and  purchase  heaven,  he 
shall  find  Inmself  awfully  disappointed.  But  every  manifestation 
of  love  to  God,  and  love  to  men  for  God's  sake,  is  an  object  of 
the  Divine  approbation,  and  that  approbation  shall  be  suitably 
displaj^ed. 

In  this  passage,  as  in  a  number  of  others  in  this  discourse,  we 
must  beware  of  an  over-literal  interpretation.  In  condemning 
public  almsgiving — or  rather  in  condemning  those  who  give  all 
their  alms  in  public — it  is  not  so  much  the  act  as  the  principle 
which  our  Lord  condemns.  Were  Ave  understanding  the  words 
in  all  the  extent  of  meaning  which  the}^  will  bear — it  would  fol- 
low, that  nothing  ought  to  be  given  in  public  subscriptions  or 
collections  for  the  poor — for  in  this,  concealment  would  be  im- 
j3roper,  if  not  impossible.  It  is  obvious  from  Acts  xi.  29,  30, 
that  the  primitive  Christians  did  not  always  conceal  their  dona- 
tions. To  do  so  in  every  case  would  be  inconsistent  with  the 
command,  "Let  your  light  shine  before  men."  Indeed,  it  is 
quite  possible,  that  afiected  secresy  may  be  a  cloak  to  avarice, 
and  it  is  a  fact  that  many  by  pretending  to  be  very  private  in 
their  charities,  have  contrived  to  keep  their  money  to  themselves, 
and  at  a  very  cheap  rate  obtain  the  reputation  of  remarkable 

.  generosity."'  Yet,  on  tlie  other  hand,  the  remarks  of  the  judi- 
cious Scott  deserve  to  be  seriously  pondered,  "  Though  there  are 
many  charities  which  can  scarcely  be  promoted  without  some 
degree  of  public  notoriety,  and  frequently  a  leading  person  ma}' 
be  called  to  excite  others,  who  are  backward,  by  a  useful  ex- 
ample, yet  no  duty  is  more  liable  to  be  made  an  occasion  of  vain- 
glory than  this,  and  many  designs,  very  praiseworthy  in  them- 
selves, and  beneficial  to  others,  are  supported  by  a  liberality 
which  springs  almost  cutu'cly  from  this  corrupt  principle.     The 

«  Matt.  XXV.  31,  40,  4G.  s^  Hcb.  vi.  10,  ^  Fuller. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  203 

heart  is  deceitful,  and  when  men  love  to  have  their  names  among 
the  subscribers  to  public  charitv,  but  are  not  equally  liberal  in 
private,  while  they  love  to  speak  and  hear  of  their  own  benefi- 
cence, and  are  not  walling  to  do  much  without  the  credit  of  it,  it 
is  too  plain  how  the  case  stands  with  them.  In  general,  private 
charities,  if  not  most  useful,  are  most  unequivocal,  and  the  less 
reward  we  receive  from  man,  the  more  may  we  expect  from  our 
gracious  God." 

(2.)  Prayer. 

We  proceed  now  to  the  application  of  the  general  principle 
laid  down  in  the  1st  verse,  to  the  duty  of  prayer.  The  sum  of 
what  he  says  in  the  preceding  verses  is — 'My  disciples,  the 
children  of  the  kingdom,  are  to  give  alms,  but  they  are  not  to 
give  them  as  the  Pharisees  do  :  their  righteousness  is  in  this 
point  to  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  Pharisees.'  And  the 
sum  of  what  he  says  in  the  words  now  before  us — '  My  disciples, 
the  children  of  the  kingdom,  are  to  pray,  but  they  are  not  to 
pray  as  the  Pharisees :  in  this  point  also,  their  righteousness  is 
to  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  Pharisees.'  How  it  is  to  do 
so  will  appear  more  distinctly,  when  we  have  examined  somewhat 
more  minutely  our  Lord's  statements. 

1.   Oeneral  directions  about  Prayer. 

"And  when  thou  pray  est,  thou  shalt  not  be  as  the  hypocrites 
are :  for  they  love  to  pray  standing  in  the  synagogues,  and  in 
the  corners  of  the  streets,  that  they  may  be  seen  of  men.  Verily 
I  say  unto  you.  They  have  their  reward.'"' 

There  are  two  preliminary  remarks,  to  which  I  would  call 
attention,  before  entering  on  the  explication  of  these  Avords.  The 
first  is,  that  our  Lord  does  not  here  condemn  public  worship  or 
social  prayer.""  It  is  plain,  both  from  reason  and  Scripture,  that 
both  of  these  are  duties,  and  from  their  very  nature  they  cannot 
be  performed  in  secret.  They  must  be  performed  before  men, 
though  our  object  in  performing  them  must  not  be,  that  we  may 
be  seen  of  men.  The  reference  plainly  is  to  personal  individual 
prayer. 

The  second  preliminary  remark  is,  that  our  Lord  takes  for 
granted,  that  all  his  disciples  would  be  distinguished  by  the  per- 
formance of  secret  prayer.  What  he  says  is  not  to  persuade 
men  to  prayer,  but  to  direct  them  in  it.  "  Infidels  may  imagine 
that  God  does  not  concern  himself  with  the  affairs  of  mortals, 
and  may  excuse  themselves  by  pretending  that  it  would  be  pre- 
sumption in  them  to  solicit  the  Supreme  Being  to  do  this  or  that. 

«*Matt.  vi.  5. 

""J  That  learned  aud  honest,  but  very  unsoiind-miuded  man,  Gilbert  Wakefield, 
maintniued  that  there  was  no  divinely-appointed  or  sanctioned  christian  public 
worship*.  He  was  satisfactorily  replied  to  by  Dr.  Priestley  and  Mrs.  Barbauld, 
of  his  ov/n  denomination,  as  well  as  by  otliera  of  a  more  orthodox  creed. 


204  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

Formalists  may  saj  their  prayers,  and  be  glad  when  the  task  is 
over ;  but  Christians  cannot  live  Avithout  communion  with  God. 
As  soon  as  Saul  is  converted — turned  from  a  Pharisee  into 
a  Christian — '  Behold  he  praj^eth.' '"  He  formerly  "  said  prayers" 
in  public,  now  he  prays  in  good  earnest  in  secret.  Prayer  has 
with  much  propriety  been  called  the  breath  of  the  new  creature; 
and  it  has  justly  been  said,  you  will  as  soon  find  a  living  man 
who  does  not  breathe,  as  a  living  Christian  who  does  not  pray. 
"  Every  one  that  is  godly,"  says  David,  "  will  pray  to  thee." 

Taking  it  for  granted,  then,  that  our  Lord's  object  is  to  show 
how,  in  the  performance  of  the  duty  of  secret  prayer,  his  disciples 
were  to  exceed  the  Pharisees,  the  disciples  of  the  Scribes,  let  us 
see  in  what  this  superiority  was  to  consist : — "  When  they  prayed, 
they  were  not  to  be  as  the  hypocrites;"  that  is,  the  Pharisees  who 
were  hypocrites,  men  who  assumed  a  character  which  did  not  be- 
long to  them,  who  pretended  to  be  very  religious,  when  in  truth, 
in  the  just  acceptation  of  the  word,  they  were  not  religious  at  all. 
Hypocrisy  characterized  the  general  conduct  of  the  Pharisees; 
but  in  nothing  was  it  more  disgustingly  exhibited  than  in  the 
manner  in  which  they  performed  the  duty  of  individual  personal 
prayer.  They  "  loved  to  pray  standing'  in  the  synagogues," — 
that  is,  I  apprehend,  not  the  place  of  public  worship,  but  any 
place  of  public  concourse — and  "  in  the  corners  of  the  streets,"* 
— at  the  crossing  of  the  streets,  where  there  generally  is  a  crowd, 
and  where  they  could  be  seen  from  all  quarters.  These  were  the 
places  and  circumstances  in  which  the  hypocritical  Pharisees 
loved  to  perform  their  personal  devotions. 

This  seems  very  strange  to  us,  but  it  quite  accords  with  what 
is  still  customary  in  oriental  countries,  especially  among  the 
Mohammedans.  There  are  stated  times  for  prayer,  and  whenever 
these  times  arrive,  the  more  devout — wherever  they  are,  in  what- 
ever compan}^,  and  in  whatever  employment  they  are  engaged — 
immediately  perform  their  devotions.''  A  similar  custom  pre- 
vails in  Spain,  not  improbably  borrowed  from  the  Moors. 

We  know  that  among  the  Jews  there  were  appointed  hours 
for  prayer,  the  third  hour,  or  nine  o'clock ;  the  sixth  hour,  or 
mid-day ;  and  the  ninth  hour,  or  three  in  the  afternoon.^  How 
this  appointment  originated  we  do  not  know.  We  find  David 
saying,  "  Evening,  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray ;"  and  we 
find  Daniel  praying  three  times  a  day,  probably  at  these  seasons. 
I^'ow  it  would  appear  that  it  was  a  common  thing  for  the  hypo- 
critical Pharisees,  instead  of  retiring  at  these  seasons  for  devotion, 
rather  to  arrange  matters,  so  as  that  they  might  be  found  in  a 
very  public  situation  when  these  times  came ;  and  there,  in  the 

1  Fuller. 

2  "The  usual  attitude  of  the  .lews  in  prayer,  as  also  of  the  ancient  Christians, 
was  standing.  Maimon.  constit.  de  precat.  — Tiioluok.  1  Kings  viii.  22.  Dan. 
vi.  10.     Id  the  Greek  church  also,  "standing"  is  the  prayer  posture. 

3  "  Non  publiee  in  synagoga  oraro  unquam  solorura  hypocritarum  fuit." — 
EusNER.     Matt.  vi.  6.     Prov.  viii.  2,  3. 

*  Brewster.  ^  Prideaux,  Connect,  vol.  i. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIAJS^ITY   AND   PHARISAISM,  205 

presence  of  an  admiring  multitude,  with  all  the  external  appear- 
ances of  remarkable  devotion,  they  said  their  prayers.  Their 
object  was  not  that  they  might  be  heard  by  God,  but  "  seen  of 
men."  The  act  of  personal  prayer,  in  itself  a  dutiful  one,  was  in 
their  case,  not  so  much  an  act  of  worship  of  God,  as  of  worship 
partly  of  themselves,  and  partly  of  those  whose  applause  they 
coveted. 

Here,  as  in  the  case  of  alms,  our  Lord  warns  his  disciples,  not 
so  much  against  the  external  act,  as  against  the  principle  which 
it  implies.  They  mistake  his  meaning  who  think  that  he  here 
prohibits  the  posture  of  standing  in  prayer,  or  prohibits  in  every 
case  the  performance  of  personal  devotion  in  public.  A  Chris- 
tian may  be  placed  in  circumstances  in  which  he  cannot  retire 
for  secret  prayer,  but  he  is  not  therefore  to  neglect  it,  nor  is  he 
studiously  to  conceal  from  his  companions  that  he  performs  it. 
Paul  "  gave  thanks  to  God  in  the  presence  of  the  ship's  com- 
pany ;""  nay,  Christians  may  be  placed  in  circumstances  in  which 
it  is  their  duty  to  make  it  known,  that  they  regularly  attend  to 
the  duties  of  jjersonal  devotion.  Daniel  is  not  to  be  blamed  be- 
cause he  opened  his  window  when  "  he  kneeled  on  his  knees,  and 
prayed  to  God  in  his  house,"'  as  a  testimony  against  the  impious 
decree,  forbidding  all  prayer  for  a  month. 

That  which  Christ  means  to  censure  was  the  loving  to  pra}^ 
in  public  places  "to  be  seen  of  men."  "His  object  was  not  to 
appoint  the  place^  or  the  posture  of  prayer.  These,  in  his  estima- 
tion, were  matters  of  very  inferior  moment ;  but  to  detect  the 
vanity  of  the  mind ;  to  direct  his  followers  to  seek,  not  the  ap- 
plause of  men,  but  the  approbation  of  God."*  The  person  who 
loves  to  officiate  in  social  worship,  because  he  may  thus  obtain 
for  himself  a  character  for  remarkable  piety  among  his  brethren, 
is  equally  coiidemned  by  the  spirit  of  our  Lord's  prohibition,  as 
the  Pharisee  who  performed  his  private  devotion  in  public  for  the 
same  purpose. 

In  reference  to  such  persons  our  Lord  solemnly  declares, 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  they  have  their  reward."  The  word 
"  reward,"  is  of  ambiguous  meaning,  nearly  equivalent  to  rec- 
ompense. It  seems  to  have  been  our  Lord's  intention  to  inti- 
mate, that  these  men's  conduct  would  be  followed  by  its  natural 
consequences,  both  from  men  and  from  God,  in  time  and  in 
eternity.  They  obtain  man's  applause,  and  God's  disapproba- 
tion, because,  for  a  pretence,  they  make  public  and  long  prayers ; 
they  are  honored  by  men  who  look  on  the  outward  appearance, 
and  from  him  who  looketh  on  the  heart  they  receive  "  greater 
damnation." 

The  man  who  can  designedly  make  the  solemnities  of  religion 
the  instrument  of  gTatifying  his  own  vanity  and  ambition  and 
covetousness,  may  obtain  what  he  does  not  deserve,  and  what  he 
would  not  receive  if  the  truth  were  known,  the  admiration  of 
men;  but  he  richly  deserves,  and  he  certainly  will  receive,  if 

6  Acts  xxvii.  85.  ^  Dan.  vi.  10.  ^  Fuller. 


206  THE  SEEMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

repentance  do  not  intervene,  his  part  among  fhe  hypocrites, 
where  there  is  "  everlasting  shame  and  contempt,"  as  well  as 
"  weeping,  and  wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth."" 

Instead  of  seeking  the  greatest  possible  publicity  for  our  per- 
sonal devotions,  we  should  seek  the  greatest  attainable  privacy. 
"  But  thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet ;  and  when 
thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret : 
and  thy  Father,  which  seetli  in  secret,  shall  reward  thee 
openly.'"" 

Some  have  considered  the  words  of  our  Lord  in  the  beginning 
of  the  verse  as  figurative."  To  enter  into  the  closet,  and  to  shut 
the  door  before  prayer,  is  considered  as  a  metaphorical  expression 
for  withdrawing  the  mind  from  all  external  objects,  shutting  out 
all  but  God  and  ourselves,  remembering  that  in  prayer  it  is  with 
Him.^  with  Him  alone,  that  we  have  to  do.  This  is  an  important 
truth,  and  is  equally  applicable  to  social  as  to  personal  prayer. 
But  it  seems  quite  obvious,  from  entering  into  the  closet,  and 
shutting  the  door,  being  contrasted  with  standing  in  places  of 
public  concourse,  that  the  words  are  to  be  understood  literally. 
"  When  thou  prayest," — '  when,  as  an  individual,  thou  art  about 
to  present  personal  addresses  and  private  petitions  before  the 
throne  of  God,  instead  of  going  into  a  crowd  that  men  may  ob- 
serve thee,  withdraw,  whenever  it  is  practicable,  from  all  human 
society.' 

"  Enter  into  thy  closet,"  '  retire  by  thyself.'  We  are  not  to 
dwell  on  the  word  closeV  A  field,  a  garden,  a  mountain,  may 
be  as  retired  as  a  closet,  and  have  all  been  sanctified  by  the 
Saviour's  example,  as  proper  scenes  for  secret  prayer.''  "  And 
when  thou  hast  shut  thv  door,"  that  is,  '  when  thou  hast  secluded 
thyself  from  observation,  and  secured  thyself  from  interruption, 
then  perform  thy  personal  devotions.' 

"Pray  to  thy  Father  in  secret."  There  are  none  of  your 
fellow-men  there,  but  He  with  whom  you  have  to  do  is  there. 
Lay  open  to  him  your  minds  and  your  hearts,  your  wants  and 
your  wishes,  your  fears  and  your  sorrows.  "  Worship  him  who 
is  a  Spirit,  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  Such  prayers  will  not  secure 
you  human  applause,  but  they  will  draw  down  on  you  the  ap- 
probation of  your  heavenly  Father,  and  such  testimonies  of  his 
approbation  as  will  be  an  exceeding  great  reward. 

"  Thy  Father,  which  seeth  in  secret,  shall  reward  thee  openly." 
Secret  prayer  does  not,  cannot,  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term, 
merit  anything ;  but  it  is,  it  must  be,  the  object  of  the  approba- 
tion of  Him  who  desireth  truth  in  the  inward  parts.  Even  now, 
he  richly  rewards  the  sincere  secret  worshipper,  by  manifesting 
himself  to  him  in  a  way  he  does  not  to  the  world ;  and  ultimat(3ly 

'  How  foolish,  how  wretched  a  thing  to  speak  to  God,  and  to  look  to  men." — 
LaoHTON.     "Pray  to  the  gods,  but  would  have  mortals  hear." — Young. 

'"  Matt.  vi.  C.  "  Augiistiue. 

^ 'Vaftu7oi>  =  v7Tt[Hj)Ov — the  upper  part  of  the  house,  to  wliich  the  pious  Jews 
»ised  to  retire  for  devotional  purposes.  Acts  x.  9.  "  rci[iuioi'  »=»  d-oKpvi^u  olKr,/ia-a." 
— Phavortnus,  HE^vcima  '^  Scott 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  207 

these  secret  intercourses  with  God  shall  be  openly  declared  be- 
fore men  and  angels,  as  evidences  of  humility,  and  faith,  and  un- 
feigned piety;  and  in  uninteiTupted  intimate  fellowship  with 
God,  throughout  eternity,  shall  obtain  an  abundant,  gracious  rec- 
ompense. 

The  prayers  of  our  Lord's  disciples  were  to  be  contradistin- 
guished from  those  of  the  Pharisees,  both  by  their  originating  in 
a  desire,  not  for  human  applause,  but  for  God's  approbation,  lead- 
ing them  to  the  greatest  practical  privacy,  instead  of  the  greatest 
possible  publicity,  and  also  by  being  more  rational  in  their  sub- 
stance and  form.  The  Pharisees  acted  as  if  they  thought  that 
the  merely  repeating  over  and  over  again  the  same  words,  and 
protracting  the  service  to  a  sufficient  length,  would  secure  the 
acceptance  of  their  prayers. 

Against  the  foolish  and  superstitious  usage  originating  in  this 
mistake,  our  Lord  warns  his  disciples :  "  But  when  ye  pray,  use 
not  vain  repetitions,''  as  the  heathen  do ;  for  they  think  that  they 
shall  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking.'"* 

It  is  plain  that  our  Lord  does  not  mean  to  forbid  either  the 
repetition  of  the  same  request  again  and  again  in  the  same 
prayer,  or  the  continuing  for  a  considerable  time  in  devotional 
exercises.  In  Daniel's  prayer  for  the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  the 
same  words,  or  words  of  the  same  import,  are  frequently  re- 
peated. In  the  hundred  and  nineteenth  Psalm,  the  petition, 
"teach  me  thy  statutes,"  recurs  seven  times.  In  the  hundred 
and  thirty -sixth  Psalm,  the  words,  "  his  mercy  endureth  for 
ever,"  are  repeated  tv.renty-six  times.  On  a  most  interesting  oc- 
casion, when  the  fervor  of  his  devotion  was  certainly  as  great  as 
human  nature  is  susceptible  of,  our  Lord  three  times  presented 
the  same  petition,  in  the  same  words.''  When  a  person  is  very 
deeply  impressed  with  the  sense  of  the  value  of  a  blessing,  and 
of  his  need  of  it,  it  would  be  a  most  painful  constraint  to  be  pre- 
vented from  expressing  it  again  and  again." 

As  we  cannot  consider  our  Lord's  words  as  a  prohibition  of 
all  repetitions  in  prayer,  neither  can  we  consider  them  as  an 
unqualified  condemnation  of  long  prayers.  The  prayers  of  Solo- 
mon, Nehemiah,  and  Daniel,  although  uttered  under  the  inspir- 
ing influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  of  considerable  lengtli ;  and 
we  know  that  our  Lord  himself,  on  one  occasion,  continued  all 
night  in  prayer  to  God.'^     It  is  plain,  too,  from  the  number  of 

'1  There  caa  be  no  doubt  tliis  is  a  fair  translation  of  the  original  word 
Barro/loyen-',  the  origin  of  which  has  given  so  much  exercise  to  the  learning  and 
ingenuity  of  critics.  "Quantum  suflicit,"  on  this  subject,  may  be  found  in  Tho- 
LUCK,  V.  ii.,  p.  114-123.  '^  Matt  vi.  T.  '""  Brewster. 

"  It  is  reported  of  Augustine  that  he  prayed  over,  for  a  whole  night,  "Noverim 
te,  Domine,  noverim  me."  "There  is  no  prayer,"  says  Leighton,  "too  long  to 
God,  provided  it  be  all  enlivened  with  affection ;  no  idle  repetition  where  the 
heart  says  every  word  over  again  as  often  and  more  often  than  the  tongue." 

'^  "He  who  himself  spent  nights  in  prayer,  and  spake  a  parable  that  men 
ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint,  docs  not  find  fault  with  prayer  which  is 
long  drawn  out,  if  only  it  be  prayer." — Trench. 


208  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

persons  wliom  Paul  remembered  in  liis  prayer,  tliat  Ms  devotions 
could  not  be  very  short. 

Our  Lord  himself  teaches  us  what  are  the  limitations  with 
which  we  are  to  understand  his  words.  His  disciples  are  "  not 
to  use  such  repetitions  as  the  heathen,"  and  as  "  the  hypocrites,"*" 
the  Pharisees,  did:  they  were  not  to  protract  their  prayers  as  the 
heathen  and  the  hypocrites — the  Pharisees — prolonged  theirs. 
The  repetitions  referred  to  are  such  as  those  of  the  priests  of 
Baal,  who  cried  from  the  morning  till  the  ^evening,  "  0  Baal 
hear  us  !"*"  such  as  the  Ephesian  mob  uttered,  when,  for  the 
space  of  two  hours,  they  cried  oiit,  "  Great  is  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians.""  Such  repetitions  and  long-continaed  prayers  pro- 
ceeded, on  the  part  of  the  poor  heathen,  from  an  idea  that  they 
would  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking.  Their  notions  of  their 
divinities  were  very  low.  They  thought  that  they  were  very 
nearly  such  as  themselves.  Sucli  notions  and  such  practices 
still  exist.  The  Indian  devotees  spend  whole  days  in  shouting 
out  the  sacred  monosyllable,  Um ;  and  the  Mohammedan  der- 
vises  turn  round  in  a  circle,  repeating  He,  or  Alia,  till  they  drop 
down  from  giddiness.''^ 

The  Jews,  who  ought  to  have  been  better  informed,  seem  to 
have  adopted  similar  absurd  notions  and  practices.  The  follow- 
ing are  maxims  of  the  Talmudical  doctors : — "  Every  one  who 
multiplies  prayer  shall  be  heard ;"  and,  "  The  prayer  that  is  long 
shall  not  return  empty."  The  Pharisees  made  long  prayers,  and 
this  was  considered  as  a  proof  of  their  uncommon  devotion. 

It  is  curious  to  observe  the  identity  of  the  character  of  false 
religion  in  all  its  forms — Heathenism,  corrupted  Judaism,  and 
corrupted  Christianity.  The  poor  deluded  Eomanists  are  in  the 
habit  of  repeating  the  Lord's  prayer,  and  the  salutations  of  the 
Virgin,  in  a  language  they  do  not  understand ;  and  of  expecting 
that,  by  the  frequent  repetition  of  these,  which  they  number  by 
counting  a  string  of  beads,  they  are  to  obtain  deliverance  from 
the  greatest  evils,  and  the  possession  of  the  most  important 
blessings.""  In  a  popish  prayer,  addressed  to  Jesus,  the  word 
Jesu  is  repeated  fifteen  times,  with  only  the  words,  "  Have 
mercy  on  us,  and  help  us;"  and  ending  thus,  "  Give  me  here  my 
purgatory  !" 

In  opposition  to  these  false  notions,  our  Lord  instructs  us  that 
words  are  not  essential  to  true  devotion,  and  that  prayers  must 
not  necessarily  be  long,  in  order  to  their  being  effectual : — "  Be 
not  ye  therefore  like  unto  them ;  for  your  father  knowcth  what 
things  ye  have  need  of  before  ye  ask  Ilim."'"     Our  Lord  forbids 

'9  "  In  omnibus  rebus  vitandus  mos  hypocritarum  ;  in  precibus  etiaiu  clhnkorum." 
— Bkngel. 

2"  1  Kinj?8  xviii.  20.  '''  Acts  xix.  28. 

'^'^  "Ohe!  jam  desine  Deos,  uxor,  f^ratiilando  obtundere, 

Tuarn  esse  inventam  f;iiatain  :  nisi  illos  ex  tuo  iiigcnio  judicns, 
Ut  nihil  credas  intellipere,  nisi  idem  dictum  sit  centies." — Terknt. 
•^  P'or  i'wU  accounts  of  the  "  battology"  of  the  Roman  Cliurch,  consult  Voetii 
Disput.  SeL  Theol.  turn.  iii.  «'  Matt  vi.  8. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  209 

here,  all  unmeaning  and  unnecessary  repetitions.  When  repeti- 
tion is  the  natural  result  of  earnest  desire,  it  is  more  than  allow- 
able ;  but  when  it  is  the  effect  of  carelessness  or  ostentation,  or 
when  it  proceeds  from  the  idea  that  the  merely  repeating  certain 
words  is  to  produce  some  beneficial  effect,  it  is  sinful  and  for- 
bidden. A  prayer  is  not  by  any  raeans  necessarily  a  bad  one 
because  it  is  long,  any  more  than  it  is  necessarily  a  good  one  be- 
cause it  is  short.  In  general,  it  is  proper  to  avoid  long  praj^ers. 
especially  in  the  family  and  in  the  church,  which  are  not  only 
wearisome  to  men,  but  offensive  to  God.  A  proper  sense  of  the 
majesty  of  the  Supreme  Being  would  cure  this  evil.  "  God  is  in 
heaven,  and  thou  upon  earth  ;  therefore  let  thy  words  be  few."" 
It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  whenever  our  Lord  or  his 
apostles  were  long  in  prayer,  it  was  in  private.  It  has  been 
shrewdly  remarked,  that  "  if  many,  who  pray  for  an  hour  or 
longer  in  public,  and  with  tedious  repetitions,  were  as  circuitous 
in  the  closet,  whether  he  should  commend  their  discretion  or  not. 
we  might  hope  well  of  their  sincerity.  But  when  the  reverse  is 
true,  it  certainly  has  the  appearance,  to  speak  it  gently,  of  the 
very  spirit  which  it  was  our  Saviour's  intention  to  condemn.""" 

The  reason  which  our  Lord  assigns  for  his  disciples  avoiding 
the  needless  repetitions  and  the  tiresome  protraction  by  which 
the  prayers  of  the  heathens  and  Pharisees  vv'ere  characterized,  is 
a  very  satisfactory  one  : — "  Your  Father  knoweth  what  things 
ye  have  need  of  before  je  ask  Him."  So  far  from  many  words 
being  necessarj^',  strictly  speaking,  no  words  at  all  are  necessary 
to  i3rayer.  To  most  of  us  I  believe,  even  in  secret  prayer,  tliii 
employment  of  words  is  useful,  and  in  social  prayer  it  is  abso- 
lutel}^  necessary  ;  but  it  is  not  needful  in  reference  to  God.  He 
needs  not  to  be  informed  by  words  what  we  want,  nor  urged  by 
words  to  afford  us  the  requisite  suppl3^  He  is  not  ignorant  of 
our  necessities,  nor  indisposed  to  supply  these  "  according  to  his 
glorious  riches."" 

But  it  may  be  asked,  if  such  be  the  truth,  what  is  the  use  of 
prayer?  Is  it  not  altogether  unnecessary  ?  To  this  question  I 
reply,  in  the  well-considered  language  of  a  most  useful  practical 
expositor  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  "  Prayer  is  necessary 
by  the  Divine  appointment.  We  are  expressl}^  commanded  to 
ask,  that  we  may  receive.  If  we  refuse  to  seek  the  Divine 
bounties,  as  he  has  ordained,  we  have  no  reason  to  expect  that 
he  will  bestow  them  upon  us.  Prayer  is  also,  in  its  own  nature, 
necessary  before  we  can  experience  the  blessing  of  the  Almighty. 
It  is  intimately  connected  with  the  first  principles  of  true  religion. 

23  Eccles.  V.  2.  2i;  Fuller. 

-^  "Superstition  ascribes  the  reason  for  the  i.';rauting  of  a  prayer,  not  to  the 
mercy  of  God,  but  to  its  own  godless  work.  Unbelief  infers  from  the  omniscience 
of  God  (in  which  it  does  not  believe)  the  usolessness  of  prayer.  Faith  founds 
upon  thii  same  holy,  gracious,  divine  omniscience,  its  poor  prayer.  Thus  our 
Lord  teaelies  us  to  pray  in  faith,  bccmisc  God  knows,  before  we  ask  him,  what 
things  we  stand  in  need  of;  and,  therefore,  he  can  inspire  the  (to  hini)  acceptable 
prayer,  and  grant  it  accordingly." — Olshausen.  Rom.  viii.  '2;".-28. 
VOL.    i.  14 


210  THE   SERMON   ON   THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

It  is  impossible  to  clierisli  these  in  the  heart,  without  the  soul 
rising  in  adoration  of  the  Divine  excellencies,  and  feeling  a  de- 
sire of  the  Divine  favor;  and  what  is  this  but  prayer,  in  its 
simplest  and  purest  form  ?  It  is  likewise  a  becoming  act  of  wor- 
ship on  our  part,  an  acknowledgment  of  our  dependence  on  God, 
and  an  expression  of  our  obligations  for  his  goodness.  It  is  a 
useful  means  of  disposing  us  rightly  to  receive  and  improve  the 
gifts  of  Heaven,  and  is  thus  a  kind  of  indispensable  preparation 
before  we  can  receive  them.  It  is  itself  the  exercise  of  our  best 
feelings,  and  by  the  very  act  of  praying  aright,  we  are  made  to 
possess  many  of  the  blessings  which  we  ask.  It  is,  in  fine,  natu- 
rally connected  with  the  use  of  means  for  attaining  what  we 
seek  in  our  petitions,  and  should  thus  dispose  us  to  employ  these 
means  with  renewed  diligence.  But  though  prayer  is  thus  ne- 
cessary and  useful  to  us,  it  is  not  in  the  smallest  degree  necessary 
for  informing  or  persuading  the  Almighty.^* 

2.  Pattern  of  Prayer. 

To  place  in  a  still  clsarer  point  of  view,  the  kind  of  prayer  by 
which  his  disciples  were  to  be  characterized,  and  contra-distin- 
guished from  the  Pharisees,  our  Lord  gives  us  a  specimen  of  it 
in  that  wonderful  composition  commonly  termed  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  a  composition  of  which  it  has  been  justly  said,  that  it  prob- 
ably contains  in  it  more  important  instruction  than  can  anywhere 
else  be  found  in  so  few  words. 

"  After  this  manner  pray  ye,"  that  is,  '  Instead  of  the  vain  rep- 
etitions and  the  tedious  protraction  which  are  the  leading  char- 
acters of  the  prayers  of  these  hypocrites,  the  Pharisees,  let  your 
prayers  be  distinguished  for  the  simplicity,  comprehensiveness, 
rationality,  and  brevity,  which  are  the  distinctive  qualities  of  the 
following  form.' 

It  has  been  a  question  among  interpreters  and  divines,  which 
has  given  origin  to  a  good  deal  of  acrimonious  controversy, 
whether  the  Lord's  Prayer  is  to  be  considered  as  a  form  to  be  used, 
or  as  a  pattern  to  be  imitated.  The  right  answer  to  the  question 
is,  it  is  to  be  considered  as  both.  In  the  case  before  us,  it  seems 
plainly  brought  forward  as  an  example  or  pattern  of  the  prayer 
which  was  to  prevail  under  the  new  economy.  In  the  gospel 
by  Luke,  we  find  our  Lord,  on  another  occasion,  as  we  appre- 
hend, using,  in  reference  to  the  same  formula,  these  words : — 
"  When  ye  pray,  say  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven,""  words 
which  seem  obviously  to  intimate,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  his  dis- 
ciples in  their  prayers,  not  only  always  to  use  it  as  a  pattern,  but 
sometimes  also  to  employ  it  as  a  form. 

^'t  Brewster. — "  Utrumqne  tenendum  est,  vota  nostra  a  Deo  sponte  praeveniri, 
et  tamen  non  prceibus  impetrare  quod  petimus.' — Bengel.  It  does  not  require 
a  very  deep  philosophy  to  see  the  eonsistcney  of  these  two  equally  certain  prin- 
ciples.    Some  wine  men  of  this  world  cannot,  however,  discern  it. 

^  Luke  xi.  2. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM:.  211 

It  lias  been  very  well  remarked,  that  ' '  it  may  be  often  very 
proper  to  use  the  very  words,  but  it  is  not  always  necessary ;  but 
we  ought  always  to  pray  after  the  manner  of  it,  with  that  rever- 
ence, humility,  conri:l.euce  in  Grod,  zeal  for  his  glory,  love  to 
mankind — sulDmission  and  moderation  in  temporal,  and  earnest- 
ness about  spiritual  things,  which  it  inculcates — avoiding  vain 
repetitions,  and  using  grave  and  comprehensive  expressions.'"" 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  examine  this  divine  pattern  and  form 
of  prayer.  As  it  stands  before  us,  it  consists  of  three  parts — In 
vocation.  Petition,  and  Doxology.^ 

The  invocatory  part  of  the  prayer  consists  in  these  most 
comprehensive  words — "  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven."" 
"  Father,"  like  every  other  word  properly  expressive  of  human 
relation,  when  applied  to  the  Divine  Being,  must  be  considered 
as  bearing  a  figurative  or  analogical  meaning.  When  God  is  rep- 
resented as  the  Father  of  those  who  worship  him,  we  are  taught 
that  he  stands  in  a  relation  towards  them  similar  to  that  in  which 
a  father  stands  to  his  children ;  and  that  he  regards  them,  and 
acts  towards  them,  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  in  which  a  father 
regards  and  acts  towards  his  children. 

It  has  sometimes  been  made  a  question,  on  the  resolution  of 
which  the  true  meaning  of  the  appellation  "  lather"  in  the  pas- 
sage before  us  depends,  whether  this  prayer  is  intended  for  all 
men,  as  the  rational  creatures  of  God  ;  or  only  for  those  who  are 
become  the  "  children  of  God  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus."  I 
apprehend  it  is  the  duty  of  every  man  to  pray  to  God  ;  bat  it  is 
the  duty  of  every  man  to  pray  to  God  in  his  true  character ;  and 
it  is  only  when  one  does  so,  that  he  can  pray  acceptably.  God 
is  the  kind  Father  of  all  mankind,  not  only  as  he  is  the  Father 
of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  who  "  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  na- 
tions of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth,"  and  who 
"givethto  all  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things,"'"  but  also,  inas- 
much as,  though  they  have  acted  the  part  of  most  un  dutiful 
children,  and  exposed  themselves  to  the  most  dreadful  evils  from 
liim  as  the  righteous  Governor  of  the  world,  he  still  regards 
them  with  pity  and  love,  having  no  pleasure  in  their  death,  but 
willing  rather  that  they  turn  from  their  evil  Avays  and  live ;  and 
having,  by  a  wondrous  device  of  infinite  wisdom,  made  the  exer- 
cise of  his  compassion  towards  them  perfectly  compatible  with 
the  demands  of  holiness  and  justice,  he  exhibits  himself  as  "  God 
in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their 
trespasses  unto  them,"  seeing  he  has  "made  him  who  knew  no 
sin,  to  be  sin  for  them,"  that  "  they  might  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him  ;"'^  and  proclaiming,  "  Return  to  me  ye  back- 
sliding children,  for  I  have  redeemed  you  ;"'*  for  the  "  great  love 
wherewith  he  loveth"  men,  through  the  mediation  of  his  Son,  he 
blesses  them  with  all  heavenly  and   spiritual  blessings,  saving 

30  Scott.     Vide  Vernede  iii.,  Ser.  xxii.  ^'  Matt.  vi.  9. 

32  Acts  xvii.  25,  26.  33  2  Cor.  v.  19-21.  ^j  jgr.  iii.  14,  22. 

6  See  Note  G. 


212  THE  SERMON  ON"  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

them  in  him,  with  an  everlasting  salvation.''  This  is  the  truth 
as  to  the  relation  in  which  God  stands  to  men  ;  tliis  is  the  way  in 
which  he  regards  them,  and  is  disposed  to  treat  them.  Every 
man  who  hears  the  Gospel,  may,  should,  believe  these  truths ; 
and  whatever  has  been  his  previous  character,  from  that  time  he 
may,  he  should,  he  Avill,  call  God  his  father.  He  will  "  set  to  his 
seal  that  God  is  true,"  and  in  his  own  experience,  he  will  obtain 
satisfoctory  evidence,  that,  "as  a  father  loveth  and  pitieth  his 
children,"  so  God  loves  and  pities  him.'°  Our  Lord  could  not  do 
— whatever  some  of  his  mistaken  servants  may  have  done — he 
could  never  instruct  any  man  to  pray  in  unbelief]  but  he  does 
here  instruct  all  men  to  pray  in  faith,"  Every  man — the  greatest 
sinner  breathing — may,  ought,  to  call  God  father,  but  he  never 
will  really  call  God  father,  till  he  believe  the  truth  about  him ; 
and  then  he  will  not  be  able  to  refrain  from  calling  him  father. 

"Father,"  is  just  equivalent  to  'the  Being  from  whom  we 
have  derived  existence  and  every  blessing— on  whom  we  are  en- 
tirely dependent — who  really  loves  us,  and  is  disposed  to  bestow 
on  us  everything  which  is  necessary  to  our  true  happiness,  in  the 
widest  extent  of  meaning  which  belongs  to  that  comprehensive 
word.' 

'•  Father  in  heaven,"  or  "  heavenly  Father,"  is  an  appellation  in- 
tended to  bring  before  our  mind,  that  He  who  stands  in  so 
intimate  a  relation  to  us,  and  who  regards  and  treats  us  so 
benignantly,  is  infinitely  exalted  above  us.  He  is  high  above  us, 
as  the  heaven  is  high  alDove  the  earth.  He  is  at  the  head  of  the 
universe — the  great  Sovereign  whose  throne  is  in  the  heavens, 
the  region  of  immutable  purity  and  happiness. 

"Our  Father,"  or  "  our  heavenly  Father,"  suggests  tlie  thought 
— '  He  is  not  only  the  Fatlier  of  other  intelligent  beings,  but  he  is 
my  Father;  he  regards  me  with  pity^ — he  desires  my  happiness — 
and  he  is  not  only  my  Father,  but  the  Father  of  all  my  brethren 
in  Christ,  the  Father  of  all  my  brethren  of  mankind.' 

The  important  practical  instruction  suggested  by  this  solemn 
invocation,  is  obviously  this, — That,  believing  the  truth  respect- 
ing the  infinite  grandeur,  and  excellence,  and  amiableness  of  the 
Divine  Being — believing  that  he  stands  to  vis  in  the  relation  of  a 
father,  and  cherishes  towards  us  the  dispositions  of  a  father — we 
should  approach  iiim  with  a  mingled  sentiment  of  veneration  and 
love,  awe  and  confidence,  in  the  full  assured  belief  tliat  he  is 
both  able  and  willing  to  answer  the  prayers  we  present  to  him, 
agreeably  to  his  will ;  and  that  it  is  our  duty,  when  God  gives 
us  opportunity,  to  pray  with  others,  and  at  all  times  to  pray_yfer 
others.'*  This  invocation  forms,  as  it  were,  tlic  preface  to  the 
prayer. 

^t\\Q.   petitionary    ])art  of  the   prayer   divides   itself  into   six 

»'  Epli.  ii.  4;  i.  3.  »"  .lolin  iii.   33.     Pmil.  eiii.  13,  14.  ^V  Fuller. 

■*''  "Every  helicver  li.ilh  ii  shan;  in  all  the  prayers  of  all  the  rest. ;  he  is  a  j)art- 
ner  in  every  ship  of  tliat  kind  that  iroes  to  sea,  uud  liath  a  portion  of  all  their 
gainful  voyages.' — l.KionxoN. 


PAET  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   ANP    PHAEISAISM,  213 

parts.^'  There  are  six  different  petitions  or  requests;  the  first 
three  of  which  have  a  direct  reference  to  the  Divine  glory,  and 
the  last  three  to  the  petitioner's  happiness. 

The  first  petition  is,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name.""  The  "  name 
of  God,"  as  our  heavenly  Father,  is  God  himself,  as  manifested 
in  his  works,  and  in  liis  Avord,  especiall}^  in  this  character  of 
'"our  Father."  The  word  "hallowed,"  is  nearly  synonjmious 
with  'sanctified'  or  '  glorified.'  The  petition  is  equivalent  to, 
'  May  the  manifestation  of  thine  infinitely-venerable  and  amiable 
excellencies,  excite  universal  attention,  and  call  forth  correspond- 
ing sentiments  and  conduct,  in  all  intelligent  beings.  May  God, 
as  our  Father  in  heaven,  be  universally  known  and  honored. 
May  we  be  enabled  to  "  sanctify  thee  in  our  hearts,  and  to  make 
thee  our  fear  and  our  dread  ;"  may  we  be  enabled  to  "  love  thee 
with  all  our  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength,  and  mind ;"  may  we 
be  enabled  to  "trust  in  thee'  at  all  times,"  to  seek  and  to  find 
happiness  in  thee,  and  in  thee  alone ;  may  we  be  enabled  to 
"  glorifj^  thee  in  our  souls,  and  in  our  bodies,  which  are  thine  ;"" 
to  think,  feel,  speak,  and  act,  in  every  case,  in  a  manner  becom- 
ing thine  infinite  excellence,  and  the  relation  in  which  we  stand 
to  thee;  and  may  this  be  the  case,  not  only  with  us,  as  individu- 
als, but  Avith  all  the  children  of  men.  May  they  all  know,  and 
fear,  and  love,  and  trust  in  and  obey  thee,  as  their  heavenly 
Father.' 

It  is  thus  a  most  extensive  petition.  It  is  a  prayer  that  all 
atheism,  and  infidelity,  and  ignorance,  and  error,  and  super- 
stition, and  false  religion,  and  impiety,  may  be  banished  fi'om 
the  world,  and  that  the  only  living  and  true  God,  "  our  Father 
in  heaven,"  may  be  worshipped  and  honored  all  over  the  earth, 
and  by  every  individual  of  the  human  race 

The  second  petition  is,  "  Thv  kingdom  come.""  Some,  by 
"  the  kingdom  of  God,"  understand  here  the  new  economy,  both 
in  its  external  and  internal  administration  ;  that  is,  the  introduc- 
tion, and  progress,  and  universal  establishment  of  true  religion 
in  its  most  perfect  form — Christianity.  Others  think  that  "the 
kingdom"  of  the  Father  is  to  be  considered  as  here  contrasted 
with  the  kingdom  of  the  Son,  and  that  the  reference  is  to  that 
final  economy,  when,  "  the  end  being  come,  the  Son  shall  have 
delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father,"  and  "  God  shall  be  all 
in  all.""  I  am  disposed  to  think  the  first  view  the  correct  one. 
The  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  ordinarily 
signify  the  new  economy  ;  and  the  phrase,  "  The  delivering  up 
the  kingdom  to  the  Father,"  seems  to  me  to  refer  not  to  the 
Mediator  resigning  his  kingdom,  but  to  his  restoring  or  bringing 
back  to  the  Father  the  kingdom  which  had  revolted  from  him, 

39  Divines  of  the  Lutlieraa  church  generally  consider  the  petitions  as  seven — 
dividing  what  we  call  the  sixth  into  two. 
i  J  Matt.  'vi.  9. 

"  Isa.  viii.  13.     Matt.  xxii.  37.     Psal.  Ixii.  8.     1  Cor.  vi.  20. 
'^  Matt.  vi.  10.  «  1  Cor.  xv.  24-28. 


214  THE  SERMON  OX  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IY. 

and  wliicli  revolt  tlie  mediation  of  tlie  Sou  is  intended  to  quell 
and  put  down." 

"  Thy  kingdom  come,"  is  a  praj-er  that  we  ourselves  may  be 
made  loyal  subjects  to  God,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the 
word  and  agency  of  the  spirit  of  Christ — that  we  may  be  made 
thoroughly  loving,  faithful,  and  obedient — that  this  may  be  the 
case  with  all  with  whom  we  are  connected,  by  whatever  tie — 
that  the  word  of  the  kingdom  may  be  preached  in  all  nations — 
that  it  may  be  "  preached  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
heaven" — that  Christian  churches  may  be  established  in  every 
region  of  our  earth — that  "  men  may  be  blessed"  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  that  "  all  nations  may  call  him  blessed" — ^that"the 
kingdoms  of  this  world  may  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord, 
and  of  his  Christ" — that  every  opposing  power  may  be  put  down, 
and  God  be  all  in  all. 

The  terms  of  this  petition  have  given  rise  to  the  opinion,  that 
this  prayer  is  only  suited  to  the  commencement  of  the  christian 
dispensation :  and  that  as  the  kingdom,  which  was  then  at  hand, 
has  long  ago  come,  it  is  absurd  to  pray  for  what  has  already 
taken  place.  But  as  the  coming  of  the  kingdom,  is  a  phrase 
which  as  naturally  refers  to  the  progress  as  to  the  introduction 
of  the  christian  religion  ;  till  that  religion  be  universally  known 
in  our  world — till  its  doctrines  be  universally  taught  in  their 
primitive  pm'ity — till  its  ordinances  be  universally  observed  in 
theii-  primitive  simplicity — till  all  men  be  made  to  experience,  in 
the  highest  jDossible  degree,  its  power  to  sanctify  and  to  bless — 
the  prayer  can  never  be  an  unseasonable  one.  '  May  the  king- 
dom of  our  Father  in  heaven  come ;  may  his  supreme  authority 
be  universally  acknowledged ;  and  may  all  unite  in  ascribing 
the  majesty  to  him  of  whom,  and  through  whom,  and  to  whom 
are  all  things !' 

I  apprehend,  however,  that  those  interpreters  unduly  confine 
the  meaning  of  this  petition,  who  would  exclude  the"^  full  de- 
velopment of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  celestial  state.  To 
avail  ourselves  of  the  division  of  the  Shorter  Catechism,  it  refers 
not  only  to  "  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  grace,"  but  to 
the  "hastening  of  the  kingdom  of  glory."" 

The  last  petition,  in  the  first  division  of  the  prayer,  is,  "Thy 
will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven."'"  "  The  will  of  God  " 
is  a  phrase  which,  taken  by  itself,  may  express  either  that  which 
God  has  determined  to  do,  or  that  which  God  has  commanded 
to  be  done,  and  appointed  to  be  submitted  to.     With  regard  to 

■"  See  "The  Resurrection  of  Life." 

■"The  following  collection  of  scriptures,  taken  from  Chemnitz,  will  enable  the 
Christian,  in  his  private  devotions,  to  expand  in  his  tliouglits  the  petition,  "Thy 
kingdom  come:"— Luke  .\i.  20.  Kom.  xiv.  17.  Psal.  ex.  'J.  llom.  xvi.  20.  Johu 
xvii.  1.5.  1  John  v.  4.  John  xvi.  Xi.  Matt.  vi.  [io ;  viii.  11;  xviii.  0.  Luke 
xvii.  33;  x.xiii.  42.  Eph.  ii.  10.  Col.  i.  12.  Matt.  xxv.  84.  1  Cor.  xv.  50,  <fec. 
2  Tim.  iv.  18.  2  Pet,  lii.  12.  2  Thess.  i.  5.  1  Thess.  ii.  13.  2  Pet.  i.  11.  Luke 
xii.  40. 

«Matt.  vi.  10. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  215 

tlae  will  of  God,  in  the  first  sense,  it  is  already  done  on  earth,  as 
it  is  done  in  heaven.  "  His  counsel  stands,  and  he  does  all  his 
pleasure."  Neither  infernal  nor  human  power  or  policy,  can 
frustrate  the  purposes  of  God.  It  is  our  duty  to  acquiesce  in 
the  Divine  determinations,  as  infinitely  wise  and  righteous,  and 
to  rejoice  that  "  he  worketh  all  things  according  to  the  counsel 
of  his  will ;"  but  the  doing  of  the  will  of  God,  in  this  sense,  is 
not  so  properly  a  thing  to  be  prayed  for,  as  a  thing  to  be  ac- 
quiesced, to  be  rejoiced  in ;  at  any  rate,  for  the  reason  alread}* 
assigned,  that  it  is  already  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven, 
it  cannot  be  the  subject  of  the  petition  now  under  consideration. 

It  is  not  God's  will  of  purpose,  but  God's  will  of  precept  and 
of  providence  that  is  here  referred  to.*'  It  is  a  prayer  that  our 
will,  and  the  will  of  every  human  being,  ma}^  be  brought  into  a 
complete  accordance  with  the  will  of  God,  as  made  known  in 
his  written  word,  or  in  his  providential  dispensations ;  that  we, 
and  all  men,  may  desire  and  do  as  he  wills  and  directs ;  that  we 
ma}'  be  made  to  know  his  will,  to  do  his  will,  to  submit  to  his  mil 
— to  believe  what  he  has  revealed,  because  he  has  revealed  it — to 
choose,  and  do  what  he  has  commanded,  because  he  has  com- 
manded it — ^to  submit  to  what  he  appoints,  because  he  has  ap- 
pointed it.  We  do  the  will  of  God  when,  from  a  regard  to 
his  authority,  we  regulate  our  hearts  and  lives  according  to  his 
law,  and  when,  from  the  same  principle,  we  acquiesce  in  the  ar- 
rangements of  his  providence,  resting  satisfied  with  the  manner 
in  which  he  disposes  of  our  concerns,  and  submitting,  without 
doubting  and  murmuring,  to  all  his  dispensations.  We  not  only 
pray  that  God's  will  may  thus  be  done  by  ourselves  and  others 
on  earth,  but  that  it  may  be  done  "as  it  is  done  in  heaven  ;" 
that  is,  by  the  angels,  and  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect, 
universally,  cheerfully,  harmoniously.  We  pray,  in  other  words, 
that  we  may,  and  others  may,  be  made  "  perfect  in  all  the  will 
of  God." 

To  be  so  is  our  duty,  and  ought  to  be  at  once  our  desire  and 
endeavor.  The  knowledge  of  the  fact,  that  in  this  life  we  never 
shall  do  the  will  of  God  in  the  same  absolutely  perfect  way  as  it 
is  done  in  heaven,  is  no  reason  why  we  should  lower  the  object 
of  our  desires,  or  the  aim  of  our  endeavors.  What  an  amount  of 
blessings  is  ^vrapped  up  in  this  petition  !  Were  this  petition  fully 
granted,  earth  would  almost  become  heaven;  for  what  makes 
lieaven  Avhat  it  is,  but  that  there  the  will  of  God  is  the  will  of  all 
intelligent  beings  ?  Perfect  holiness,  and  perfect  happiness,  are 
necessarily  implied  in  perfect  conformity  to  the  will  of  God. 

These  three  petitions  are  most  intimately  connected.  The 
great  object  of  desire  is  the  glory  of  God — "  the  hallowing  his 
name."  The  grand  means  for  securing  this  is  "  the  coming  of 
his  kingdom  ;"  and  the  manifestation  that  his  kingdom  is  come, 

4"  Beza  considei's  the  reference  here  as  to  the  "voluntas  decernens"  rather  than 
to  the  "  voluntas  jubens."  His  venerable  and  sounder-minded,  though  not  more 
acute,  friend,  Calvin,  is  of  an  opposite  opinion. 


216  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

and  his  name  therefore  hallowed,  is  "  the  doing  of  his  will  on 
earth,  as  it  is  done  in  heaven." 

The  first  of  the  petitions  which  have  for  their  direct  object 
human  happiness,  is,  "  Grive  us  this  day  our  daily  bread."** 

Interpreters  have  found  much  difliculty  in  fixing  the  precise 
meaning  of  the  epithet  rendered  in  our  version  "  daily.""  The 
reason  of  tliis  difficulty  is,  that  the  words  nowhere  else  occurs  in 
the  New  Testament,  and  is  not  to  be  found  in  an^-  of  the  profane 
Greek  writers,  so  that  we  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  its  true 
sense,  save  the  connection  and  the  etymology.  I  apprehend  that 
the  most  probable  meaning  is,  'bread  that  is  necessary  and 
suitable  to  our  subsistence,'  what  Agur  calls  "  food  convenient 
for  us."^* 

Some  have  interpreted  the  words  figuratively.  They  consider 
them  as  a  prayer  for  spiritual  blessings,  under  the  figure  of  bread. 
They  view  them  as  equivalent  to.  '  Give  us  the  supersubskintial 
bread — the  bread  of  life — ^the  true  manna  whereby  v/e  may  be 
nourished  up  to  eternal  life;'  some  have  even  strangely  supposed 
that  there  is  a  reference  to  the  bread  in  the  Lord's  supper. 

There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt,  that  this  petition  is  in- 
tended as  a  prayer  for  whatever  is  needful  for  the  body.  Bread 
comprehends  all  the  necessaries,  but  none  of  the  superfluities,  of 
life.  If  God  gives  us  the  latter,  we  shoidd  be  thankful  for  them, 
and  employ  them  as  a  trust  committed  to  us,  to  be  managed  so 
as  to  promote  the  glory  of  the  munificent  owner ;  but  we  are  not 
warranted  to  ask  them  as  what  God  has  promised  to  give  us. 
"  Having  food  and  raiment,  let  us  be  therewith  content."" 

We  are  to  ask  every  day,  "day  by  day,""  our  necessary- 
bread  ;  we  are  not  warranted  to  ask  even  of  the  necessaries  of 
life,  very  large  supplies,  which  may  serve  for  weeks,  and  months, 
and  years  to  come,  but  as  children  entirely  dependent  on,  and 
viompletely  confiding  in,  our  heavenly  Father,  we  are  to  ask  the 
supply  of  our  present  need,  and  to  ex[)ect  that  to-morrow,  when 
^\•e  require  to  make  the  same  request,  we  shall  obtain  tlie  same 
display  of  fatherly  care. 

It  has  been  ingeniously  remarked,  '  We  are  to  ask  our  own 
Ijread.  Give  us  our  bread, — we  are  not  allowed  to  ask  the 
bre^d  of  others, — we  must  not  covet  our  neighbor's  goods,  but 
must  be  contented  with  what  God  gives  us  in  the  way  of  honest 
industr}^,  or  by  the  kindness  of  our  friends.' 

In  this  petition  we  acknowkdge  our  dependence  on  God  for 
all  we  have,  and  for  all  we  need.  "  Our  talents  and  industry 
cannot  succeed  without  his  concurrence.  Our  friends  and  bene- 
factors are  entirely  dependent  on  him.     Our  riches  and  stores 

«  Matt.  vi.  11. 

^9  iiiiovGLov.  "  Crux  non  Theologorura  duntaxat  sed  etiam  Grammaticonim." — 
Amyraut. 

•>"  Prov.  XXX.  8.  The  fullest  and  most  satisfactory  discussion  of  this  question  I 
have  met  with  is  that  by  Tholuck,  vol.  ii.,  17'2-19C.  It  is,  indeed,  quite  a  master- 
piece, and,  but  for  its  length,  I  should  liave  transfciTcd  it  into  the  nolcs. 

^'  I  Tim.  vi.  8.  5J  ^latt.  aij/npur.     Luke,  nail'  l/fitpav. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  217 

cannot  continue  without  his  vrill.  Our  health  and  strength  can- 
not be  preserved  without  his  power ;  and  even  though  we  had  the 
necessaries  of  life  in  abundance,  they  cannot  support  or  nourish 
us  without  his  blessing."^^ 

The  spirit  which  this  petition  breathes  is  very  different  from 
the  temper  natural  to  depraved  man.  "  Man  naturall}^  aspires 
to  be  independent  of  God,  and  to  raise  himself  out  of  the  reach 
of  want  and  adversity.  He  cannot  trust  God  to  provide  for 
himself  and  his  family,  but  desires  to  take  this  charge  on  himself. 
Unlike  the  sheep  of  Christ's  pasture,  who  go  in  and  out  as  he 
leads  them,  and  look  to  him  to  feed  them,  he  emulates  the  wild 
beasts  who  roam  through  the  forests  in  quest  of  prey  for  them- 
selves and  their  3'oung  ones.  Ever  anxious  to  accumulate,  he 
has  neither  time  nor  inclination  to  think  of  anything  else,  till, 
in  some  unexpected  hour,  he  is  obliged  to  spare  time  to  die. 
Christian,  canst  thou  envy  such  a  man,  even  when  he  succeeds 
to  his  heart's  desire  in  accumulating  wealth, — Wilt  thou  learn 
of  his  ways  ?  It  is  really  better  for  thee,  and  for  thy  children, 
to  receive,  as  you  need  it,  the  supply  of  your  wants.  It  is  better 
He  should  provide  for  you  in  answer  to  your  prayers,  than  that 
you  should  try  to  provide  for  yourself  in  opposition  to  his  com- 
mand. '  The  young  lions  lack  and  suffer  hunger,  but  they  that 
seek  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any  good  thing."  "" 

The  first  three  petitions  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  suit  perfectly 
holy  beings.  They  breathe  the  very  spirit  of  heaven.  Angels, 
and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  may,  we  have  no  doubt 
they  do,  join  in  them.  They  are  the  expression  of  their  habitual 
wishes.  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name,  thy  kingdom  come,  thy  will 
be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven."  The  fourth  is  one  Vv^hich 
Adam  in  innocence  might  have  offered.  It  is  an  expression  of 
entire  dependence  on  God,  and  a  desire  to  receive  from  him 
what  he  sees  necessary  and  sufficient  for  the  supply  of  those 
wants  which  rise  out  of  our  connection  with  a  body  of  organized 
animated  matter.  But  the  two  concluding  petitions  speak  of 
guilt  and  depravity.  They  could  not  be  offered  by  the  inhabit- 
ants of  heaven.  They  could  not  have  been  offered  by  Adam  in 
innocence.  They  are  the  cry  of  the  guilty  for  pardon,  and  of  the 
morally  imperfect  and  depraved  for  sanctification. 

"  Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors."^^  It  has 
sometimes  been  said  that  "debts"  here,  mean  sins.  I  do  not 
think  that  this  is  an  accurate  interpretation.  To  "  forgive  debts" 
in  the  passage  before  us  is  plainly  a  figurative  expression.  Man, 
as  a  subject  of  the  Divine  government,  owes  God  a  debt  of  obe- 
dience. All  that  God  requires  is  due  by  man.  It  is  plain,  how- 
ever, that  debts  do  not  here  mean  duties,  for,  in  this  sense  of  the 
word,  to  remit  our  debts  would  be  to  excuse  us  from  doing  our 

'3  Brewster.  sj  Fuller. 

5>  Matt.  vi.  12. — How  strikingly  and  strangely  does  this  petition  for  pardon 
contrast  with  the  pagan's  prayer,  or  rather  demand  of  blessings  as  things  due  to 
him, — w  dtul  Soir/ri  jj.ui  to,  dipei-Xr/fiara !  This,  according  to  Philostratus,  was  the 
usual  prayer  of  Apollonius  Tyanaius.     Phil.  Vit.  Ap.  i.  11. 


218  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

duty,  to  emancipate  us  from  tlie  law  of  God.  This  is  what  it  were 
unworthy  of  God  to  do,  and  therefore  impossible  for  him  to  do ; 
and  if  it  Vere  practicable,  it  would  not  be  benefit  but  ruin  to  man. 
But  when  man  does  not  discharge  the  debt  of  duty,  he  contracts 
another  kind  of  debt,  the  debt  of  punishment.  The  sinner  owes 
satisfaction  to  the  law  for  the  wrong  he  has  done  it,  and  this  debt 
can  be  discharged  only  b}^  adequate  punishment. 

These  responsibilities  are  the  "  debts"  referred  to  in  the  words 
before  us,  and  to  "forgive  us  our  debts,"  is  to  release  us  from  the 
obligation  to  punishment ;  or  in  other  words,  not  to  exact  the 
debt  of  satisfaction  which  we  have  incurred  by  neglecting  to  pay 
the  debt  of  duty.  "  Forgive  us  our  debts,"  is  just,  '  Punish  us 
not  for  our  sins.'  '  We  are  sinners — our  sins  deserve  punish- 
ment— ^but  in  thy  fatherly  mercy  remit  the  punishment  which 
our  sins  deserve.  "Deal  not  Avitli  us,"  either  now  or  hereafter, 
either  in  this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come,  "  according  to  our 
sins,  nor  reward  us  according  to  our  iniquities ;"  let  not  those 
penal  evils  which  are  the  deserved,  and  the  natural,  consequences 
of  transgression,  be  inflicted  on  us  ?  "  Cast  us  not  away  from 
thy  presence;  and  take  not  thj  Holy  Spirit  from  us."°°  Cast 
us  not  into  hell.' 

The  saints,  under  the  Old  Testament  economy,  were  en- 
couraged to  present  this  petition,  by  "  the  name  of  God,"  so 
solemnly  declared  to  Moses : — "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  mer- 
ciful and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  ini(]^uity,  and  trans- 
gression, and  sin :""'  though  they  must  have  been  greatly  per- 
plexed to  reconcile  the  one  part  of  that  name  with  the  other: 
"  And  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty."  We  have  much 
more  abundant  encouragement  to  present  it,  in  consequence  of 
God  having,  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  "  set  forth 
his  Son  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare 
his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through 
the  forbearance  of  God  :  to  declare  at  this  time  his  righteousness  ; 
that  he  might  be  just,  and  thejustiiier  of  him  which  believeth 
in  Jesus  :'"'*  and  proclaimed  himself  "  God  in  Christ,  reconciling 
the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them : 
for  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin ;  that 
we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."'° 

From  this  petition  it  is  plain,  that  all  Christians,  while  they 
are  on  the  earth,  have  sins,  daily  sins,  to  be  forgiven.  "It  is  no 
doubt  to  tlieir  shame,"  as  Mr.  Fuller  says,  "  that  it  should  be  so  ; 
but  so  it  is,  and  to  disown  it  does  not  make  the  matter  better, 
but  worse."  That  man  is  a  sad  self-deceiver,  dreadfully  ignor- 
ant of  God's  law,  and  of  himself,  who  does  not  see  that  there  is 
much,  very  mucli,  botii  wanting  and  wrong  in  him,  and  that  he 
needs  to  say  every  day,  "  Forgive  me  my  debts."  '  Tlie  debts  of 
this  day,  if  not  remitted,  would  require  me  an  eternity  to  pay. 

56  Psal.  li.  IL  ''''  Exod.  xxxiv.  7,  9. 

5i  Rom.  iii.  25,  26.  ^^  2  Cor.  v.  19,  21. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY   AND   PHARISAISM.  219 

Had  I  no  sins  to  answer  for,  but  the  sins  of  tliis  day,  I  would  be 
undone  forever,  but  for  the  free  sovereign  mercy  of  God,  mani- 
festing itself  through  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ.'  It  teaches 
us,  too,  that  the  shedding  of  Christ's  blood,  as  the  price  of  our 
redemption,  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  free  love  of  God,  not 
only  in  providing  the  Saviour,  but  in  pardoning  the  sinner  for 
his  sake.  J^'orgiveness  is  not  demanded  as  a  due,  but  requested 
as  a  favor.  Had  we  fully  paid  the  penalty  in  our  own  persons, 
the  debt  would  have  been  'discharged,  and,  therefore,  would  not 
have  needed  to  be  remitted ;  and  if  our  Lord's  sufferings  had 
been  what  some  very  good,  but  not  very  judicious  men  have 
represented  them,  just  precisely  what  the  sins  of  the  saved  de- 
serve, neither  more  nor  less,  whatever  gratitude  we  might  owe 
to  God  for  admitting  a  surety,  and  finding  a  surety,  there  would 
be  no  room  for  forgiveness  of  the  debt ;  for  in  this  case,  too,  the 
debt  had  been  fully  paid.  In  the  Scriptures,  and  the  represen- 
tation is  quite  in  accordance  with  sound  reason,  the  sinner  is 
always  considered  as  deserving  punishment.  Punishment  is  a 
debt  v;hich  he  owes.  The  atonement  has  made  the  remission  of 
that  debt  consistent  with,  ay,  gloriously  illustrative  of,  the  Divine 
righteousness.  In  seeking  forgiveness  from  Gol,  we  are  never 
to  lose  sight  of  this  atonement,  as  the  only  medium  of  forgive- 
ness ;  yet  still  we  are  to  ask  forgiveness  as  a  free  favor.  To  the 
very  end  of  life,  the  Christian  must  come  for  forgiveness,  just  as 
he  did  at  first ;  not  as  a  claimant  of  a  right,  but  as  a  supplicant 
for  a  favor. 

The  daily  coming  to  God,  and  requesting  him  for  Christ's  sake 
not  to  punish  us  for  the  sins  which  we  have  committed,  is  per- 
fectly consistent  with  the  important  doctrine  of  the  perfection, 
and  the  perpetuity  of  justification.  It  is  certain  that* 'he  that 
beUeveth  in  Christ  shall  never  come  into  condemnation;"  but 
that,  instead  of  leading  to  the  conclusion,  '  I  need  not  pray  for  the 
remission  of  my  debts,'  suggests  the  strongest  encouragement  to 
present  such  a  petition,  just  as  the  Divine  assurance  that  a  be- 
liever shall  persevere  to  the  end,  instead  of  laying  a  foundation 
for  carelessness,  is  a  most  powerful  motive  to  continue  "  steadfast 
and  unmovable,  alwaj's  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord." 

There  is  a  very  iraj)ortant  addition  to  this  petition — "  As  we 
forgive  our  debtors."*"  Our  "  debtors,"  here,  are  not  solely  or 
principally,  if  at  all,  our  pecuniary  debtors.  They  are  persons 
who  stand  to  us  in  some  measure  in  the  relation  in  which  we 
stand  to  God ;  persons  who  have  failed  to  perform  to  us  the 
deljt  of  duty,  and  who  have  incurred  the  debt  of  punishment ; 
persons  whom,  in  strict  justice,  so  far  as  they  are  concerned,  we 
might  punish  ;  in  one  word,  persons  who  have  done  us  an  injury. 
To  forgive  these  persons  their  debts,  is  just  not  to  insist  on  our 

6"  "  'Of  indicat  uon  paritatem  sed  similitudinem  rationis." — Maldonatus.  It  is  a 
Jesuit  that  states  the  distinction ;  but  it  is  not  a  Jesuitical  distinction.  As  liigh 
as  the  licaven  is  above  the  eartli,  so  is  Ills  way  of  pardoning  above  ours.  Many 
interpreters  consider  (if  liere  as  equivalent  rather  to  since  than  to  as. 


220  THE   SERMON   ON   THE    MOUNT,  [EXP.  IV. 

right.  It  refers  not  so  much  to  our  not  harboring  ill-will  towards 
persons  whom  we  may  have  flmciecl  to  have  injured  us,  as  to  our 
freelv  forgivint^',  our  not  exacting,  even  if  we  have  it  in  our 
power,  punishment  from  a  man  who  has  injured  us  really,  it  may 
be  deeply'. 

Regard  to  public  justice,  which  must  be  maintained  to  secure 
the  interests  of  societj',  may  make  it  my  duty  to  do  all  that  lies 
in  my  power  to  get  a  man  who  has  injured  me  adequately 
punished  ;  but  that  is  perfectly  consistent  with  my  having  no  re- 
sentment against  the  man, — perfectly  consistent  with  a  feeling, 
that,  but  for  the  interest  of  society,  I  should  greatly  prefer  that 
the  man  should  not  be  punished  at  all. 

These  words  certainly  cannot  be  considered,  as  some,  I  am 
afraid,  do  consider  them,  as  stating  a  meritorious  ground  on 
which  we  may  claim  forgiveness  from  God ;  yet  they  not  only 
teach  us,  that  all  who  need  forgiveness  from  God,  should  be  ready 
to  extend  forgiveness  to  their  fellow-men,  but  also  that  no  man 
can  rationally  expect  that  this  prayer,  as  presented  by  him, 
will  be  heard,  if  he  is  disposed  to  punish  to  the  utmost  all  who 
injure  him. 

Some  have  said,  and  said  trul}^,  that,  under  the  influence  of 
such  a  temper,  men  cannot  have  the  comfort  of  forgiveness ;  but, 
assuredly,  that  is  not  all.  Our  Lord's  words  here,  and  elsewhere, 
make  it  plain  that  he  cannot  have  the  thing  itself.  For  a  man, 
indulging  in  implacable  resentmeut,  to  expect  that,  continuing 
in  that  temper  of  mind,  he  shall  be  ultimately  saved,  is  gross 
presumption ;  the  only  rational  expectation  in  that  case  is,  that 
he  shall  "  die  in  his  sins,"  and  perish  for  ever. 

It  is  a  verj^  striking  consideration,  that  tliis  petition  is  so 
framed,  that,  if  presented  in  an  unforgiving  spirit,  it  is  indeed  an 
imprecation  of  Divine  vengeance.  He  Avho  does  not  forgive  his 
neighbor  his  trespasses,  when  he  uses  this  prayer,  in  effect  asks 
God  not  to  forgive  him  his  trespasses ;  and,  if  he  continue  in 
his  present  temper,  there  is  no  doubt  that  his  prayer  will  be 
answered. 

The  last  petition  of  the  Lord's  prayer  is,  "Lead  us  not  into 
temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil.'""  "  Temptation  "  means 
'trial,'  and  is  often  used  in  Scripture,  especially  in  the  New 
Testament,  to  signify  affliction  generally.  This  is  not  its  mean- 
ing here.  Affliction,  in  some  form  or  other,  is  the  lot  of  all  men ; 
and  it  were  folly  to  expect  to  be  completely  exempted  from  it — 
it  were  worse  than  folly  to  pray  to  that  effect.  Affliction  seems 
a  necessary  part  of  moral  discipline ;  and,  to  ])c  subjected  to  it 
when  we  need  it,  is  a  great  blessing.  "13ehold,"  says  Eliphaz, 
"ha])py  is  the  man  whom  God  correcteth  ;  tlierelbre  despise  not 
thou  the  chastening  of  the  Almigiity."""  "  Blessed,"  says  David, 
'•  is  the  man  whom  though  chastenest,  0  Lord,  and  teachest  him 
out  of  thy  law."""  "  Before  I  was  afflicted  I  went  astray ;  but 
now  have  I  ke2)t  thy  word.     It  is  good  for  me  that  I  have  been 

6'  Matt.  vi.  13.  62  Job.  V.  17.  c^  Psal.  xciv.  12. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHAEISAISM.  221 

afflicted;  that  I  might  learn  thy  statutes.""^  "Rejoice,"  says  our 
Lord,  when  ye  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  "and  be 
exceedingly  glad  ;  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven  :  for  so  per- 
secuted they  the  prophets  that  were  before  you.""*  The  apostles 
felt  suffering  to  be  good,  when  "  they  departed  from  the  presence 
of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer 
shame  for  his  name."""  This  is  the  apostle  Paul's  judgment  on 
this  point :  "  "We  glory  in  tribulation  also  :  knowing  that  tribu- 
lation worketh  j^atience ;  and  patience,  experience  ;  and  experi- 
ence, hope  ;  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed ;  because  the  loye  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is 
given  unto  us;""  and  this,  the  apostle  James'  judgment,  "My 
brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into  divers  temptations ; 
knowing  this,  that  the  trial  of  your  faith  worketh  patience."^*  If 
these  things  are  so,  it  would  not  be  wise  to  pray  that  we  may 
never  be  afflicted. 

"  Temptation  "  more  properly  means,  whatever  is  calculated  to 
lead  us  into  sin — the  propensities  of  our  depraved  nature — the 
seductions  of  the  world — the  suggestions  of  Satan.  In  this  way, 
both  the  afflictions  and  the  comforts  of  life  may  be  temptations. 
In  the  strict  sense  of  the  words,  God  cannot  tempt  any  man  : — 
"  Let  no  man  say,  when  he  is  tempted,  that  he  is  tempted  of 
God.'"'  "When  God  is  said  to  lead  men  into  temptation,  the 
meaning  is,  '  In  the  coarse  of  his  providence  they  are  placed  in 
circumstances,  in  which,  from  their  own  depravity,  or  from  the 
depravity  of  others,  they  are  solicited  to  sin,' 

This  is  a  prayer  that  God  would  graciously  prevent  us  from 
being  brought  into  circumstances  of  strong  temptation,  that  he 
would  not  leave  us  to  struggle  with  temptation  in  our  own 
strength ;  that  he  would  instruct  us  to  avoid,  that  he  would 
enable  us  to  overcome,  our  temptations. 

He  who  would  honestly  and  acceptably"  present  this  peti- 
tion, should  guard  against  going  into  temptation.  There  are 
some  fool-hardy  persons,  who  seem  glad  of  an  opportunity  of 
having  their  spiritual  strength  tried  by  temptation.  They  dis- 
cover great  ignorance  of  themselves,  and  a  great  want  of  a  just 
sense  of  the  evil  of  sin.  It  has  been  justly  said,  "  He  who  carries 
about  with  him  much  inflammable  matter,  would  do  well  to  keep 
at  the  greatest  possible  distance  from  the  lire."  A  person  knows 
that  he  is  very  irascible,  yet  he  voluntarilj^  places  himself  in  cir- 
cumstances, in  which  he  is  likely  to  be  put  into  a  passion :  a 
person  feels  that  the  love  of  the  world  is  growing  on  him,  yet 
he  earnestly  seeks  after  a  situation,  where  that  principle  is  likely 
to  be  gxeatiy  strengthened  :  a  person  knows  that  he  has  an  undue 
liking  to  intoxicating  liquors,  and  has  often  yielded  to  it,  yet,  in- 
stead of  putting  himself  in  circumstances  in  which  that  liking 
cannot  be  indulged,  voluntarily  exposes  himself  to  constant  temp- 
er Paal.  cxix.  G7,  71.  S3  Matt.  v.  12.  ^^  Acts  v.  41. 
"  Rom.  v.  3,  4,  5.  s^  James  i.  '2,  3.  ^^  James  i.  13. 
■»  Psal.  Ixvi.  18. 


222  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

tation.  For  persons,  acting  in  this  manner,  to  sav,  "Lead  me 
not  into  temptation,"  is  to  mock  God.  They  "tempt  God." 
Oh,  that  such  persons  would  remember  that  God  is  not  deceived, 
and  that  he  will  not  be  mocked  with  impunity ;  that,  as  he  is 
never  tempted  of  sin,  he  will  not  always  allow  himself  to  be 
tempted  by  the  sinner ! 

It  is  a  striking  remark  of  Mr.  Fuller :  "  There  is  no  necessary 
connection  between  entering  into  temptation,  and  coming  out  of 
it.  Both  Judas  and  Peter  went  in,  but  only  one  of  them  re- 
turned. Those  who  go  in  on  a  presumption  of  coming  out  again, 
are  often  fatally  mistaken.     They  are  '  snared  and  taken.'  " 

It  is  added,  "  But  deliver  us  from  evil."  That  may  mean, 
either  from  that  which  is  evil,  or  from  him  who  is  evil — from  the 
evil  thing,"  or  from  the  evil  one."  I  prefer  the  first  sense  as  the 
more  comprehensive  one,  and  as  including  the  second.  It  is  a 
prayer  to  be  preserved  from  everything  that  is  really  prejudicial 
to  us,  especially  from  sin,  that  evil  in  which  there  is  no  good. 
It  matters  very  little  whether  this  is  considered  as  the  positive 
part  of  a  petition,  the  negative  part  of  which  is,  "  Lead  us  not 
into  temptation,"  or  as  a  separate  petition,  for  deliverance  from 
everything  that  is  really  evil, — i.  e.,  from  sin  and  its  fruits.  I  am 
rather  disposed  to  go  along  with  the  Lutherans,  and  make  this  the 
seventh  petition. 

The  concluding  doxology  does  not  appear  in  the  prayer,  as 
recorded  by  Luke ;  and  the  best  critics  are,  with  great  unanimity 
and  decision,  of  opinion  that  it  was  not  originally  included  by 
Matthew.  It  seems  early  to  have  been  introduced  into  some 
MSS.,  in  consequence  of  its  having  been  added  to  the  prayer, 
when  used  in  public  worship."" 

It  consists  of  an  ascription  of  the  "kingdom,  the  power,  and 
the  glory"  to  God."  It  contains  a  reason  both  why  we  ask 
these  things,  and  why  we  hope  to  obtain  them.  The  practical 
instruction  furnished  by  it  is  very  comprehcnsivel}^  stated  in  our 
Shorter  Catechism.  It  teaches  us  "  to  draw  all  our  encourage- 
ment in  prayer  from  God  only,"  to  connect  thanksgiving  and 
adoration  witli  jDetition.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that 
the  concluding  word,  "  Amen,"  is  an  expression  of  desire  and  ex- 
pectation— '  so  let  it  bC' — so  shall  it  be — I  earnestly  desire  it — I 
lirmly  expect  it.' 

The  14th  and  15th  verses  are  a  kind  of  explanatory  note  on 
the  concluding  clause  of  the  fifth  petition.  The  meaning  of  the 
words  is  quite  plain.  '  The  man  who  is  habitually  of  a  forgiving 
disposition,  proves  himself  to  be  one  of  those  whose  sins  have 
been  forgiven  by  God.  The  man  who  is  habitually  unforgiving, 
shows  with  equal  clearness  that  his  sins  have  not  been  forgiven.' 
We  cannot  suppo.se  that  the  forgiveness  of  those  who  injure  us 
can,  in  any  degree,  merit  forgiveness  of  God,  or  that  lie  will 

■"  Luke  vi.  45.     Rom.  xii.  ». 

7^  Matt.  xiii.  19,  38.     Eph.  vi.  16.     1  John  iii.  12;  v.  18. 

"  Matt.  vi.   13.  ^  See  Note  H. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND  PHARISAISM.  223 

pardon  the  impenitent  and  unbelieving,  because,  out  of  a  na- 
tural facility  of  temper,  without  any  regard  to  God,  they  forgive 
others. 

The  persons  addressed  are  professed  disciples.  When  their 
hearts  do  not  condemn  them  in  this  respect  "they  have  confi- 
dence towards  God,"  though  conscious  of  much  uuAvorthiness ; 
but  if  their  hearts  condemn  them,  their  confidence  will  be  abated, 
and  if  they  utterly  fail  in  this,  their  hypocrisy  will  be  manifested. 
The  best  illustration  of  tliis  passage,  is  to  be  found  in  our  Lord's 
own  words:  "Then  came  Peter  to  bim,  and  said.  Lord,  how  oft 
shall  my  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ?  till  seven 
times?  Jesus  said  unto  him,  I  say  not  imto  thee.  Until  seven 
times;  but,  Until  seventy  times  seven.  Therefore  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  likened  unto  a  certain  king,  which  would  take 
account  of  his  servants.  And  when  he  had  begun  to  reckon, 
one  Avas  brought  unto  him  which  owed  him  ten  thousand  talents  : 
but  forasmuch  as  he  had  not  to  pay,  his  Lord  commanded  him  to 
be  sold,  and  his  wife  and  children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and  pay- 
ment to  be  made.  The  servant  therefore  fell  down  and  wor- 
shipped him,  saying,  Lord,  have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will 
pay  thee  all.  Then  the  Lord  of  that  servant  was  moved  with 
compassion,  and  loosed  him,  and  forgave  him  the  debt.  But  the 
same  servant  went  out,  and  found  one  of  his  fellow-servants, 
which  owed  him  an  hundred  pence ;  and  he  laid  hands  on  him, 
and  took  him  by  the  throat,  saying,  Pay  me  that  thou  owest. 
And  his  fellow-servant  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and  besought  him, 
saying,  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  And 
he  would  not ;  but  went  and  cast  him  into  prison,  till  he  should 
pay  the  debt.  So  when  his  fellow-servants  saw  what  was  done, 
they  were  very  sorry,  and  came  and  told  unto  their  lord  all  that 
was  done.  Then  his  lord,  after  that  he  had  called  him,  said  unto 
him,  0,  thoLi  wicked  servant,  I  forgave  thee  all  that  debt,  be- 
cause thou  desired  st  me  :  shouldest  not  thou  also  have  had  com- 
passion on  thy  fellow-servant,  even  as  I  had  pit}'  on  thee  ?  And 
his  lord  was  wroth,  and  delivered  him  to  the  tormentors,  till  he 
should  pay  all  that  was  due  unto  him.  So  likewise  shall  my 
heavenly  Father  do  also  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive 
not  every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses.'"* 

(3.)  Fasting:" 

We  proceed  now  to  make  a  few  explicatory  remarks  on  our 
Lord's  account  of  the  difference  between  the  duty  oi  fasting,  as 

■1  Matt,  xviii.  21-35. — "  The  carnal  sense,  which  can  never  rise  to  the  compre- 
hension of  the  organic  relation  of  a  doctrine,  has  stopped  short  at  this  isolated 
saying ;  and,  in  strict  literality,  has  regarded  the  assigned  condition  of  the  for- 
giveness of  sins  as  the  only  condition  at  all.  It  is  natural  that,  by  this  mode  of 
handling  the  Scripture,  it  should  swarm  with  contradictions." — Tholuck. 

"5  "Tiie  rule  of  christian  ethics,  in  regard  to  fasting,  is,  that  it  is  neitlier  en- 
joined nor  recommended,  but  only  justitied  as  the  natural  expression  of  certain 
states  of  feeling,  analogous  to  those  of  the  disciples  under  the  sense  of  separation 


224  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

performed  b}^  tlie  disciples  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  bv 
his  disciples,  the  children  of  the  kingdom. 

"  Moreover,  when  je  fast,  be  not,  as  the  hypocrites,  of  a  sad 
countenance :  for  they  disfigure  their  faces,  that  they  may  ap- 
pear unto  men  to  fast.  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  The}^  have  their 
reward."" 

In  speaking  of  fasting,  our  Lord  makes  use  of  the  same  sort 
of  language,  as  he  employs  in  reference  to  alms  and  prayer. 
"When  thou  doest  alms,""  when  thou  prayest,"  "when  ye 
fast."  He  does  not  enjoin  these  exercises,  but  he  proceeds  on 
the  principle,  that  the  children  of  the  kingdom  were  to  perform 
them.  He  takes  for  granted,  that  thej^  would  do  alms,  pray,  and 
fast. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  here,  is  to  ascertain  the  true  mean- 
ing and  reference  of  the  word  "  fast,"  To  fast,  means  to  abstain 
from  food :  but  as  it  is  plain,  that  it  is  a  religious  duty  that  our 
Lord  refers  to,  the  word  must  be  understood  as  expressive  of  ab- 
stinence from  food  for  a  religious  purpose,  and  in  connection 
with,  and  in  subservience  to,  religious  exercises. 

There  is  no  general  injunction,  either  in  the  Old  or  in  the 
New  Testament,  of  abstinence  from  food,  whether  partial  or  total, 
as  connected  with,  or  subsidiary  to,  religious  duties.  The  only 
fast  of  direct  divine  appointment,  was  that  to  be  observed  by 
the  Je\^s  on  the  tenth  clay  of  the  seventh  month,' — ^the  great  day 
of  expiation ;"  and  even  with  regard  to  it,  we  do  not  find  absti- 
nence expressly  commanded :  if  observed,  it  must  have  been 
merely  because  found  subservient  to  the  great  purpose  of  that 
day,  which  was  mental  humiliation  on  account  of  sin, — tlie  afflict- 
ing the  soul. 

In  the  later  ages  of  the  Jewish  commonwealth,  there  was  a 
number  of  other  public  fasts  observed  annually,  but  we  have  no 
reason  to  think  they  were  of  direct  Divine  appointment.  The 
true  account  of  the  matter  seems  to  be  this :  The  use  of  a  full, 
and  especially  of  a  luxurious  diet,  is  inconsistent  with  that  clear, 
calm  state  of  thought  and  feeling  which  devotional  exercises  re- 
quire. When  the  mind  and  the  heart  are  very  much  engaged 
with  an}'  subject,  especially  if  that  subject  is  of  a  serious  and 
mournful  kind,  there  is  an  indisposition  to  take  food ;  and  in 
that  state  of  mind  produced  by  a  deep  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin, 
and  of  the  svipreme  importance  of  things  unseen  and  eternal,  to 
refrain  from  food  see  ins  a  natural  expression  of  our  sense  of  our 
own  unworthiness,  and  the  comparative  insignificance  of  all 
earthly  things.  Tiicse  seem  the  principles  on  which  the  practice 
of  fasting  is  founded,  and  though,  like  kneeling  or  prostration  in 
prayer,  not  of  express  Divine  appointment,  it  may  be,  it  has  been 
found,  useful  as  a  help  to  the  right  performance  of  those  sjuritual 

from  their  Master.  In  Buch  states  of  the  interior  life,  all  outward  signs  of  peace 
and  joy — all  iparticipatiun  in  boeial  intcreoiirse  and  enjoyment — are  imnutural 
and  rei)ugnant.     I.uke  v.  3;;." — Neandek.      Vide  Venicde,  iii.  Ser.  xxiii. 

'8  Matt.  vi.  lG-18.  "  Lev.  xxiii.  27-'J'.».     Zech.  viii.  1"J.     Acts  xxvii.  0. 


PART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  225 

exercises  in  which,  under  every  dispensation,  all  really  accepta- 
ble religion  consists. 

"Fasting." — abstinence,  either  total  or  partial,  from  food, 
seems  in  all  ages  of  the  world  to  have  been  connected  with  sea- 
sons of  peculiarly  solemn  devotion.  The  inhabitants  of  Nineveh 
connected  fasting  with  their  deprecation  of  the  Divine  vengeance, 
denounced  by  the  prophet  Jonah.'*  In  circumstances  of  remark- 
able danger,  the  pious  kings  and  prophets  of  Israel  called  on  the 
people  to  engage  in  fasting  as  well  as  in  prayer."  And  indeed 
so  closely  associated  were  the  ideas  of  fasting,  and  a  season  for 
extraordinary  prayer, — ^especially  for  deliverance  from  threatened 
judgments,  that  the  ordinary  name  for  such  a  season  seems  to 
have  been,  a  fast."  A  season  of  extraordinary  devotion  was 
called  a  fast,  on  the  same  principle,  that  we  describe  a  very  pious 
man,  as  much  in  his  closet,  often  on  his  knees. 

It  was  the  practice  of  the  pious,  under  the  Old  Testament  dis- 
pensation, not  only  devoutly  to  observe  the  public  fasts,  but  to 
set  apart  periods  of  time-,  sometimes  longer,  sometimes  shorter, 
for  extraordinary  religious  exercises,  and  with  these  they  seem  to 
have  usuall}''  connected  abstinence,  partial  or  total.  David  tells 
us,  that  he  "humbled  his  soul  with  fasting."  Daniel  "  set  his 
face  to  seek  the  Lord  by  prayer,  and  supplication,  with  fasting, 
and  sackcloth,  and  ashes."  Nehemiah  "  mourned  certain  days, 
and  fasted."  And  Anna,  the  prophetess,  "  served  God  with  fast- 
ings and  prayers."®' 

The  natural  course  of  things, — the  tendency  in  the  depraved 
mind  of  man  to  rest  in  what  is  external,  and  to  substitute  what 
was  originally  the  means  or  the  sign,  for  the  end  and  the  thing 
signified, — manifested  itself  with  regard  to  fasting,  and  in  the 
days  of  our  Lord,  a  gTcat  part  of  the  religion  of  the  Jews,  espe- 
ciall}'-  of  the  Pharisees,  seems  to  have  consisted  in  literal  absti- 
nence, total  or  partial.  The  Pharis.ees  fasted  often ;  "  I  fast," 
says  the  Pharisee  who  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray,  "  I  fast 
twice  a  week." 

Our  Lord  did  not  prohibit  fasting  as  a  means  or  an  expression 
of  religion.  Whatever  he  says  on  the  subject  is  rather  favorable 
to  the  practice.  In  the  passage  before  us,  he  takes  for  granted 
that  his  disciples  would  fast.  Elsewhere  he  defends  his  disciples 
for  not  fasting  while  he  was  with  them ;  but  says  that  after  his 
departure,  they  would  fast ;  and  he  mentions  fasting  along  with 
prayer,  to  describe  that  extraordinary  devotion  which  was  the 
appointed  means  of  obtaining  that  faith  which  was  necessary  to 
cast  out  demons  of  the  most  malignant  kind.** 

We  find  our  Lord's  primitive  disciples  fasting  and  praying,  or 
praying  with  fasting,  on  occasions  peculiarly  important  and  sol- 
's Jonah  Hi.  6,  1,  8. 

''^  2  Ghron.  xx.  3.     Ezra  viii.  21.     Jer.  xxxvi.  9,     Joel  i.  14. 
8"  2  Sam.  xii.  16.     Jer.  xiv.  12.  v 

81  Psal.  XXXV.  13.     Dan.  ix.  3.     Neh.  i.  4.     Luke  ii.  37. 
8«Matt  ix.  14,  15:  xvii.  21. 

VOL.    I.  15 


226  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

emn  ;  and  tlie  Apostle  Paul  seems  plainly  to  hint  tliat  it  was  the 
ordinary  and  proper  practice  of  Christians  in  general,  occasionally 
to  "give  themselves  to  prayer  and  fasting,"  that  is,  to  observe 
seasons  of  extraordinary  devotion,  and  to  use  abstinence,  total  or 
partial,  as  a  subsidiary  to  the  religious  exercises  engaged  in  on 
these  occasions.*' 

In  the  degenerate  Christian,  as  in  the  degenerate  Jewish 
Church,  fasts  were  put  out  of  their  place ;  and,  instead  of  a 
means  or  expression  of  devotion,  were  constituted  principal  parts 
of  reUgious  worship.  The  fasts  appointed  by  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church  are  very  numerous.  This  abuse  has  led  to  an  oppo- 
site extreme  among  Protestant  Christians,  and  I  apprehend  that 
abstinence  from  food,  as  a  means  or  expression  of  devotion,  is 
exceedingly  little  known  among  the  professors  of  Christianity 
in  our  country  and  age. 

Fasting,  in  connection  with  religion,  is  plainly  entirely  instru- 
mental— a  means  in  order  to  an  end.  It  is  a  well-known  fact 
that  abstinence  produces  different  effects  on  different  constitu- 
tions ;  that  a  measure  of  abstinence,  which  might  be  useful  to 
one,  would  be  inj  arious  to  another ;  that  what  might  fix  atten- 
tion in  one  would  distract  it  in  another  ;  and,  as  there  is  no  ex- 
press statute  in  the  case,  "wisdom  is  profitable  to  direct;"  but, 
at  the  same  time,  I  am  afraid  many  of  us  are  blameable  in  hav- 
ing left  altogether  untried,  a  means  of  giving  greater  intenseness 
to  our  attention,  and  greater  fervor  to  our  devotion,  which  nature 
seems  to  dictate  ;  and  which  has  been  employed  with  success,  by 
many  of  the  wisest  and  best  men  in  all  ages,  in  those  seasons  of 
extraordinary  religious  service  in  which,  it  would  appear,  the 
saints,  both  under  the  New  and  Old  Testament  dispensations, 
engaged.  Indeed,  I  am  afraid  these  seasons  are  themselves  much 
more  unfrequent  than  they  might  be.  It  appears  to  me  that 
fasting,  in  our  Lord's  use  of  the  term,  is  j  ust  equal  to  observing 
a  season  of  extraordinary  devotion  with  which  abstinence  from 
food  was  connected  as  at  once  the  means  and  the  expression  of 
devotion. 

The  fasts  referred  to  are  not  the  public  fasts,  just  as  the  prayers 
referred  to  are  not  the  public  prayers.  The  fasts  referred  to  are 
seasons  of  extraordinary  devotion  which  the  individual  observes 
for  his  own  spiritual  improvement.  Having  shown  his  disciples 
how,  in  the  ordinary  exercises  of  devotion,  they  should  exceed 
the  Pharisees,  he  proceeds  to  show  how  they  should  exceed  them 
in  their  extraordinary  exercises  of  devotion. 

And,  you  will  observe,  he  does  not  say  that  their  fasts  are  to 
be  more  frequent  or  more  rigid  than  those  of  the  Pharisees ;  but 
he  does  say,  they  are  not  to  liave  that  character  of  ostentation 
which  belonged  to  the  fasts  of  the  Pharisees.  In  fasting,  as  in 
prayer,  they  are  to  seek,  not  man's  applause,  but  God's  appro- 
bation ;  and,  in  the  manner  in  which  they  conduct  their  extra- 
ordinary, as  well  as  their  ordinary  devotions,  they  are  to  show  this. 
"3  Acta  liii.  2,  3.   xiv,  23.     1  Cor.  vii.  6. 


TART  IV.]  CHRISTIANITY  AND   PHARISAISM.  227 

We  are  now  ready  to  enter  on  the  exposition  of  our  Lord's 
words  ;  and,  after  these  preliminary  remarks,  we  will  not  require 
to  devote  much  time  to  their  exposition.  "  When  ye  fast,"  that 
is,  *  when  ye  devote  a  portion  of  time  to  the  purpose  of  extraordi- 
nary devotion,  especially  to  the  exercises  of  penitential  confession 
and  deprecatory  supplication,  accompanied  by  abstinence,'  "  be 
not  as  the  hypocrites,"  that  is,  '  act  not  in  the  manner  in  which 
these  hypocrites,  these  stage-players,  the  Pharisees,  behave.' 
Then  he  proceeds  to  give  us  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
they  conducted  themselves :  "  They  put  on  a  sad  countenance, 
and  disfigured  their  faces,  that  they  might  appear  to  men  to  fast." 
It  was  the  custom  of  the  Jews  to  begin  their  fasts  as  they  began 
their  Sabbaths,  at  sunset,  and  to  continue  them  to  the  same  time 
of  the  following  day.  During  that  period,  they  not  only  ab- 
stained from  food,  but  from  bathing,  from  perfumes,  from  anoint- 
ing, from  pleasure  and  recreation  of  every  kind.  They  generally 
fasted  twice  in  the  week — on  Monday  and  Thursday — from  re- 
gard to  a  tradition  of  the  elders,  that  Moses  Avent  up  to  Sinai  to 
receive  the  law  on  the  last  of  these  days,  and  returned  on  the 
first  of  them.  They  considered  these  fasts  as  a  great  part  of 
their  religion,  and.  were  anxious  to  make  the  most  of  them  in  the 
way  of  levying  a  tax  of  admiration  upon  their  superstitious 
countrymen. 

Instead  of  keeping  at  home  on  these  daj's,  and  devoting  the 
time  to  those  exercises  of  which  fasting  was  but  the  means  and 
the  sign,  they  went  abroad,  and,  like  true  stage-players,  ex- 
hibited, in  an  extravagant  degree,  all  the  symptoms  of  a  state  of 
mind  which  they  did  not  feel,  but  which  they  wished  others  to 
believe  they  experienced.  They  assumed  a  sad  countenance,  and 
disfigured  their  faces.  "  They  employed  all  the  usual  tokens  of 
deep  afiiiction  and  mental  distress.  They  covered  their  heads 
with  dust  and  ashes,  veiled  their  countenances,  neglected  their 
dress,  and  deformed  their  features,  by  contracting  them  into  the 
most  gloomy  and  dejected  looks.  The}^  studiously  exhibited  all 
the  external  appearances  of  humiliation,  while  their  hearts  were 
lifted  up  in  spiritual  pride  ;""  and  they  did  this,  that  they  might 
appear  to  men  to  fast — that  they  might  be  taken  notice  of  as  re- 
markabl}^  religious  persons.  "  Verily,"  says  our  Lord,  "  they 
have  their  reward."  They  have  it  now  in  the  admiration  of 
men  ;  they  will  have  it  by  and  by  in  the  disapprobation  of  God. 

Our  Lord  does  not  here  reprobate  the  very  natural  practice  of 
allowing  the  countenance  to  express  the  sentiments  and  emotions 
of  the  heart.  "A  sad  countenance,  if  it  is  expressive_  of  a  sad 
heart,  and,  in  our  secret  approaches  to  God,  has  nothing  in  it 
improper.  The  evil  consists  in  counterfeit  sadness  and  in  osten- 
tatious grief.'"^ 

Here,  as  in  the  case  of  alms  and  prayer,  our  Lord  not  only 
shows  his  disciples  how  they  were  not  to  fast,  but  also  how  they 
were  to  fast.  "  But  thou,  when  thou  fastest,  anoint  thine  head, 
"  Brewster.  **  Fuller. 


228  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

and  wasti  thy  face  ;"  that  thou  appear  not  unto  men  to  fast,  but 
unto  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret :  and  thy  Father,  which  seeth  in 
secret,  shall  reward  thee  openly."" 

The  general  meaning  is  quite  obvious :  '  When  3'ou  devote  a 
portion  of  time  to  extraordinary  private  devotion,  let  there  be 
nothing  in  your  dress  or  in  your  general  appearance  to  indi- 
cate this  to  others.  It  is  not  necessary — it  may  not  be  proper — 
iu  every  case,  sedulously  to  conceal  the  fact  that  you  do  observe 
such  seasons ;  but  make  no  ostentatious  display  of  your  perform- 
ance of  this  religious  duty,  which,  from  its  nature,  ought  to  be 
secret;  make  no  show  of  j^our  feelings;  claim  no  notice  from 
men  at  these  times  of  peculiar  devotion.'  This  exhortation  cer- 
tainly does  not  mean  that,  on  these  occasions,  men  should 
assume  a  cheerfulness  they  do  not  feel,  but  that  there  should  be 
nothing  in  the  dress  or  in  the  appearance  calculated  to  attract 
notice  ;  that  there  should  be  no  abatement  in  the  ordinary  atten- 
tion to  cleanliness  of  person  or  propriety  of  apparel ;  and  that, 
when  having  brought  the  solemn  services  of  the  closet  to  a  ter- 
mination, they  go  out  to  society,  there  should  be  nothing  to  tell 
the  world  how  they  have  been  engaged.*' 

In  these  solemn  services,  it  is  with  God  you  have  to  do,  and  not 
with  men.  To  him  let  your  views  be  directed  ;  to  him  let  your 
hearts  be  unfolded  ;  "  weep  and  make  supplication  before  him." 
It  is  his  pardon  and  favor  you  are  soliciting.  Such  exercises, 
when  engaged  in  from  right  principles,  are  at  once  salutary  to 
the  soul,  and  acceptable  to  God.  Your  Father  who  seeth  in 
.secret — he  marks  your  humiliation  of  spirit — he  accepts  of  the 
sacrifice  of  a  broken  heart — ^he  "  looks  to,  and  he  will  dwell  with, 
the  man  of  a  humble  and  contrite  spirit,  v.'ho  trembles  at  bis 
word"' — he  graciously  approves  now  of  such  a  fast,  and  on  the 
most  eventful  day  of  the  world's  history  "he  will  reward  you 
openly." 

From  these  injunctions  of  our  Lord,  we  may  warrantably  draw 
the  conclusions,  that  Christians  while  they  ought  to  manifest  a 
habitual  seriousness,  should  carefully  avoid  everything  like  af- 
fected solemnity  of  manner  ;  and  that  "  if,  even  when  engaged 
in  those  religious  services  which,  from  their  nature,  are  most 
fitted  to  sadden  the  countenance,  they  are  to  guard  against  all 
external  display  of  melancholy,  surely  much  more  is  it  their  duty 
to  manifest,  in  their  general  deportment,  the  natural  symptoms 
of  a  cheerful,  contented,  happy  mind.'""  Few  things  injure  re- 
ligion more  than  the  moroseness  and  apparent  inward  unhappi- 
n ess  of  its  professors.  Wherever  the  religion  of  Jesus  is  under- 
stood and  believed,  it  sheds  over  the  mind  a  peace  which  passeth 
all  understanding,  and  gives  to  the  ^v'hole  manner  the  air  of  quiet 

*'  The  uscetics  give  a  mystical  meaning  to  tlicse  words.  They  explain  the 
inointing  the  head  and  washing  thd  face  to  mean  the  putting  away  of  sin.  With 
a,  principle  of  interpretation  like  this,  "black"  may  mean  "white,"  and  "anything" 
may  mean  " anythiiig,"  "everything''  or  "nothing.' 

«7  Matt.  vi.   17,  18.  ''^  Brewster.  ss  Brewster. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW  TO   OBTAIN   IT.  229 

satisfaction  and  tranqnil  happiness.  "We  do  not  call  on  profess- 
ing Christians  to  assume  the  appearance  of  a  peace  and  happiness 
they  do  not  possess ;  but  Ave  do  call  on  them  to  open  their  minds 
to  the  blessed  influence  of  the  truth  they  profess  to  believe  ;  and 
by  a  natural  displa}^  of  the  effects  of  this  influence  on  their  hearts 
and  characters,  to  "  adorn"  and  recommend  "  the  doctrine  of 
God  our  Saviour."  Ob,  it  ill  becomes  a  Christian  so  to  yield,  it 
may  be,  to  the  power  of  a  constitutional  tendency  to  melancholy, 
or  it  may  be,  to  mistaken  apprehensions  and  unbelieving  fears, 
as  to  give  plausibility  to  the  calumny  of  the  infidel  and  scorner, 
that  Christianity,  after  all  its  boasting,  is  at  least  as  incapable  as 
anything  else  to  make  men  happy. 

Let  us  all,  my  brethren,  who  in  any  measure  know  the  truth, 
make  it  evident  that  the  truth  has  not  made  us  slaves,  but 
"  made  us  free,"  and  that  Avhen  we  "  keep  God's  command- 
ments," we  then  "  walk  at  liberty."  Let  us  show  that  "  in  keep- 
ing these  commandments  we  have  indeed  a  great  reward,"  that 
our  Saviour's  3-oke  is  "  an  easy  yoke,  and  his  bui'den  a  light 
burden,"  that  "  his  ways  are  pleasantness  and  his  paths  peace," 
and  let  the  rational  happiness,  "  the  rest  and  the  refreshing,"  we 
obviously  enjoy  from  our  religion,  not  proclaimed  in  words,  but 
exhibited  in  our  mien  and  conduct,  form  as  it  were  an  invitation 
to  all  around  us,  to  "  come  and  taste"  with  us  "  that  God  is 
good."  Even  while  we  are  silent,  let  our  holy,  happy  lives,  say 
to  the  worldly  and  the  wicked  around  us,  "Come  with  us  and 
we  will  do  you  good,  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good  concerning 
Israel." 


V.    THE   OBJECT    OF    SUPREME   DESIRE   TO    CHRISTIANS,    AND 
THE   MEANS   OF   OBTAINING  IT. 

Matthew  vi.  19-34. 

I  have  had  occasion  to  remark  repeatedly  to  you,  since  I  began 
these  expository  discourses  on  the  "Sermon  on  the  Mount,"  that 
the  key  to  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  word  "  repent" — change  your 
mind — ^that  it  is  an  extended  illustration  of  the  general  exhorta- 
tion which  held  so  prominent  a  place  in  our  Lord's  preaching,  as 
well  as  in  that  of  his  forerunner.  The  Jewish  people  expected 
in  their  Messiah  a  temporal  prince,  and  the  happiness  which 
they  anticipated  under  his  reign  was  merely  a  very  high  degree 
of  worldly  prosperity.  They  expected  to  enjoy  in  abundance 
riches,  and  honor,  and  pleasure.  In  the  passage  before  us,  our 
Lord  informs  them  that  such  anticipations  were  founded  in  error 
— that  the  happiness  to  be  enjoyed  under  the  Messiah  is  spiritual, 
not  carnal,  in  its  nature — 'that  it  is  to  be  found  in  perfection,  not 
on  earth  but  in  heaven — that  just  views  on  this  subject  are  of  in- 
finite importance — that  the  attainment  of  this  happiness  ought  to 
constitute  their  chief  end — that  this  end  could  be  gained  only  by 
strenuously  prosecuting-  it — and  that  in  making  the  pursuit  of 


230  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

tliis  happiness  tlieir  principal  emplojaTient,  there  was  no  ground 
for  anxiety  about  things  seen  and  temporal,  to  those  who  "seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,"  for  everything 
they  need  shall  certainly  be  given  them.  Such  is  the  outline  of 
this  interesting  paragraph,  which  commences  mth  the  19th  verse, 
and  ]-eaches  to  the  end  of  this  chapter. 

Let  us  proceed  more  minutely  to  examine  its  various  parts : — 
"  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth 
and  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through  and 
steal :  but  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where 
neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not 
break  through  nor  steal ;  for  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will 
your  heart  be  also."^" 

Some  have  interpreted  the  command,  "Lay  not  up  for  your- 
selves treasures  on  earth,"  literally.  One  class  of  these  inter- 
preters understand  the  command,  without  any  limitation,  as  a 
prohibition  of  accumulation  in  any  measure,  as  a  declaration  that 
in  no  case  it  is  laAvful  to  add  to  our  property,  but  that  our  expen- 
diture should  keep  pace  with  our  gains,  and  that  no  man  should 
ever  allow  himself  to  become  rich. 

This,  however,  does  not  seem  to  be  its  meaning.  It  has  been 
very  justly  said,  that  they  who  condemn  all  accumulations,  to  be 
consistent,  "  should  not  stop  here,  but  go  on  to  '  sell  all  that  they 
have  and  give  it  to  the  poor,'  for  the  one  is  no  less  expressly 
enjoined  than  the  other.  But  this  were  to  overturn  all  distinc- 
tions of  rich  and  poor,  and  all  possession  of  property  ;  which  is 
as  contrary  to  the  whole  current  of  Scripture  as  inconsistent  with 
the  welfare  of  human  societ3^"" 

The  other  class  of  interpreters  who  understand  the  words 
literally,  consider  our  Lord  as  saying  merely,  '  Do  not  bestow 
your  principal  attention  on  the  accumulation  of  earthly  treas- 
ures, but  on  the  attainment  of  heavenly  happiness,'  as  when  he 
says — "Labor  not  for  the  meat  which  perisheth,  but  for  the 
meat  which  cndureth  unto  eternal  life,"  that  is,  '  Let  not  the 
attainment  of  material  bread  which  nourisheth  the  dying  body, 
occupy  so  much  of  your  time  and  attention,  as  the  attainment  of 
spiritual  food  wldch  sustains  the  never-dying  soul.  Be  not  so 
anxious  to  heap  up  wcahh  as  to  secure  heaven.'  This  idea  is,  I 
have  no  doubt,  contained  in  the  words,  but  it  is  contained  in 
them  merely  because  they  are  expressive  of  a  much  more  com- 
prehensive sentiment. 

The  plirase  "  lay  up  treasures "  in  the  first  injunction,  is,  I 
apprehend,  figurative,  as  it  obviously  is  in  the  second.  To  "lay 
up  treasure  in  heaven  "  cannot  mean,  to  make  heaven,  not  eartn, 
the  repository  of  the  wealth  we  may  accumulate.  It  means 
obviously  to  seek  for,  and  expect,  happiness  in  heaven.  In  like 
manner,  to  "  lay  up  treasures  on  earth "  is  to  seek,  or  expect, 
happiness  on  earth,  or  in  earthly  objects,  in  the  wealth,"  in  the 
honors,  in   the  pleasures  of  the  present  state.     It  is  as  if  our 

'■>'>  Matt  vi.  19,  "20.  9'  Fuller. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW  TO   OBTAIN  IT.  231 

Lord  had  said,  '  I  know  you  are  looking  for  happiness  on  the 
earth  under  the  Messiah's  reign,  that  you  are  expecting  it  in  a 
state  of  worldly  prosperity;  but  you  must  "repent,"  j^ou  must 
change  your  mind,  or  you  will  be  miserably  disappointed.  The 
happiness  which  the  Messiah  brings  is  spiritual  happiness.  It  is 
to  be  enjoyed  in  perfection  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven,  and  it  is 
of  a  far  higher,  and  more  excellent,  nature  than  that  earthly  hap- 
piness which  you  are  making  the  chief  object  of  affection  and 
pursuit.  "Lay  not  up  treasures  on  earth,"  do  not  attempt  to 
build  a  permanent  residence  for  yourselves  here.  Do  not  set 
your  hearts  on  anything  seen  and  temporal  as  worth  your 
supreme  attention,  or  capable  of  satisfying  all  your  wishes.' 

The  reason  our  Lord  assigns  for  this  injunction  is  appropriate 
and  forcible :  "  All  things  material  are  liable  to  change  and  de- 
struction ;  they  may  be  wrested  from  us  by  the  arm  of  violence, 
or  they  may  moulder  away  in  our  possession." 

There  is  a  peculiar  beauty  and  propriety  in  the  figurative  lan- 
guage used  by  our  Lord  :  "  Moth  and  rust  corrupt — thieves  break 
through  and  steal."  In  oriental  countries,  and  in  an  age  when 
commerce  was  comparatively  in  its  infancy,  the  rich  were  distin- 
guished from  the  poor,  chiefly  by  large  wardrobes  of  costly  gar- 
ments, by  hordes  of  the  precious  metals,  either  in  small  pieces  for 
the  purpose  of  exchange,  or  formed  into  vessels  of  curious  work- 
manship, and  by  richly-stored  repositories  of  grain  and  fruits, 
and  similar  provisions.  These  treasures  were  peculiarly  liable  to 
be  consumed  by  the  moth,  and  by  rust,  and  in  danger  of  being 
carried  off  by  the  thief  or  the  robber. 

The  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  is,  'All  happiness  of  a 
worldlv  kind  is  uncertain,  all  earthly  enjoyments  are  at  once  per- 
ishable in  themselves,  and  in  danger  of  being  lost  by  innumer- 
able accidents.'  All  the  possessions  and  pleasures  that  are  to  be 
found  in  this  life,  are  unquestionably,  in  their  own  nature,  liable 
to  decay,  and  "  perish  in  the  using."  Even  when  they  are  not 
taken  from  us,  how  often  do  they  lose  the  qualities  which  origin- 
ally fixed  our  regard,  and  though  they  do  not  cease  to  exist, 
cease  to  please !  Like  faded  flowers,  they  become  offensive,  in- 
stead of  pleasant.  Even  if  they  were  more  satisfying  and  less 
corruptible  than  they  are,  how  difficult — ^in  many  cases,  how  im- 
possible— it  is  to  retain  them  long  !  "  They  take  to  themselves 
wings,  and  fly  away  as  an  eagle  towards  heaven ;"  and  though 
they  continue,  how  easily  can  the  stroke  of  disease  render  us 
totally  incapable  of  enjoying  them,  and  how  suddenly  may, — how 
certainly  must, — the  stroke  of  death  separate  us  at  once  and  for 
ever  from  them,  and  send  us  away  "  naked  as  we  came." 

The  uncertainty  of  worldly  treasure,  in  one  of  its  most  coveted 
forms,  wealth,  is  most  graphically  described  by  our  Lord.  "  The 
ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  brought  forth  plentifully :  and 
he  thought  within  himself,  saying.  What  shall  I  do,  because  I 
have  no  room  where  to  bestow  iny  fruits  ?  And  he  said,  This 
will  I  do:  I  will  pull  down  my  barns,  and  build  greater;  and 


232  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

there  will  I  bestow  all  my  fruits  and  my  goods.  And  I  will  say 
to  my  soul,  Soul,  thou  liast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years ; 
take  thine  case,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry.  But  God  said  unto 
him.  Thou  fool,  this  night  th}^  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee  :  then 
whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided?  So  is 
he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is  not  rich  toward 
God."^'^ 

Is  it  not  folly,  then,  to  seek  for  happiness  in  earthly  things  ? 
Let  us  thankfully  receive,  let  us  temperately  enjoy,  that  portion 
of  the  good  things  of  this  life,  which  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven 
is  pleased  to  bestow  on  us.  But  let  us  not  set  our  affections  on 
them.  Let  us  not  seek  our  happiness  in  them.  Let  us  not  take 
up  with  them  as  if  they  could  be  a  satisfying  portion  to  our  ra- 
tional immortal  natures. 

Instead  of  t^eeking  happiness  on  earth,  let  us  seek  it  in  heaven. 
"La}^  up,"  savs  our  Lord,  "treasures  for  yourselves  in  heaven, 
where  moth  and  rust  do  not  corrupt,  nor  thieves  break  through 
and  steal."  As  to  lay  up  our  treasures  on  earth,  is  to  expect  and 
seek  for  happiness  in  earthly  things,  so  to  lay  up  our  treasures 
in  heaVen,  is  just  to  expect  and  to  seek  happiness  in  heavenly 
things,  things  unseen  and  eternal.  The  happiness  of  a  being 
like  man,  spiritual  and  immortal,  and  intimately  related  to  God, 
consists  in  as  perfect  a  knowledge  of  God,  as  complete  a  con- 
formity to  God,  as  close  an  intercourse  with  God,  as  his  capaci- 
ties admit  of,  and  this  maintained  throughout  the  whole  eternity 
of  his  being.  This  is  man's  true  happiness.  This  is  to  be  ob- 
tained only  in  heaven.  God  is  in  heaven,  and  "  with  him  is  the 
fountain  of  life.'""' 

This  happiness  is  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  accident  or 
change.  Force  cannot  wrest  it  from  us;  fraud  cannot^beguile 
us  of  it.  It  forms  part  of  the  very  nature,  intellectual  and  moral, 
of  him  who  possesses  it,  and  he  can  no  more  lose  it,  than  he  can 
lose  himself.  The  inheritance  above  is  "  incorruptible,  and  un- 
dchlc-l,  and  fadcth  not  away.'"^  There  is  nothing  in  its  own 
iiaturc  to  cause  decay,  and  it  is  secured  from  all  external  violence. 
It  is  at  once  incorruptible  and  eternal.  It  is  thus  suited  to  the 
immortal  spirit.  Instead  of  weakening  and  wearying  our  powers, 
it  exalts  and  strengthens  them.  "  The  appetite  grows  with  what 
it  feeds  on."  The  satisfactions  rising  out  of  these  celestial  enjoy- 
ments are  not  lessened  by  repetition,  nor  disturbed  by  the  fear  of 
their  coming  to  an  end.  They  shall  endure  for  ever,  and  shall 
not  merely  never  be  diminished,  but  shall  gTow  with  the  enlarg- 
ing capacity  for  excellence  and  happiness,  throughout  eternity. 
Surely,  then,  our  Lord's  exhortation  is  a  most  reasonable  one. 
'  Seek  for  happiness,  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven.' 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  that  we  form  a  just  estimate  of 
what  is  necessary  to  true  happiness,  a  just  judgment  as  to  where 
true  happiness  is  to  be  found,  for  the  whole  tenor  of  our  thoughts, 
and   aiicctions,  and  active  pursuits,  will  be  regulated  by  that 

9-^  Luke  xii.  lG-21.  "  pgn].  xxxvi.  9.  i"  1  Pet.  i.  4. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW   TO   OBTAIN   IT.  233 

estimate  and  jada:;ment,  "  Where  the  treasure  is,  there  will  the 
heart  be  also."  Whatever  -we  consider  as  our  chief  good, — that 
which  is  at  once  necessary  and  sufficient  to  make  us  happ}', — • 
will,  from  the  very  constitution  of  our  nature,  employ  our  prin- 
cipal thoughts,  draw  forth  our  most  earnest  desires,  fix  our  fond- 
est affections,  stimulate  and  guide  our  most  active  and  persever- 
ing pursuits.  It  is,  therefore,  of  the  utmost  importance,  that  we 
form  a  just  judgment  where  our  treasure  lies.  If  we  think 
happiness  is  to  be  found  in  wealth,  or  in  honor,  or  in  power,  or 
in  worldly  pleasures,  whether  sensual,  intellectual,  or  social — if 
we  think  it  is  to  be  found  in  anything  earthly — then  our  whole 
character  will  be  "of  the  earth,  earthly;"  our  thoughts,  our 
affections,  our  desires,  our  pursuits,  will  all  correspond  with  the 
object  of  our  supreme  estimation.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  if 
we  be  persuaded  happiness  is  to  be  found  in  heaven,  and  only  in 
heaven,  in  knowing  God,  in  loving  God,  in  being  loved  by  God, 
in  knowing  that  we  are  loved  by  God,  in  being  like  God — think- 
ing along  with  God,  willing  along  with  God,  choosing  what  he 
chooses,  finding  enjoyment  in  what  he  finds  enjoyment,  then  our 
whole  character  will  be  spiritual  and  heavenly,  our  thoughts,  and 
affections,  and  desires,  and  pursuits,  will  correspond  in  their 
nature  to  the  object  of  our  supreme  esteem.  Of  so  much  import- 
ance is  it  to  place  our  treasure  right,  that  is,  in  other  and  plainer 
words,  to  have  right  views  of  what  is  necessary  and  sufficient  to 
make  such  beings  as  we  are  truly  happy. 

This  truth  our  Lord  illustrates  by  a  very  significant  figure. 
"  The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye  :  if  therefore  thine  eye  be  sin- 
gle, thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light.  But  if  thine  eye 
be  evil,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  darkness.  If  therefore 
the  light* that  is  in  thee  be  darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness  !"'° 

The  meaning  of  these  words  will  be  plain,  if  a  slight  alteration 
in  the  rendering — which,  I  apprehend,  is  not  only  warrantable, 
but  necessary — bo  adopted.  "  The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye, 
if  then  thine  eye  be  sound,  the  whole  body  is  full  of  light ;  but 
if  thine  eye  be  distempered,  then  thy  whole  body  is  full  of  dark- 
ness; and  if  even  the  light  in  thee  is  darkness,  how  great  will  be 
that  darkness !"'"  The  eye  is  not  the  source  of  light, — that  is,  the 
sun ;  but  it  is  necessary  to  the  man  deriving  any  advantage  from 
the  sun.  It  is,  as  it  were,  the  window  of  the  body.  If  the  eye 
be  sound,  the  whole  body  is  full  of  light ;  that  is,  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  body  enjoy  the  advantages  of  the  light — the  hands 
and  the  feet  know,  as  it  were,  what  they  are  about — the  man 
knows  what  he  is  doing,  and  where  he  is  going ;  but  if  the  eye 
be  distempered, — if  the  man  be  blind  altogether,  or  if  his  eyes  be 

95  Matt.  vi.  22,  23. 

9fi  Ilovripior  e^tn',  and  kokuc  ^xclv,  are  the  opposite  of  vyLaivciv.  'AtvTiovc  is  the 
translation  of  the  Hebrew,  cr,  which  is  also  rendered  by  67MKl7]pog,  a  word 
equivalent  often  to  healthy,  whole,  and  sound.  Theophylact  expounds  uttaov^ 
by  vyLijc.  and  rrovr/poc  by  voGMrjr.  It  is  a  beautiful  but  fanciful  thought  of  Ques- 
nel — "The  mystic  eye  does  not  see  double.  It  sees  only  God  as  the  object  of 
supreme  affection." 


284  THE   SEEMON   ON  THE   MOUNT,  [EXP.  IV. 

SO  distempered  as  to  mistake  one  object  from  anotlier,  tlic  wliole 
body  is  full  of  darkness  ;  his  bands  and  his  feet  can  be  of  com- 
paratively little  use  to  him  ;  he  is  in  constant  hazard  of  stumbling 
and  falling,  and  when  he  thinks  himself  in  perfect  safet}',  he  may 
be  in  extreme  danger.  He  stretches  out  his  hand  to  la}^  hold  of 
something  that  he  accounts  valuable,  and  grasps  the  empty  air; 
he  moves  forward,  thinking  himself  on  level  ground,  and  he  falls 
over  a  precipice." 

If  that  whicli  is  the  light  of  the  body  be  darkness,  if  the  eye 
be  quenched,  or  darkened,  how  great  is  the  darkness  thus  pro- 
duced !  The  only  access  Avhich  light  can  have  to  the  body  is 
closed,  and  of  course  all  is  darkness.  This  seems  the  literal 
meaning  of  our  Lord's  words.  Now,  for  their  figurative  signifi- 
cation. 

Truth  is  the  light  of  the  mind  ;  and  the  faculty  which  appre- 
hends truth,  howsoever  it  be  denominated,  is  the  eye  of  the 
mind.  If  this  mental  eye  be  sound,,  the  whole  inner  man  is  Ml 
of  light.  If  we  have  just  views,  if  we  have  a  clear  perception, 
and  a  firm  belief  of  the  truth,  tlien  all  the  powers  of  our  nature 
will  be  influenced  by  this,  and  perform  their  various  functions 
properlj- — our  desires,  our  affections,  our  active  exertions,  will 
be  what  they  ought  to  be ;  but  if  the  mental  eye  be  blinded  by 
ignorance,  and  distempered  by  error,  then  the  whole  inner  man 
will  be  full  of  darkness.  If  Ave  do  not  know  and  believe  the 
truth,  we  cannot  be  influenced  by  it.  If  we  believe  error,  we 
shall  be  influenced  by  it.  If  we  do  not  know  God  as  the  foun- 
tain of  excellence  and  happiness,  we  will  not  love  him,  we  will 
not  seek  after  his  favor,  and  image,  and  fellowship,  and  enjoy- 
ment. If  we  sui3pose  that  the  world  in  any  of  its  forms  can 
make  us  happy,  then  our  thoughts,  and  our  desires,  and  our 
affections,  and  our  pursuits,  will  all  take  a  wrong  direction  ;  and 
if  that  which  is  the  light  of  the  mind  be  darkened,  "  how  great 
is  that  darkness  1"  If  we  mistake  error  for  truth,  the  whole  of 
our  affections  and  pursuits  must  be  misplaced  and  misdirected. 

This  is  most  important  general  truth ;  but  it  is  brought  for- 
ward by  our  Lord  with  a  peculiar  reference.  It  is  as  if  he  had 
said,  '  True  happiness  is  of  a  spiritual,  not  of  a  carnal  nature. 
It  is  to  be  found  in  periection,  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven.  A 
firm  conviction  of  tbis  is  absulutcly  necessary  to  your  thoughts, 
and  afi"ections,  and  pursuits,  taking  that  direction  which  is  neces- 
sary, in  order  to  your  obtaining  true  happiness.  You  are  ex- 
pecting happiness  from  the  Messiah,  but  it  is  worldly  liappiness 
you  are  expecting :  while  your  minds  are  occupied  witLi  this 
delusion,  you  can  never  obtain  the  happiness  which  the  Messiah 
has  to  bestow.  Indeed,  whilcyour  minds  are  occupied  with  this 
delusion,  you  have  no  proi)er  notion  of  its  nature,  and  all  the 

97  ""Orav  yup  6  nvliipi'i/Ti/c  i'7ro/3/n',ii"f  yivfiTui.,  nal  6  Ivxvoi;  afieaOi),  kqI  o  yye/iuv 
aixfta'AuTor  ytvTjrai,  rroia  'koinbv  tCTcu  role  vkijicxhc  I'l-'ic;  ;" — Curysostom.  "When 
the  pilot  i's  drowned,  and  the  li^ht  extinguinlicd,  iind  tlic  captain  taken  prisoner, 
what  more  hope  is  tlierc  for  the  crew?"— (Quoted  by  Tuoluok. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND  HOW  TO  OBTAIN  IT.  235 

doctrine  of  the  kingdom  is  "  foolislmess"  to  3^011.  But,  wlien 
you  come  to  see  plainly  that  your  treasure  is  in  heaven,  your 
heart  will  soon  be  there  also  :  as  soon  as  you  apprehend  the  true 
nature  of  the  happiness  which  ^'ou  need,  and  the  Messiah  lias  to 
bestow,  then  a  flood  of  light  Avill  be  poured  on  every  other  sub- 
ject— your  aifections  will  go  forth  tovv^ards  this  happiness,  and 
all  the  active  powers  of  your  nature  will  exert  themselves,  ac- 
cording to  the  appointed  method  for  obtaining  it.' 

A  Jew,  with  his  carnal  views,  could  not  jDossibly  obtain  the 
happiness  which  the  Messiah  came  to  bestow.  He  must  "repent," 
he  must  change  his  mind,  he  must  be  "born  again,"  in  order  to 
bis  "seeing,"  in  order  to  his  "entering  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."  And  the  same  thing  is  true  still.  While  men  labor  under 
the  notion,  that  happiness  is  to  be  found  in  "things  seen  and 
temporal,"  everything  in  Christianity  must  be  confusion  and 
darkness  to  them.  Its  doctrines  must  appear  uninteresting,  un- 
intelligible, and  incredible ;  its  precepts  hard  sayings ;  its  duties 
burdensome  observances ;  but,  let  a  man  be  deeply  persuaded 
that  his  happiness  is  in  God,  then  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement, 
as  the  means  of  restoring  him  to  God's  favor,  and  that  of  Divine 
influence,  as  the  means  of  fitting  him  for  God's  fellowsliip,  which 
were  formerly  "  foolishness,"  appear  to  be  "  the  wisdom  of  God  ;" 
and  reading  the  Scriptures,  and  prayer,  and  other  religious  exer- 
cises, are  attended  to,  and  delighted  in,  as,  in  their  own  nature, 
fitted  for  communicating,  in  some  measure,  true  heavenly  happi- 
ness even  here,  and  for  preparing  for  the  full  enjoyment  of  it 
hereafter.  When  the  eye  becomes  sound,  the  whole  body  be- 
comes full  of  light. 

I  conclude  my  observations  on  this  subject,  with  the  judicious 
and  forcible  remarks  of  Mr.  Scott : — "  The  words  in  the  text  im- 
mediately relate  to   men's    practical  judgments  of  earthly  and 
heavenly  things.      The  worldly  man  mistakes,  in  his  first  prin- 
ciple, and  therefore  all  his  reasonings  and  calculations  must  be 
erroneous  ;  and  the  farther  he  goes  the  more  fatally  is  he  bewil' 
dered.      But  it  is   equally  true  in   reference  to   false   religion 
When  that  which    a   man   deems    extraordinary   illumination, 
whether  from  philosophy  or  enthusiasm,  is  a  mere  delusion,  his 
very  light  is  thick  darkness  from  the  bottomless  pit — all  his  in 
ferences  and  proceedings  lead  him  farther  from  God,  from  truth 
and  from  holiness,  and  plunge  him  still  deeper  into  error,  pre 
judices,  spiritual  pride,  and  the  snare  of  the  prince  of  darkness." 

It  is  not  only  necessary  that  the  mind  be  enlightened  in  the 
fact  that  happiness  is  of  a  spiritual  nature,  and  to  be  found  in 
perfection  only  in  heaven,  but  the  desire  and  pursuit  of  this  hap- 
piness must  be  supreme,  and  cannot  be  conjoined  with  an  equal 
intensity  of  desire  and  pursuit  of  happiness  in  things  seen  and 
temporal.  The  impossibility  of  making  both  worldly  and  heavenly 
happiness  the  object  of  supreme  affection  and  pursuit,  is  the  senti- 
ment expressed  in  the  next  declaration  of  our  Lord : — "  No  man 
can  serve  two  masters :  for  either  he  will  hate  the  one,  and  love 


236  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   5I0UNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

the  Other :  or  else  lie  will  liold  to  tlie  one,  and  despise  the  other. 
Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon.'"' 

There  is  an  obscurity  cast  on  these  words,  from  their  seeming 
to  indicate  a  contrast  between  loving  a  master,  and  holding  to 
him — ^between  hating  a  master,  and  despising  him.  It  is  difficult 
to  see  in  what  the  contrast  lies.  Some  interpreters  have  endea- 
vored to  remove  the  difficulty  by  rendering  it  thus :  "  Either  he 
will  hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other ;  or,  at  least,  he  will  hold 
to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other."  But  this  is  not  satisfactory. 
I  apprehend,  the  particle  rendered  either,  and  or,  is  not  here  dis- 
junctive at  all,  but,  as  it  often  is,  interrogative,  or  affirmative." 
I  think  our  Lord's  meaning  may  be  given  thus :  '  No  man  can 
serve  two  masters ;  for  Vv'ill  he  not  love  the  one,  and  hate  the 
other — will  he  not  cleave  to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other?'  or 
thus :  '  For  surely  he  will  love  the  one,  and  hate  the  other — surely 
he  will  cleave  to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye  cannot  serve 
God  and  mammon.""" 

The  object  of  our  Lord  is  plainly  to  illustrate,  by  a  figure,  the 
impossibilit}^  of  making,  at  the  same  time,  earthly  and  heavenly 
happiness,  the  objects  of  esteem  and  pursuit : — "  No  man  can 
serve  two  masters."  To  understand  the  force  of  our  Lord's  illus- 
tration, two  things  must  be  observed.  First,  That  the  word 
'.'  serve  "  does  not  signify  to  do  an  occasional  act  of  obedience, 
but  to  be  a  bond-servant,  a  slave,  the  property  of  his  master,  and 
entirely  subject  to  his  will :  no  one  can  be  thus  a  servant  to  two 
masters ;  and,  secondly.  That  the  two  masters  are  plainly  pre- 
sumed to  be  of  different  and  opposite  characters ;  and,  conse- 
quently, that  course  of  conduct,  which  would  be  accounted  service 
by  the  one,  would  not  be  accounted  service  by  the  other. 

Witli  these  explications,  as  the  meaning  of  our  Lord's  state- 
ment is  plain,  so  its  truth  is  indubitable.  A  man  may  be  a  ser- 
vant to  two  masters  in  succession,  even  although  they  should  be 
of  very  different  and  directly  opposite  characters.  A  man  may 
serve  tv/o  masters  of  opposite  charactci'S — the  one  in  profession, 
the  other  in  reality.  A  man  ma}^  serve  two  masters  unequally — 
occasionally  doing  an  act  of  service  to  the  one,  while  he  usually, 
habitually,  serves  the  other.  A  man  may  serve  two  or  more 
masters,  if  they  are  all  on  one  side,  all  subordinate  to  one  an- 
other :  a  soldier  may  serve  his  king,  and,  at  the  same  time,  his 
commanding  officer,  and  his  inferior  officers,  for,  in  obeying 
them,  he  is  obeying  his  prince ;  but  no  man  can  be  at  the  same 
time,  in  reality,  habitually  the  servant  of  two  masters,  who  are 
hostile  to  each  other,  and  Avhose  interests  are  entirely  incompati- 

9S  Matt.  vi.  24. 

'■'^  i) — 1'«(/«  Robinson  in  verb.  Matt.  vii.  9;  -\x.  15.  Kom.  iii.  29.  1  Cor.  i.  13. 
Heb.  vi.  14.     Gen.  xlii.  16.     Numb.  xiv.  23.     J.XX. 

'  "  Fritzscho,  after  Erasmus  and  Beza,  gives  a  somewliat  different  exegesis, 
which  is  plausible: — "Sensus  hie  est  'aut  cnini  unuiu  ilium  spernet,  alteram 
curabit,  aut  unum  ilium  curabit,  et  alteruin  spernet.'  Sicuti  recte  dicas  '  aut 
amo  O,  et  odi  X,  aut  amo  X,  et  odi  0,'  absurde  autem  bJateres;  'Aut  amo  0  et 
odi  X,  aut  odi  X  et  amo  0.' " 


PAET  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AKD   HOW  TO  OBTAIN  IT,  237 

ble.  In  tliis  sense  our  Lord  says,  "  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and 
mammon.'" 

To  serve  God,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  "lay  up  treasures  in 
heaven,"  By  a  Divine  appointment  true  happiness  is  to  be 
found  only  there,  and  he  "who  has  made  this  appointment,  has 
also  ordained  certain  means,  by  the  use  of  which  man  may  at- 
tain this  happiness.  He  vho  makes  the  attainment  of  this  hap- 
piness, by  these  means,  the  great  object  of  life,  is  the  servant  of 
God  :  he  does  the  will  of  God. 

To  serve  mammon,  is  the  same  thing  as  "to  lay  up  treasures 
on  earth,"  Mammon  is  a  Syriac  word,  signifying  riches  or  gain." 
It  is  seemingly  equivalent  to  the  word  "  world,"  as  it  is  often 
employed  in  the  New  Testament — "  things  seen  and  temporal." 
These  are  often  personified,  and  represent  a  God  whom  men  wor- 
ship, or  a  master  whom  they  serve  ;  and  their  influence  over  our 
minds  and  affections  in  leading  us  to  seek  happiness  in  them,  and 
to  use  the  appropriate  means  of  obtaining  that  happiness,  is  the 
power  of  this  prince  and  master,  and  our  jdelding  to  that  influ- 
ence is  the  service  we  render  him. 

The  general  truth  here  stated  is,  "  that  the  course  of  sentiment 
and  conduct  which  is  necessary,  b}"  Divine  appointment,  to  obtain 
the  heavenly  happiness,  and  the  course  of  sentiment  and  conduct 
that  is  necessary  to  secure  what  is  ordinarily  termed  earthly  hap- 
piness, are  quite  incompatible ;  and  cannot  be  conjoined,  at  the 
same  time,  in  the  same  indi\ddual." 

The  Jews  had  some  indistinct  notions  of  happiness  in  a  future 
world,  under  the  Messiah  ;  but  theu"  minds  were  chiefly  occupied 
with  dreams  of  carnal  prosperity  on  the  earth  ;  and  they  thought 
the  expectation  of  worldly  prosperity  and  future  happiness  per- 
fectly consistent.  But  our  Lord  informs  them  they  are  in  a  mis- 
take— 'they  must  "  repent" — they  must  change  their  minds. 

And  so  it  is  in  every  age.  There  are  many  men  who-  hope 
that,  v»'hile  they  are  seeking  their  happiness  in  earthly  objects,  it 
may  be  possible,  at  the  same  time,  to  secure  the  enjoyment  of 
the  heavenly  felicity.  But,  no ! — ^there  is  no  serving,  at  the 
same  time,  two  such  masters — there  is  no  serving  God  and 
Ivlammon. 

There  is  a  possibility  of  serving  them  in  succession.  Indeed, 
all  who  serve  God,  once  served  Mammon.  They  once  "  served 
divers  lusts  and  pleasures ;"  but  now,  "  being  made  free  from  sin, 
they  are  become  the  servants  of  righteousness" — the  servants  of 
God. 

There  is  a  possibility  of  serving  the  one  in  pretence,  and  the 
other  in  reality.  Alas  !  how  many  call  Jehovah  Lord,  and  yet, 
in  reahty,  worship  Mammon ;  how  many  professors  of  Chris- 
tianity, as  to  their  hearts,  are  thoroughly  worldly — completely 

'  Jay.  ■ 

2  "The  word  ooeiirs  frequently  in  tlie.Targum  and  among  the  Rabbins,  and 
also  in  Syriac  authors,  and  in  the  Samaritan  version.  Augustine  says,  'Lucrum 
Punic6  mammon  dicitur.'  " — Tooluck.      Vide  Clem.  Alex.  Strom.,  lib.  vLL 


238  THE   SEEMOX   ON  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

secular  in  all  their  affections  and  desires,  and  schemes  and  pur- 
suits !  Their  very  religion  is  worldly.  Such  persons  are,  how- 
ever, not  the  servants  of  God.  Men  may  suppose  them  to  be  so, 
though  generally  even  men  are  not  imposed  on  in  such  cases. 
But,  however  this  may  be,  God  is  not  deceived,  and  he  will  not 
suffer  himself  to  be  mocked  with  impunity. 

There  is  a  possibility  of  a  man  doing  occasionally  what  is  in 
itself  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God,  while  habitually  he  disobeys 
God  in  serving  Mammon  ;  but  such  occasional  acts  are  not  ser- 
vice— they  are  not  obedience — they  are  not  done  because  God 
requires  them,  nor  as  God  requires  them. 

There  is  a  possibility  of  obe3dng  parents,  and  earthly  masters, 
and  lawful  magistrates,  and  obeying  God  at  the  same  time.  In 
obejdng  those  whom  God  commands  us  to  obey,  we  obey  himself; 
but  Mammon  is  not  God's  vicegerent.  He  is  the  usurper  of  his 
throne  ;  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  obeyed,  without  treason  against 
our  legitimate  sovereign. 

The  thing  is  perfectly  plain :  God  says,  "  Give  me  thine 
heart ;"  and  the  world  says,  '  Give  me  thine  heart ;'  and  we  have 
but  one  heart  to  give.  God  says,  '  Give  me  all  thy  heart — "  thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul ;" '  and  though  the  world,  or  Mammon,  often  pretends  that  a 
share  of  the  heart  will  satisfy  his  demands,  he  well  knows  that, 
if  he  gets  a  part  of  the  heart,  he  is  sure  of  the  whole  of  it ;  and 
his  haying,  in  a  single  department,  the  supremacy,  totally  unfits 
the  person  for  being  a  servant  to  his  divine  rival,  if  I  may  use 
the  expression. 

Indeed,  as  has  been  strikingly  remarked  by  a  living  writer, 
"  Their  orders  are  diametrically  opposed.  The  one  commands 
you  to  walk  by  faith,  the  other  to  walk  by  sight ;  the  one  to  be 
humble,  the  other  to  be  proud ;  the  one  to  set  your  affections  on 
things  above,  the  other  to  set  them  on  the  things  that  are  on  the 
earth;  the  one  to  look  at  the  things  unseen  and  eternal,  the 
other  to  look  at  the  things  seen  and  temporal ;  the  one  to  have 
your  conversation  in  heaven,  the  other  to  cleave  to  the  dust ;  the 
one  to  be  careful  for  nothing,  the  other  to  be  all  anxiety ;  the 
one  to  be  content  with  such  things  as  ye  have,  the  other  to 
enlarge  your  desires  as  hell ;  the  one  to  be  ready  to  distribute, 
the  other  to  withhold ;  the  one  to  look  at  the  things  of  others, 
the  other  to  look  only  at  one's  own  things,  the  one  to  seek 
happiness  in  the  Creator,  the  other  to  seek  happiness  in  the  crea- 
ture. Is  it  not  plain  there  is  no  serving  two  such  masters ?  'If 
you  love  the  one,  you  must  liate  the  other;  if  you  cleave  to  the 
one,  you  must  despise  the  other.  You  cannot  serve  God  and 
Mammon.'  To  serve  Mammon,  to  lay  up  treasures  on  earth,  is 
to  make  present,  sensible,  worldly  things,  the  great  subjects  of 
our  thoughts,  the  great  objects  of  our  affections.  To  serve  God, 
to  lay  up  treasures  in  heaven,  is  just  to  make  things  divine  and 
heavenly  the  great  subjects  of  our  thoughts,  and  the  great  objects 
of  our  affections.     The  two  things  arc  obviously  incompatible. 


PAET  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW   TO   OBTAIN   IT.  239 

The  covetous  man  is  an  idolater.  The  friendship  of  the  world  is 
enmity  with  Grod  ;  '  whosoever  will  be  a  friend  of  the  world,  must 
be  an  enemy  of  God.' '" 

The  words  of  our  Lord,  while  they  distinctly  state  that  the 
service  of  the  world,  and  the  service  of  God — ^the  seeking  of 
happiness  on  earth,  and  the  seeking  it  in  heaven — are  quite  in- 
compatible, obviously  imply,  that  all  must  either  serve  the  world 
or  God ;  all  must  seek  happiness,  either  on  earth  or  in  heaven. 
Man  is  not,  cannot  be,  independent ;  he  is  not  self-sufficient,  he 
must  seek  for  happiness,  and  seek  for  it  out  of  himself  Those  who 
will  not  serve  God,  must  serve  mammon.  Such  persons  often 
think  themselves  truly  free,  and  regard  with  contempt  the  loyal 
subjects  of  Jehovah,  as  a  set  of  mean-spirited  slaves  ;  but  "  while 
they  promise  themselves  liberty,  they  are  indeed  the  servants  of 
corruption  ;  for  of  whom  a  man  is  overcome,  of  the  same  is  he 
held  in  bondage."  He  who  is  not  the  subject  of  humility,  must 
be  the  vassal  of  pride ;  he  who  is  not  the  servant  of  meekness, 
must  be  the  slave  of  passion. 

The  following  picture  of  the  vile  slavery,  and  the  degrading 
service,  in  which  mammon  holds  and  employs  those  who  will  not 
submit  to  the  divine  law  of  liberty  and  love,  is  very  striking. 
May  God  render  it  effectual  for  making  some  of  these  miserable 
vassals  feel  the  weight  of  their  chains,  and  long  for  the  liberty  of 
God's  children.  "  0  ye  votaries  of  the  world,  think  of  your  pri- 
vations, and  sacrifices,  and  submissions ;  think  of  the  numerous 
and  arbitrary  laws  you  have  to  obey, — the  laws  of  opinion,  the 
laws  of  custom,  the  laws  of  extravagance,  the  laws  of  folly.  Yes, 
I  sometimes  think  if  religion  were  to  require  of  me  such  services, 
as  the  world  imposes  upon  its  enslaved  followers, — ^if  it  required 
me  to  turn  day  into  night,  and  deprive  me  of  seasonable  repose, 
— ^if  it  required  me  to  embrace  indecent  and  injurious  fashions, 
and  to  expose  at  once  my  modesty  and  my  health, — if  it  required 
me  to  adopt  expensive  modes  of  life,  which  devoured  my  sub- 
stance, and  involved  me  in  pecuniary  disgrace, — if  it  required 
me  to  spend  my  evenings  from  home,  and  to  resign  domestic 
enjoyments,  in  order  to  rove  from  one  insipid  amusement  to  an- 
other,— if  it  required  me  to  give  up  all  that  is  easy  and  simple, 
and  natural,  for  ceremonies,  and  visits,  and  crowds,  where  all  is 
artificial,  and  studied,  and  forced, — if  it  required  me  to  convert 
my  dwelling  into  the  confusion  of  a  rout,  to  stoop  to  the  absurd- 
ity of  a  masquerade,  to  hazard  my  own  life  and  the  life  of  my 
fellow-creatures,  because  I  had  received  an  offence,  it  may  be, 
anintentionally  given,  and  allowed  me  not  the  choice  of  a  refusal, 
— ^then  I  should  conceive  a  disgust,  then  I  should  sigh  for 
liberty.  You  tell  us  our  Master  requires  us  to  deny  ourselves. 
Does  your  master  require  no  self-denial  ?  As  to  self-denial,  we 
are  nearly  on  a  level ;  but  here  is  the  difference, — ^Our  Master 
requires  us  to  deny  what  is  false  and  vain,  yours  what  is  solid 
and  true ;  ours  requires  us  to  deny  what  would  make  us  miser- 

3  Jay. 


240  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

able,  yours  wliat  would  render  you  bappy ;  ours  requires  us  to 
deny  tlie  craving  of  passion  and  appetite,  yours  the  demands  of 
reason  and  of  conscience  ;  ours  requires  us  to  deny  the  body  for 
the  sake  of  the  soul,  yours  to  deny  the  soul  for  the  sake  of  the 
body  ;  ours  requires  us  to  give  up  nothing  but  what  we  are  the 
better  for  wanting,  and  for  which  he  will  richly  recompense  us, 
yours  to  part  with  what  will  make  you  poor  indeed,  for  ever  and 
ever."* 

To  make  the  attainment  of  earthly  happiness,  and  of  heavenly 
happiness  at  the  same  time,  the  objects  of  supreme  esteem,  affec- 
tion, and  pursuit,  is  in  the  nature  of  things  impossible.  To  at- 
tempt it,  is  to  attempt  to  serve  at  the  same  time  two  masters  of 
different,  of  opposite  characters,  and  with  different,  opposite,  inte- 
rests. It  is  thus  not  only  foolish  and  wicked  to  attempt,  but  it  is 
impossible  to  accomplish,  the  conjoining  of  the  service  of  God,  or 
laying  up  treasures  in  heaven,  and  the  service  of  mammon,  or 
laying  up  treasures  on  earth. 

But  if  the  service  of  Grod  is  to  be  exclusively  our  business  ;  if 
we  are  to  seek  for  happiness,  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven ;  if  the 
attainment  of  this  is  to  be  our  supreme  object, — ^if  everything  is 
to  be  subordinated,  if  everything  is  to  be  sacrificed  to  this, — then 
what  is  to  become  of  us,  in  reference  even  to  the  necessaries  of 
the  present  life,  without  which,  we  not  only  cannot  exist  in  com- 
fort, but  cannot  exist  at  all  ? 

To  meet  this  thought,  which  was  very  likely  to  rise  in  the 
minds  of  those  who,  dreaming  of  carnal  happiness  under  a  tem- 
poral prince  on  earth,  were  now  told,  that  if  they  would  share  in 
the  advantages  of  the  Messiah's  reign,  the}^  must  seek  a  spiritual 
happiness,  to  be  enjoyed  in  perfection  in  heaven,  and  that  to  the 
attainment  of  this  everything  else  must  be  sacrificed,  our  Lord 
adds  the  striking  and  beautiful  statements  which  follow  :■ — • 

"  Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  Take  no  thought  for  your  life, 
what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye  shall  drink  ;  nor  yet  for  3^ our  body, 
what  ye  shall  put  on.  Is  not  the  life  more  than  meat,  and  the 
body  than  raiment?  Behold  the  fowls  of  the  air:  for  they  sow 
not,  neither  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns  ;  yet  your  heav- 
enly Father feedeth  them?  Are  ye  not  much  better  than  they? 
Which  of  you  by  taking  thought  can  add  one  cubit  unto  his 
stature  ?  And  why  take  ye  thought  for  raiment  ?  Consider  the 
lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  gi'ow  ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they 
spin  :  and  yet  I  say  unto  you,  that  even  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory, 
was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these.  Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe 
the  grass  of  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into 
the  oven,  shall  he  not  much  more  clothr.  3'ou,  0  ye  of  little  faith? 
Therefore  take  no  thought  saying,  What  shall  we  eat?  or  What 
shall  we  drink?  or  Wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?  (For 
after  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek ;)  for  your  heavenly 
Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  things.  But 
seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness:  and 

Uay. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW   TO  OBTAIN   IT.  241 

all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  jou.  Take  therefore  no 
thought  for  the  morrow :  for  the  morrow  shall  take  thought 
for  the  things  of  itself  Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil 
thereof'-' 

The  particle  "  therefore  "  generally  looks  backward,  and  indi- 
cates that  what  follows  it  is  an  inference  from  what  has  gono 
before.  Understood  in  this  way,  its  import  in  the  passage  before 
us  is — '  Since  happiness  in  heaven  ought  to  be  the  supreme  object 
of  your  esteem,  affection,  and  pursuit — since  it  is  impossible 
at  one  and  the  same  time,  to  make  both  earthly  and  heavenly 
things  the  principal  subject  of  our  thoughts,  and  the  principal 
object  of  our  affections — all  anxiety,  even  about  Avhat  may  be 
termed  the  necessaries  of  life,  must  be  at  once  improper  and 
useless.' 

In  the  New  Testament,  however,  the  particle  here  rendered 
"  therefore,''  sometimes  looks  forward,  and  indicates  that  the 
reason  of  v,diat  is  said  is  just  about  to  be  given.  In  this  case  it 
is  equivalent  to,  '  For  the  reasons  I  am  about  to  state,  you 
ought  not,  while  devoting  yourselves  supremely  to  the  attain- 
ment of  heavenly  happiness,  to  be  anx-ious  about  the  supply  of 
your  earthly  wants,'  It  is  not  a  matter  of  much  consequence  in 
which  of  these  ways  the  import  of  the  connective  particle  be  here 
understood. 

Food  is  necessary  to  the  support  of  life — clothing,  in  most 
climates,  is  necessarj-  to  the  comfort  of  life — and  in  many  climates 
not  only  to  its  comfort,  but  to  its  continuance.  Our  Lord  is 
plainly  speaking  of  the  necessaries  of  the  present  life,  and  of  tlie 
temper  which  his  disciples,  who  were  laying  up  treasures  for 
themselves  in  heaven,  should  cultivate  in.  reference  to  these  neces- 
saries. That  temper  is  briefly  described  in  one  word — "  Take 
no  thought"^  about  these  things. 

The  English  words,  here,  do  not  accurately  convey  the  mean- 
ing of  the  original  terms.'  The  necessaries  of  life  are,  in  ordi- 
nary cases,  to  be  obtained  either  by  bodily  or  mental  labor  ;  and 
in  either  case,  a  certain  degree  of  thought  must  be  exercised  in 
reference  to  them.  The  simplest  mechanical  employment  cannot 
be  performed  without  in  some  measure,  "  taking  thought."  The 
not  taking  thought  about  the  proper  means  of  providing  for 
themselves  and  their  families,  is  one  principal  cause  of  the  vice 
and  misery  which  prevail  so  extensively  among  mankind  ;  and 
it  is  an  important  duty,  in  a  Christian,  to  "  provide  for  his  own, 
especially  tor  those  of  his  own  household,"  and  to  "  provide  things 
honest,'"   honorable,  respectable,   "in  the  sight,"  in  the  estima- 

5  Matt.  vi.  25-34. 

6  "}.lif}i/iva  must  not  be  confounded  witli  a  well-regulated  care  for  ra  e:nTijihiri 
70V  Gco/MTijc  (James  ii.  10),  such  a  care  being  without  /ifptui'a." — Tholuck. 

7  It  is  remarkable  that  the  Vulgate,  wliich  the  English  and  all  the  modern 
European  ver.~iuns  ail  but  slavishly  "follow,  very  happily  translates  the  word  here 
"  soliciti  sitis ;"  but,  at  verse  21,  it  strangely  changes  the  rendering  for  "  cogitans," 
The  English  translators  have  taken  the  wrong  translation,  and  kept  by  it.  It  is 
a  very  just  remark  of  Chi-ysustom,  ov  tuvtov  ton.  /iqufira  Koi  ipyunio..  Carefulness 
and  diligence  are  not  the  same  thing. 

vol..   I.  ]G 


242  THE   SERMON   ON   THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

tion  "of  all  men."     It  was  not  our  Lord's  design  to  make  men 
thoughtless,  in  any  sense  of  the  word.' 

The  v.-ord  translated,  "  Take  no  thought,"  properly  signifies, 
"  Be  not  anxious."  '  Be  not  overwhelmed  with  perplexing  cares, 
and  painful  fears.  While  making  the  attainment  of  heavenly 
happiness  your  great  object,  and  subordinating  everything  to 
tliis,  indulge  no  unbelieving  doubts — nor  harassing  cares — no 
tormenting  fears — with  regard  to  the  obtaining  what  is  necessary 
for  the  present  life.'  Our  Lord  does  not  forbid,  here,  what  his 
apostles  elsewhere  enjoin — the  use  of  lawful  means  to  obtain  for 
ourselves,  and  those  who  depend  on  us,  the  necessaries  of  life — 
nor  that  exercise  of  thought  which  is  requisite  for  this  purpose  ; 
but  he  does  forbid  us,  while  we  use  these  means,  or  after  we  have 
used  these  means,  to  be  anxious  and  fearful  as  to  their  being  ef- 
fectual for  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  intended. 

"  Be  not  anxious  for  your  life," — for  what  is  necessary  for  the 
support  of  life,  that  is,  food — "  what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye 
shall  drink."  "  Be  not  anxious  for  your  body," — for  what  is 
necessary  for  the  comfort  of  your  body,  that  is,  clothing — "  what 
ye  shall  put  on." 

Our  Lord's  meaning  is  not— what  the  words  taken  by  them- 
selves might  mean — '  Do  not  allow  food  and  dress  to  occupy 
many  of  your  thoughts,'  though  I  may  be  allowed  to  remark,  by 
the  way,  that  for  any  person  to  do  so,  is  to  act  a  part  not  only 
iucompatible  with  genuine  Christianity,  but  unworthy  of  a 
rational  being.  Such  conduct  is  contemptible  as  well  as  criminal. 
But  our  Lord's  meaning  is, — 'When,  in  prosecuting  your  great 
object — the  heavenly  happiness — the  attainment  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life  for  yourselves  and  your  families  may  seem  to  be 
difficult  or  even  impossible,  be  not  anxious ;  God  will  provide 
for  you.  He  has  given  you  life ;  He  has  given  you  a  body  ;  and, 
while  it  is  his  will  that  you  should  continue  to  possess  this  life, 
and  this  body,  he  can  and  will  take  care  of  them.  "  Is  not  the 
life  more  than  meat,  and  the  body  more  than  raiment?" 

*  He  can  take  care  of  you.  Surely  he  who  gave  life  can  give 
food  ;  surely  he  who  gave  3^ou  a  body  can  give  you  clothing  for 
that  body.  To  give  life,  is  obviously  more  difficult  than  to  give 
food ;  to  create  a  bod}'',  is  obviously  more  difficult  than  to  furnish 
clothing  for  it.     He  who  has  done  the  greater  can  do  the  less. 

'  But  he  not  only  can^  he  will.  To  give  hfe,  is  a  far  greater 
favor  than  to  give  food  ;  to  give  a  body,  than  to  give  clothing. 
Is  not  the  breath  of  life  a  more  valuable  blessing  than  the  bread 
of  every  day  ?  is  not  the  formation  of  the  body  a  greater  favor 
than  a  garment  for  its  covering?  He  who  has  given  the  more 
valuable  blessing,  will  not  withhold  the  less. 

'  Food  is  necessary  for  the  prolongation  of  life — clothing  is 

necessary,  in  ordinary  cases,  to  the  body's  health  and  activity. 

While  (jod  means  you  to   live,  he  will  furnish  you  with  food ; 

while  he  means  your  bodies  to  be  employed  in  his  service,  he 

8  1  Tim.  V.  8.     Rom.  xii.  17. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW   TO   ATTAIN   IT.  243 

wlil  furnish  yon  witli  clothing ;  and  when  he  sees  fit  that  your 
mortal  life  should  terminate,  you  will  have  no  more  need  of  food ; 
and  when  he  separates  your  bodies  from  your  souls,  they  will  no 
longer  have  need  of  clothing. 

'  The  power  of  God,  as  manifested  in  giving  you  life  and  bodies, 
makes  it  evident  that  he  can  provide  you  with  food  and  clothing ; 
and  his  kindness  and  loisdom^  manifested  in  giving  you  life  and 
bodies,  make  it  evident  that  he  will  provide  3^ou  with  these  ne- 
cessaries, so  long  as  you  stand  in  need  of  them,' 

Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  point  out,  somewhat  more  in  detail, 
the  unreasonableness  of  anxiety,  with  respect  either  to  life  or  to 
the  body,  to  food  or  to  raiment. 

And  first,  with  regard  to  life  or  food  : — "  Behold  the  fowls  of 
the  air,  for  they  sow  not,  neither  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into 
barns  ;  yet  your  heavenly  Father  feedeth  them :  are  ye  not  much 
better  than  they  ?""  Nothing  can  be  more  beautiful  in  descrip- 
tion, nothing  more  conclusive  in  reasoning,  than  this.  Few 
tilings  are  more  satisfactory  to  a  reflecting  mind,  as  evidence  of 
the  constant  superintendence  of  a  Being  of  infinite  power,  wisdom, 
and  benignity,  over  the  universe,  than  the  unerring  certainty 
with  which  the  lower  animals  are  directed  to  their  proper  food. 
Destitute  of  reason, — unprovided  with,  and  to  a  great  extent  in- 
capable of,  instruction, — they  are  yet  enabled,  by  what  we  call 
their  instincts,  to  provide  for  their  security,  and  to  suppW  their 
Avants  with  a  foresight,  regularity,  and  perseverance,  which,  in 
many  cases,  shame  man's  boasted  intelligence.'"  To  an  enlightened 
mind,  these  instincts  of  animals  appear  just  the  settled  regular 
way  in  which  God  supplies  their  wants. 

The  statements  of  the  psalmist  are  as  philosophical  as  they  are 
pious : — "  The  eyes  of  all  wait  on  God,  and  he  giveth  them 
their  meat  in  due  season.  He  opens  his  hand,  and  satisfieth  the 
desire  of  every  living  thing."  "  The  young  lions  roar  after  their 
prey,  and  seek  their  meat  from  God.  He  giveth  to  the  beast  his 
food,  and  to  the  ravens  that  cry."" 

It  is  probable  that  our  Lord  borrowed  this  illustration  from 
what  was  before  the  eyes  of  his  audience  :  *  Look  at  these  birds, 
now  flying  in  3-our  sight,  how  active,  how  healthy,  how  cheerful 
they  are  !  How  free  from  care,  and  fear  ;  and,  though  incapable 
of  providing  for  themselves,  how  well,  how  surely  are  they  pro- 
vided for !  Your  heavenly  Father  feedeth  them  ;  are  ye  not  his 
creatures?  shall  he  not  also  care  for  you?  nay,  are  ye  not 
better,  much  better  than  they,  and  shall  he  not  much  more 
feed  you?' 

The  question,  "Are  ye  not  much  better  than  they?"  admits 
of  a  twofold  interpretation.  The  words  taken  by  themselves, 
might  mean,  '  Have  ye  not  greatly  the  advantage  of  them  ? 
They   cannot   sow,   they  cannot  reap,    they  cannot  gather  into 

9  Hilary  explains  the  fowls,  of  the  unclean  spirits ;  the  lilies,  of  the  good 
angels;  and  the  grass,  of  the  heathen  destined  to  perdition  ! 

1^  Brewster.  "  Psal.  civ.  21,  27 ;  cxlv.  15,  16 ;  cxlvii.  9. 


244  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

barns — you  can.  If  the  birds  of  tlie  air  are  supported,  without 
any  means  used  by  themselves,  is  it  not  reasonable  to  expect, 
that  He  who  has  qualified  you  for  employing  suitable  means  for 
securing  your  support,  will  render  the  use  of  these  means  effec- 
tual by  his  blessing  ?'  This  is  a  good  argument,  but  it  does  not 
seem  to  be  our  Lord's. 

The  question,  viewed  in  its  connection,  is  obviously  equiva- 
lent to,  '  You  are  much  better  than  the}'' :  as  men,  you  occupy  a 
far  higher  place  in  the  scale  of  being.  You  are  creatures  of  a 
nobler  order  than  they,  and  designed  for  a  higher  destiny.  YoU' 
are  created  in  God's  image — you  are  acknowledged  as  "  his 
offspring."  He  has  taught  you  more  than  the  beasts  of  the  field, 
and  made  you  "wiser  than  the  fowls  of  heaven."  "'  And  if  we 
consider  our  Lord  as  addressing  those  who  are  laying  up  treasures 
for  themselves  in  heaven,  the  argument  is  stiU  more  forcible,  as 
such  persons  are  the  objects  of  his  peculiar  love;  and  he  has 
bound  himself  b}'  promise  that  they  shall  want  no  good  thing. 
Will  the  God  who  cares  for  and  feeds  these  birds,  overlook  you, 
and  allow  you  to  perish  for  want  of  food?' 

The  27th  verse  is  an  argument  against  anxiety  about  our  life, 
drawn  from  the  utter  powerlessness  of  anxiety  to  prolong  life. 
It  does  not  wear  this  appearance  to  an  English  reader ;  and,  I 
am  sure,  the  more  intelligent  among  you  must  often  have  won- 
dered, in  reading  this  verse,  what  bearing  the  statement  it  seems 
to  contain  has  on  our  Lord's  exhortation,  which  he  is  enforcing, 
— "  Be  not  anxious  about  your  life."  With  the  exception  of 
children,  in  the  very  dawn  of  reason,  there  are  few  people  anxious 
about  extending  their  stature  ;  and  it  is  is  not  easy  to  see,  how  the 
incapacity  of  persons,  by  anxiety,  to  increase  their  height — a 
tlung  very  little  connected  with  their  happiness  in  any  way — is  a 
i-eason  why  they  should  not  be  anxious  about  what  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  continuance  of  their  life.  A  cubit  too  is  out  of 
proportion ;  for  it  is  plain  that  our  Lord's  ^design  called  for  the 
mention  of  a  very  minute  increase.  He  is  a  tall  man  who  is  four 
cubits  high.  The  addition  of  a  cubit,  even  to  a  dvvart^  would 
make  him  a  giant.  The  truth  is,  the  word  rendered  "stature," 
signifies  also  "  age,"  or  length  of  life."  I  shall  give  you  an  ex- 
ample or  two  of  this  use  of  the  word  : — "  But  by  what  means  he 
now  seeth,  we  know  not ;  or  who  hath  opened  his  eyes,  we  know 
not :  he  is  of  age,  ask  him ;  he  shall  speak  for  himself.  There- 
fore said  his  parents,  He  is  of  age,  ask  him.'''^  "  Throiigh  faith 
also  Sarah  herself  received  strength  to  conceive  seed,  and  was 
delivered  of  a  child  when  she  was  past  age,  because  she  judged 
him  faithful  who  had  promised.""*  I  iiave  little  doubt  that  this 
is  its  meaning  here,  and  that  our  Lord's  question,  rendered  liter- 
ally, is,  '  Which  of  you,  by  your  anxiety,  can  add  a  cubit  to  his 
age,  or  life  T 

'  A  cubit  of  time '  seems  to  us  a  very  odd  expression,  though  it 

''^  Acts  xvij.  28.     Job  xxxv.  11.  ^^  if/.inia.     Erasmus,  Hammond 

"  John  ix.  21,  23.  ''  Ueb.  xi.  11. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW   TO   OBTAIN   IT.  245 

is  to  be  found  in  an  old  Greek  poet,  to  denote  a  very  short  space. 
It  is  by  no  means  uncommon  for  us  to  apply  measures  of  length, 
to  time,  and  to  human  life  particularly.  We  speak  of  the  span 
of  human  life,  and  of  lengthening  or  shortening  that  span : — 
"  Behold,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "  thou  hast  made  my  days  an  hand- 
breadth.'"*  Human  life  is  often,  in  the  classical  poets,  repre- 
sented as  a  thread  spun  b}"-  the  Fates,  the  cutting  of  which  ter- 
minates life." 

Our  Lord's  meaning,  then,  seems  to  be,  '  Which  of  you,  by 
anxiety,  can  add  to  your  life  a  single  hour  ?'  Understood  thus, 
these  words  contain  a  strong  argument  why  we  should  not  be 
anxious  about  life  or  food.  It  serves  no  purpose  ;  no  anxiety  of 
ours  can  protract  life.  If  we  cannot,  by  all  our  anxiety,  secure 
that  object,  for  which  a  supply  of  food  is  chiefly  desirable — the 
lengthening  out  of  life — why  should  we  be  anxious  for  that  which 
is  valuable,  only  because  it  is  fitted  to  gain  this  object  ?  As  long 
as  it  is  the  will  of  the  Most  High  that  you  should  remain  in  life, 
and  be  possessed  of  its  comforts,  he  will  render  your  endeavors 
effectual  to  provide  for  your  wants.  But  when  the  hour  comes 
when  he  has  determined  that  you  shall  cease  to  live,  all  your 
anxieties  will  not  protract  your  life  a  single  moment.  Though 
you  had  all  the  means  of  life  in  abundance,  they  would  not,  in 
these  circumstances,  in  the  slightest  degTee  avail  you.^* 

Our  Lord  now  goes  on,  by  a  similar  illustration,  to  show  the 
uselessness  of  anxiety  about  clothing : — "  And  why  take  ye 
thought  for  raiment  ?  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they 
grow ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin :  and  yet  I  say  unto 
you.  That  even  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory,  was  not  arrayed  like 
one  of  these.  Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field, 
which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall  he 
not  much  more  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?'"" 

Here,  as  in  the  former  case,  our  Lord  seems  to  have  drawn 
his  illustration  from  objects  which  presented  themselves  to  the 
senses  of  his  audience.  Turning  their  attention  to  the  green 
earth  on  which  they  sat,  enamelled  with  flowers  of  every  hue,  he 
says  :  "  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow  ;  they  toil 
not,  neither  do  they  spin."  They  neither  practise  the  labors  of 
husbandry,  to  procure  the  materials  of  clothing,  nor  engage  in 
the  processes  of  art,  to  form  them  into  raiment,  and  yet  they  are 
clothed  in  garments  of  beauty,  far  surpassing  anything  which  the 
wardrobe  of  royalty  can  display,  Solomon — in  the  estimate  of  a 
Jew  the  most  illustrious  of  sovereigns — Solomon,  in  all  his  glory 
— decked  out  in  purple,  and  gold,  and  jewels — was  not  arraj^ed 
like  one  of  these.  "  If  God  so  clothe  "  such  short-lived,  and  such 
comparatively  useless  vegetables  ;  if  God  so  clothe  "  the  herbage 
of  the  field" — for  the  word  rendered  "grass"  signifies  herbage 

16  Psal.  xxxix.  0. 

'7  Tholuck  rather  thinks  the  image  is  borrowed  from  life  conceived  as  a  race- 
course.— Job  ix.  '25.  2  Tim.  iv.  7.  A  cubit  bears  a  small  proportion  to  a  race- 
course. 

'J  Brewster.  ">  Matt.  vi.  28,  29,  30. 


246  THE  SERMOX  OX  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

generally,  including  the  lilies  of  tlie  field — ^the  flowers  whicli 
grow  up  among  the  grass ;  if  God  so  clothe  this  herbage,  "  which 
to-day  is  "  flourishing  in  all  its  beauty,  and  by  to-morrow,  "  cut 
down  "  and  withered,  is  employed  as  fuel — for,  in  eastern  coun- 
tries, Avhere  fuel  is  scarce,  herbage  is  often  employed  to  heat  the 
ovens  and  baths — "  shall  he  not  much  more  clothe  you,  O  ye  of 
little  faith?'"" 

These  words  require  no  explication.  From  the  appellation, 
"  0  ye  of  little  faith,"  it  is  obvious  that  our  Lord's  address  was 
made  to  those  who  ivere  in  a  state  of  mind  like  that  of  Nicodemus, 
when  he  came  to  Jesus  by  night — persons  disposed  to  admit  his 
divine  mission,  yet  afraid  of  the  consequences  of  acknowledging 
this,  and  delivering  themselves  entirely  up  to  be  guided  by  him 
— disposed  to  lay  up  treasures  in  heaven,  yet  not  quite  sure 
about  abandoning  all  hope  of  the  treasures  on  earth,  which  they 
had  long  so  fondly  anticipated.  It  is  as  if  our  Lord  had  said, 
'  Why  should  you,  while  seeking  the  heavenly  happiness,  be 
anxious  about  worldly  happiness  ?  You  are  secured  of  all  you 
need  in  this  world :  he  who  feeds  the  birds  can,  and  will,  feed 
you ;  he  who  clothes  the  lilies  can,  and  will,  clothe  you.' 

"  Therefore  take  no  thought,"  that  is,  be  not  anxious,  "saying, 
What  shall  we  eat  ?  or,  What  shall  we  drink  ?  or.  Wherewithal 
shall  we  be  clothed  ?  (For  after  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles 
seek ;)  for  your  heavenly  Father  kuoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all 
these  things."^' 

In  these  words,  our  Lord  gives  two  additional  reasons  why 
they  should  not  be  thus  anxious.  Such  anxieties  were  charac- 
teristic of  the  heathen.  They  had  very  obscure  and  incorrect 
views  of  the  Divine  character  and  government.  Some  of  them 
believed  that  all  was  fixed  by  fate ;  others,  that  all  was  left  to 
chance.  The  one  considered  the  gods  themselves  as  subject  to 
fate;  the  others  thought  that  they  took  no  interest  in  the  con- 
cerns of  mortals.  With  such  views,  how  could  they  trust  in 
these  gods?  Of  a  future  world,  they  had  no  distinct  knowledge. 
This  world  was  cverj^thing  to  them,  and  it  was  not  wonderful 
that  they  should  be  anxious  about  obtaining  its  necessaries  and 
comforts,  and  making  the  most  of  them  all.^^  But  it  is  unworthy 
of  a  Christian  to  be  distil  iguislied  by  a  mode  of  thinking  and 
feeling  which  is  emphatically  heathenish. 

20  "The  lily,  with  us  usually  white,  in  the  East  more  frequently  red,  orauge, 
and  yellow,  grows  there  in  the  open  field.  The  broad  and  fertile  pasture-lands 
of  tlie  plain  of  Hharon  were  covered  with  that  flower.  It  grows  wild — it  soon 
•withers.  The  splendor  of  tlie  dre.'^s  of  the  flower  is  the  more  striking,  the  more 
its  existence  is  prcearions.  Let  the  reader  only  think  of  the  East,  where  a  wind 
from  the  south  often  makes  everything  fade  in  twenty-four  hours.  Iloraee  calls 
the  flower  'breve  lilium.' " — ('aum.  i.  30,  16.  Jeromes  note  on  Lam.  v.  10,  illus- 
trates this  passage  :  "  Solebant  furni  incendi  non  tantuna  ramalibus  arborum,  scd 
et  floribus,  postquam  exaruernnt,  quemadmodum  et  palea  ct  lilio." 

^'  Matt.  vi.  .'il,  :i2. 

**  "  Tlie  leading  feature  of  heathenism,  according  to  Giithe,  in  his  Life  of  Wiu- 
kelman,  is  'living  for  the  present;'  or,  as  Chrysostom  expresses  it — Td  ^Ih?/,  ol^  u 
ir6vo(  dTTfif  Kara  t<)i'  TaiiuvTa  jiior,  oir  Auyoi;  outhic  tkjk  rur  he'/Jmvtijv,  oiidi  ivvoia 
Tuv  ovpavQv." — Tiiou'CK. 


PART  v.]  HAPPINESS,  AND   HOW  TO   OBTAIN  IT,  247 

The  other  additional  reason  is,  "  Your  Father  knows  that  ye 
have  need  of  these  things."  He  has  made  us;  he  knows  our 
frame ;  and  if  we  regard  him  as  our  Father,  who,  we  know,  is 
able  to  bestow  them,  can  we  imagine  that  they  shall  be  withheld 
from  us,  when  he  knows  that  wo  need  them  ? 

"  But," — that  is,  "  instead  of  being  anxious  about  these  things," 
■ — "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness ;  and  all 
these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you."^^ 

"  The  kingdom  of  God,"  is  the  new  spiritual  economy.  To 
seek  it,  is  to  make  the  attainment  for  ourselves  and  others,  of  the 
holy  spiritual  haj^piness  which  it  secures  to  all  its  genuine  sub- 
jects, our  great  object,  to  lay  up  treasures  for  ourselves  in  heaven. 
The  "  righteousness  of  God,"  is  obviously  neither  the  justice  of 
the  Divine  character,  nor  the  Divine  method  of  justification,  but 
the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  required  by  God  ;  that  right- 
eousness which  far  exceeds  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees.  To  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteous- 
ness, is  to  make  the  attainment  of  that  hol}^  happiness  for  our- 
selves and  others,  which  is  to  be  perfected  in  heaven,  and  the 
cultivation  of  that  spiritual  religion  and  morality,  Avhich  is  indis- 
solubly  connected  with  this  hoi}'  happiness,  our  great,  our  princi- 
pal business,  to  which  everything  else  is  to  be  subordinated,  to 
which  everything  else  is  to  be  sacrificed." 

In  doing  this,  everything  really  necessary  and  useful  shall  be 
secured  for  you;  "all  these  things  shall  be  added:""  whatever  is 
really  good  for  you,  you  shall  receive.  "  The  Lord  is  a  sun  and 
shield  ;  he  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  no  good  thing  will  he 
withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly.  Godliness  is  profitable 
for  all  things  ;  having  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of 
that  which  is  to  come.  All  things  shall  work  together  for  our 
good."^°  You  shall  have  food  and  raiment,  of  the  kind,  in  the 
degree,  and  during  the  period,  which  seems  meet  to  your  Father 
in  heaven,  who  knows  what  is  really  good  for  you,  who  loves 
you,  and  who  has  power  to  do  whatever  his  wisdom  sees  to  be 
for  your  benefit,  and  his  parental  affection  disposes  him  to  bestow 
on  you.  •  "It  is,  indeed,  quite  a  possible  thing,  that  one  who  seeks 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  may  perish  of  hunger  from  want  of 
food,  or  of  cold  from  want  of  raiment.  In  this  case,  it  must 
just  be  considered  as  the  appointed  manner  of  his  death.     He 

23  Matt.  vi.  33. 

-'  It  is  not  improbable  that  dLKaioavvri,  like  A,'"P'f  ^"^^  d'Ai'/dsia,  is  a  general 
description  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  that  kuI  is  exegetical.  To  seek  the  king- 
dom is  to  seek  to  promote  the  reign  of  God  both  in  ourselves  and  others.  In  that 
case,  the  sense  is,  in  Fuller's  words,  "Take  care  of  God's  interests,  and  he  -will 
take  care  of  yours." 

•^'  1  Kings  iii.  11-13. — ^Solomon  had  riches  and  honor  "added"  to  what  he 
sought — "  wisdom."  The  kingdom  is  the  great  thing — all  the  rest  is  Trpoad/'/K?],— 
supplement  "  appendix,"  as  Bengel  says,  "  vitie  et  corporis,  v.  25,  ac  potius  regni. 
— Lukexii.  32.  1  Tim.  vi.  8.  Mark  x.  30.  Origeu's  paraphrase  is  good:  "Seek 
the  great  things— the  little  things  ^vill  be  added ;  seek  the  heavenly  things — the 
earthly  will  be  added." 

-6  Psal,  Ixxxiv.  11,  12.     1  Tim.  iv.  8.     Rom.  viii.  28. 


248  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

must  die  by  some  means  or  otlier,  and  his  death  by  hunger  or 
cold  would  be  no  more  an  objection  against  the  care  of  God  over 
him,  than  his  death  in  any  other  way.  It  is  substantially  the 
same  thing,  whether  God  take  a  man  out  of  the  world  by  some 
disease,  or  by  withdrawing  the  necessary  supports  of  life ;  and 
wc  have  no  more  cause  to  be  anxious  in  providing  against  want, 
1  lian  in  guarding  against  any  other  cause  of  death."" 

Our  Lord  concludes  this  section  of  his  discourse  with  these 
emphatic  words  : — "  Take  therefore  no  thought  for  the  morrow : 
for  the  morrow  shall  take  thought  for  the  things  of  itself  Suf- 
ficient unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof'"' 

'  Be  not  anxious  about  future  events.  To-morrow  shall  take 
thought  for  the  things  of  itself  These  words  are  often  con- 
sidered as  equivalent  to,  '  When  to-morrow  comes,  to-morrow's 
necessities  will  bo  provided  for.  If  new  Avants  arise,  new  sup- 
plies will  be  furnished ;  if  new  difficulties  occur,  new  direction 
will  be  granted. '  To-morrow  will  look  after  its  own  concerns ; 
let  to-day  be  devoted  to  to-da3''s  duty.' 

This  is  excellent  sense,  but  I  cannot  bring  it  out  of  our  Lord's 
words.  The  two  clauses  in  this  verse,  according  to  the  Hebrew 
idiom,  ex]iress  the  same  general  idea.  "  To-morrow  will  care 
for  the  things  of  itself," — ^is  equivalent  to — '  To-morrow  will 
bring  along  with  it  its  own  anxieties.'  '  Do  not  then  unneces- 
sarily antiftipate  them.  Every  day  has  enough  to  do  with  itself; 
"  sufficient  to  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof"  Do  not  double  the 
burden  of  to-da3%  under  the  idea  of  lightening  the  burden  of  to- 
morrow. The  evils  we  apprehend  may  never  arrive ;  but  by 
anticipating  them,  we  suffer  as  much  from  them  as  if  they  were 
present :  or  if  they  do  arrive,  b}^  feeling  them  before  they-  come, 
we,  as  it  were,  suffer  them  twice,  and  double  our  distress.  In- 
stead of  anticipating  future  evils,  let  us  perform  present  duty. 
Let  us  not  perplex  ourselves,  especially  with  thinking  about  the 
l)robable  events  which  may  result  from  our  "  seeking  first  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness."  Let  us  fearlessly  obey 
God,  and  leave  the  consequences  to  him,  cei'tain  that  the  path  of 
•luty  is  the  path  of  safety  ;  and  that  in  opposition  to  all  contrary 
appearances,  everything  of  a  worldly  kind  that  is  really  good  for 
us,  will  be  bestowed  on  us  while  thus  engaged.'  Oh,  how 
happy  might  wc  be,  if  we  would  but  avail  ourselves  of  the  kind 
invitation.  "Be  careful" — be  anxious — "for  nothing:  but  in 
everything  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving,  let 
your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God."  How  exceeding  great 
and  precious  is  the  promise  that  is  connected  with  this  invitation  I 
"  The  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep 
your  hearts  and  minds  through  Christ  Jesus."" 

27  Brewster. 

2«  Matt.  vi.  34.      Vide  "  Howe  on  ThoughtfulneBs  for  the  Morrow." 

»  PhiL  iv.  6,  7. 


PART  VI.j  DETACHED   EXHORTATIONS.  249 


VI.   DETACHED    EXHORTATIONS. 
Matthew  vii.  1-12. 

The  great  leading  design  of  our  Lord's  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
is  still  clearly  recognizable.  That  was  to  show  that  his  religion 
was  something  radically  different  from  what  passed  for  religion 
among  the  Jews,  and  that  a  man  must  undergo  a  thorough 
change  of  mind — he  must  "repent,"  he  must  be  "born  again,'' 
he  must  become  "  a  new  creature,"  if  he  would  "  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God."  The  whole  frame  of  his  thoughts  and  affec- 
tions must  be  altered.  Old  things  must  pass  away,  and  all 
things  must  become  new.  The  idea  which  binds  together  the 
miscellaneous  and  apparently  unconnected  remarks  contained  in 
this  section,  is — '  There  is  an  essential  difference,  a  strong  con- 
trast, between  the  character  of  a  disciple  of  the  Messiah,  and  the 
nominal  religious  character  of  that  age ' — between  "  the  right- 
eousness of  the  kingdom  and  that  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees." 
The  Pharisees  were  the  sect  which  held  the  highest  places  in 
public  estimation  among  the  Jews  for  religion.  They  were  the 
strictest  sect  of  their  religion  ;  and  to  be  a  Pharisee,  or  as  strict 
and  exemplary  as  a  Pharisee,  was  about  as  high  a  character  as, 
in  the  judgment  of  the  great  body  of  the  Jewish  people,  could  be 
given  to  an  individual.  But  our  Lord  distinctly  states  that, 
unless  a  man's  righteousness  exceed  that  of  the  Pharisees,  he 
can,  by  no  means,  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Nothing 
seems  to  have  been  more  characteristic  of  the  Pharisees  than  a 
very  high  esteem  of  themselves,  and  a  malignant  contempt  of 
others.  Thej^  "trusted  iu  themselves  that  they  were  righteous, 
and  contemned  others."^"  They  were  very  sharp-sighted  to 
other  men's  faults,  and  very  dim-sighted,  if  not  altogether  blind, 
to  their  own  ;  and  they  took  credit  to  themselves  for  their  severe 
judgments  of  others,  as  if  these  were  evidences  of  their  own 
piety  and  zeal.  In  this  regpect,  as  in  almost  every  other,  the 
character  of  a  disciple  of  Christ  must  be  the  exact  opposite  of 
that  of  a  disciple  of  the  Scribes.  The  Pharisee  was  fond  of 
judging,  and  rash  and  severe  in  jadgment;  tender  to  his  own 
faults,  and  harsh  to  the  feiUngs  of  others.  The  Christian,  on  the 
contrary,  Avith  a  far  higher  standard  of  judgment,  was  not  to 
pronounce  judgment  on  the  state  and  character  of  men  without 
being  called  to  do  so ;  and  when  called  to  do  so,  was  to  judge 
candidly,  and  as  favorably  as  the  circumstances  would  admit, 
influenced  by  that  charity  which  "  hopeth  all  things,  believeth 
all  things ;  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquit}^,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth  " 
— more  disposed  to  be  a  reformer  of  himself  than  a  censor  of  his 
neighbors.  Such  is  the  conduct  which  our  Lord  eajoins  and 
enforces  in  that  portion  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  at  which, 
in  the  course  of  our  exposition,  we  have  now  arrived. 

3"  Luke  xviii.  9. 


250  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 


§  1.    With  respect  to  judging  others. 

"  Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged.  For  with  what  judgment 
ve  judge,  ye  shall  be  judged  ;  and  with  what  measure  ye  mete,  it 
shall  be  measured  to  you  again."" 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  remark  that  this  prohibition,  like 
many  others  in  our  Lord's  discourse,  is  not  to  be  interpreted  in 
its  utmost  latitude.  The  capacity  of  judging,  of  forming  an 
estimate  and  opinion,  is  one  of  our  most  valuable  faculties,  and 
the  right  use  of  it  one  of  our  most  important  duties.  "'Why  do 
you  not  of  yourselves  judge  that  which  is  right  ?"  says  our  Lord. 
"Judge  righteous  judgment."  If  we  do  not  form  judgments  as 
to  what  is  true  and  false,  good  and  evil,  how  can  we  embrace 
the  one  and  avoid  the  other  ? 

The  judgments  here  referred  to  obviously  respect  personal 
actions  and  characters ;  and  the  command  is  as  plainly'-  addressed 
to  the  disciples  of  Christ  as  private  individuals.  It  is  one  of  the 
first  duties  of  civil  magistrates  to  form,  and  pronounce,  and  act 
on,  just  judgments  respecting  all  matters  which  come  before 
them  for  determination ;  and  it  is  one  of  the  first  duties  of  eccle- 
siastical rulers  to  form  judgments  respecting  all  who  apply  for 
admission  to  the  communion  of  the  church,  and,  like  Paul  and 
Silas,  in  the  case  of  Lydia,  to  admit  only  those  whom  they 
"judge  to  be  faithful,"  or  believers ;  and  also  to  censure  and 
exclude  those  who  disgrace  their  profession.  It  cannot  be  sup- 
posed that  our  Lord  liere  forbids  his  disciples  to  form  a  judg- 
ment of  the  state  and  character  of  men  from  their  avowed  prin- 
ciples, and  their  visible  conduct;  for,  in  a  subsequent  part  of 
this  chapter,  he  directs  them  to  judge  by  this  rule.''  We  are  to 
"have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness j"*^ 
but,  in  order  to  this,  wc  must  exercise  judgment  as  to  what  are 
unfruitful  works  of  darkness.  We  are  to  "  withdraw  ourselves 
from  every  brother  who  walks  disorderly  ;"'*  but,  in  order  to  this, 
we  must  judge  as  to  what  is  disorderly  walking.  We  are  to 
"  mark  them  that  cause  divisions  and  offences,  and  avoid  them  ;"'' 
but  to  do  this,  we  must  judge  what  is  calculated  to  cause  division 
and  offence. 

When  our  Lord  calls  on  liis  disciples  not  to  judge,  he  calls  on 
them  not  to  be  officious,  rasli,  presumptuous,  severe,  or  partial  in 
forming  their  judgments,  nor  hasty  in  declaring  them. 

We  are  not  to  be  officious  in  intermeddling  with  what  Ave  have 
no  concern  with — it  is  a  Christian's  duty  to  "  mind  his  own  busi- 
ness."'" There  are  many  subjects  on  which  we  are  not  called  to 
have  any  judgment  at  all. 

We  are  not  to  be  rash  in  our  judgments.  Even  when  called 
to  judge,  we  are  not  to  decide  till  we  have  carefully  examined 

31  Matt.  vii.  1,  2.  3*  Matt.  vii.  20.  33  Eph.  v.  11. 

31  2  ThesB.  iii.  6.  ^'  liom.  xvi.  17.  ^s  i  Thess.  iv.  11. 


PART  VI.]  DETACHED   EXHORTATIONS,  251 

the  subject — "  He  that  answereth  a  matter  before  lie  liearetli  it, 
it  is  folly  and  shame  unto  him,"" 

We  are  not  to  be  presumptuous  in  our  judgments,  pronouncing 
on  things  beyond  our  reach — such  as  the  views  and  motives 
of  another,  and  acting  as  if  our  conjectures  were  infallible 
truths. 

We  are  not  to  be  severe  in  our  judgments.  We  are  surel}- 
not,  as  some  people  seem  to  think,  bound  to  believe  that  an 
avowed  infidel  or  an  open  profligate  is  a  good  Christian  ;  but  we 
are  bound  to  put  the  best  construction  on  doubtful  actions ;  and 
never,  without  full  proof,  to  trace  apparently  good  actions  to  bad 
motives. 

We  are  not  to  be  partial  in  our  judgments ;  we  are  not  to  con- 
demn in  one  what  we  approve,  or  at  any  rate  pass  by,  in  others. 
We  are  not  to  condemn  in  our  neighbor,  Avhat  we  overlook  in 
ourselves. 

And  as  we  are  not  to  judge  officiousl}^,  rashly,  presumptuously, 
severely,  or  23artially,  so  neither  are  we  to  be  hasty  in  proclaim- 
ing our  judgment.  An  ofl&cial  jndge,  whether  civil  or  ecclesi- 
astical, is  commonly  bound  to  declare  his  judgment.  But  a 
private  individual  should,  in  every  case,  have  a  very  obvious 
call  before  he  proclaims  an  unfavorable  judgment.  Indeed,  I 
apprehend  the  command,  "  Speak  evil  of  no  man,"'*  absolutely 
requires  us  steadily  to  avoid  giving  an  opinion  to  a  man's  disad- 
vantage to  any  one  but  to  himself,  except  when  duty  demands 
it.  To  be  fond  of  judging,  savors  of  pride ;  to  be  prone  to  con- 
demnation, savors  of  malignity.  It  is  very  difi&cult  to  obtain 
possession  of  all  the  materials  that  in  any  case  are  necessary  to 
form  a  correct  judgment-  and  to  pronounce  judgment  without 
this,  is  to  run  the  hazard,  at  least,  of  doing  cruel  injustice.  What 
I  hastily  condemn,  if  I  knew  all,  I  might  onlj^  pity,  perhaps  ap- 
prove. To  pronounce  on  motives  and  principles,  is  an  invasion 
of  His  prerogative  who  searches  the  heart.  In  a  being  so  liable 
to  error  himself,  to  condemn  with  rigor  and  apjoarent  self- 
complacency,  is  unseemly  and  inhuman ;  and  to  be  harsh  and 
severe  in  their  judgments  of  each  other,  is  peculiarly  unbecoming 
in  those  who  must  equally  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
God,  each  one  to  give  an  account  of  himself;  and  all  of  whom, 
if  strict  justice  is  the  only  principle  attended  to,  must  be  con- 
demned in  that  judgment.  Such  seems  to  me  the  import  of  our 
Lord's  words  "judge  not,"  and  so  reasonable  and  right  is  the 
prohibition  they  contain.^" 

Our  Lord  expresses  this  prohibition  by  a  most  weighty  con- 
sideration, "  Judge  not  that  ye  be  not  judged."  It  is  plain  that 
the  word  "judge"  is  here,  as  in  some  other  passages  of  the  New 
Testament,  equivalent  to  judge  unfavorably — that  is,  to  con- 
demn.    In  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke,  "  Judge  not  that  ye  be 

3T  Prov.  xviii.  13,  -^  Tit.  iii.  2, 

39  "Nolite  judicai-e,  siae  scleiitia,  sine  amore,  sine  necessitate.  Tamen  cania 
pro  cane,  porcus  2>ro  porco  est  babeadus." — Bengel. 


252  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   ilOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

not  judged,"  is  explained  by  "  Condemn  not  that  ye  be  not  con- 
demned." 

Some  have  supposed  that  these  words,  and  those  that  follow  in 
the  2d  verse,  refer  to  what  a  man  may  expect  in  the  ordinary 
intercourse  of  human  life.  One  who  is  a  severe  judge  of  others, 
is  likely  to  be  severely  judged  by  others.  He  who  condemns 
very  generally,  is  likely  to  be  very  generally  condemned.  But  I 
do  not  think  "it  at  all  probable,  that  in  a  discourse,  one  design  of 
which  is  to  show  the  spiritual  character  of  Christian  morality,  in 
contrast  with  the  worldly  character  of  Pharisaic  morality,  a  merely 
secular  motive  would  be  brought  so  prominently  forward.  It 
refers  not  to  the  judgments  of  men,  but  to  the  judgments  of 
God  ;  not  to  the  judgments  of  time,  but  to  the  judgments  of 
eternit}^ 

We  are  not,  however,  to  suppose  that  the  idea  is — '  If  you  are 
lenient  in  your  judgments  of  your  fellow-men,  God  will  be  lenient 
in  his  judgments  concerning  you.  If  you  are  severe  in  your 
judgments  of  your  feUow-men,  He  will  be  severe  in  his  judg- 
ments concerning  you.'  Whatever  our  judgments  of  each  other 
may  be,  his  judgment  of  us  all  will  be  according  to  truth.  The 
sentiment  seejns  to  be  this — '  Beware  of  wrong  judgments, 
especially  false  and  hasty  judgments,  of  your  fellow-men,  for  all 
your  judgments  are  to  be  reviewed,  and  by  these  judgments  you 
are  yourselves  to  be  then  judged.'  Not  that  the  judgments  we 
form  of  each  other  are  to  be  the  only,  or  the  principal  test  by 
which  our  character  is  to  be  tried  and  our  doom  fixed,  any  more 
than  our  words  are  to  be  the  only  test,  though  it  is  said,  "  By 
thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be 
condemned  ;""  but  our  judgments  shall  be  one  of  these  tests,  and 
our  words  shall  be  another.  '  Take  care  that  your  judgments  be 
such  as  will  bear  judgment,  for  if  they  will  not,  they  must  lead 
to  condemnation.' 

"By  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye  shall  be  judged;  by  what 
measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  out  to  you  again."  '  Your 
judgments  of  others  shall  afford  materials  for  your  being  judged, 
and  the  measure  jo\i  have  dealt  to  others  shall  be  employed,  in 
part,  as  the  ground  of  determining  what  measure  should  be 
awarded  to  you.'  It  is  just  as  if  our  Lord  had  said — '  Judging 
is  a  serious  matter,  it  brings  after  it  fearfully  important  conse- 
(juences.'  What  tlie  apostle  James  says  of  teachers,  is  true  of 
judges: — "Be  not  many"  judges,  "knowing  that  ye  shall  re- 
ceive the  greater  condemnation,"*'  or  rather,  the  severer  judg- 
ment. 

The  impropriety  of  rasli  and  severe  judgments,  is  peculiarly 
glaring  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  guilty  themselves  of  the 
same  faults,  or  greatei',  tlian  those  which  they  censure  in  others. 
Most  demonstrably  is  he  inexcusable  who  "judges  another,  if  he 
himself  do  the  same  things."  "  hi  judging  another  he  condemns 
himself.""     This  is  very  strikingly  taught  us  by  our  Lord  in  tlie 

<»Matt.  xii.  37.  <' James  iii.   1.  '-  Rom.  ii.  1. 


PAET  VI.]  DETACHED   EXHORTATIONS.  258 

od,  4th,  and  otH  verses.  "  And  why  beholdest  thou  the  mote 
that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye,  but  considerest  not  the  beam  that  is 
in  thine  own  eye?  Or  how  wilt  thou  say  to  thy  brother.  Let 
me  pull  out  the  mote  out  of  thine  eye ;  and,  behold,  a  beam  is 
in  thine  own  eye  ?  Thou  hypocrite,  first  cast  out  the  beam  out 
of  thine  own  eye ;  and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  cast  out  the 
mote  out  of  thy  brother's  eye."" 

Let  us  first  endeavor  distinctly  to  apprehend  the  emblem,  and 
then  inquire  into  its  meaning.  Two  men  are  represented  as 
laboring  under  a  disorder  in  the  eye.  Each  has  a  disordered 
eye,  but  the  one  is  much  more  severely  affected  than  the  other. 
The  respective  degree  of  disorder  corresponds  with  the  cause. 
The  one  has  a  mote,"  or  rather  a  splinter,  a  small  portion  of 
woody  matter  in  the  eye  ;  the  other  has  a  much  larger  portion  of 
woody  matter,  which,  when  compared  with  the  other,  may  be 
termed  a  "  beam,""  or  rafter.  The  one  has  a  disordered  eye ; 
the  other  has  one  much  more  disordered.  The  sight  of  the  one 
is  slightly  impeded ;  the  sight  of  the  other  is  all  but  destroyed. 
He  who  has  the  principal  obstruction,  instead  of  seeking  to  get 
rid  of  it,  employs  his  almost  extinguished  vision  in  peeping  into 
his  fellow's  eye,  and  proposes  to  do,  what  it  would  require  a  very 
perfect  vision  to  enable  a  person  to  do  rightly — to  extract  the 
small,  almost  imperceptible,  mote  which  is  to  be  found  there. 
Can  anything  be  more  preposterous  and  absurd  ?  That  is  the 
emblem. 

Now  for  its  signification :  A  person  is  supposed  to  be  charac- 
terized by  some  minor  fault,  it  may  be  an  irritable  temper,  or  a 
talkative  disposition.  Another  is  distinguished  by  some  de- 
cidely  immoral  habit,  intemperance,  dishonesty,  or  falsehood. 
The  last  of  these  sets  up  to  be  the  censor,  and  the  reformer  of 
the  first.  Can  anything  be  more  absurd  than  his  fixing  his  at- 
tention on  his  neighbor's  infirmity,  while  he  turns  away  his 
attention  from  his  own  sin  ?  How  would  the  murderer  or  the 
thief  become  the  judgment-seat,  especially  if  the  pannels  be  tried 
for  minor  offences  against  mere  statute  law  !  How  incongruous 
for  Satan,  as  an  angel  of  light,  to  commence  reproving  the  world 
lor  sin !" 

But  the  thing  is  not  merely  incongruous  and  absurd.  Such 
reprovers  cannot,  in  ordinary  cases,  be  at  all  successful.  How 
can  the  man  who  is  all  but  blind  perform  the  delicate  operation 
of  removmg  a  mote  out  of  his  neighbor's  eye  ?  To  reprove  for 
sin,  with  effect,  requires,  on  the  part  of  the  reprover,  that  the 
sarcastic  proverb  should  be  inapplicable, — "Physician,  heal  thy- 
self."" A  mind  under  the  influence  of  gross  sin,  has  its  spiritual 
perspicacity  obscured,  and  its  spiritual  sensibility  blunted.  Such 
a  person  is  no  fit  judge  on  moral  subjects,  and  is  peculiarly  un- 
qualified for  acting  the  part  of  a  censor  of  the  minor  faults  of 
temper  and  conduct.     His  opinions  are  not  likely  to  be  correct ; 

"  Matt  vii.  3,  4,  5.  "  Kup<*>oi:.  ■"^  6ok6^. 

«  Brewster.  "  Luke  iv.  28. 


254  THE   SERMOM"  OX   THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

and  most  people  will  be  disposed  to  disregard  tHem,  just  because 
they  are  his  opinions. 

The  course  for  such  an  individual,  if  he  will  reprove,  and 
wishes  to  do  so  with  success,  is  perfectly  plain.  First,  let  him 
get  free  of  his  intemperance,  or  dishonesty,  or  flilsehood,  and  then 
let  him  trv  to  cure  his  neighbor  of  irritability  or  loquacity. 
While  he  acts  otherwise,  he  proves  himself  a  "hypocrite" — a 
stage-player — the  actor  of  a  fraud.  He  pretends  to  be  zealous 
in  the  extreme  for  religion  and  morality,  while  he  is  living  in  the 
neglect,  or  in  the  violation,  of  its  plainest  laws.  The  caustic 
remonstrance  of  the  apostle  Paul,  in  the  second  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Eomans,  precisely  suits  such  characters,  which, 
alas,  are  to  be  found  in  our  days  as  well  as  in  those  of  our  Lord 
and  his  apostles.  "  Behold,  thou  art  called  a  Jew,  and  restest  in 
the  law,  and  makest  thy  boast  of  God,  and  knowest  his  will,  and 
approvest  the  things  that  are  most  excellent,  being  instructed 
out  of  the  law  ;  and  art  confident  that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide  of 
the  blind,  a  light  of  them  wliich  are  in  darkness,  an  instructor  of 
the  foolish,  a  teacher  of  babes,  which  has  the  form  of  knowledge 
and  of  the  truth  in  the  law.  Thou  therefore  which  teachest  an- 
other, teachest  thou  not  thyself?  thou  that  preach  est  a  man 
should  not  steal,  dost  thou  steal  ?  thou  that  sayest  a  man  should 
not  commit  adultery,  dost  thou  commit  adultery  ?  thou  that  ab- 
horrest  idols,  dost  thou  commit  sacrilege  ?  thou  that  makest  thy 
boast  of  the  law,  through  breaking  the  law  dishonorcst  thou 
God  ?""  "  And  thinkest  thou  this,  O  man,  that  judgest  them 
which  do  such  things,  and  doest  the  same,  that  thou  shalt  escape 
the  judgment  of  God?  Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his 
goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  long-suffering ;  not  knowing  that 
the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  o'cpentance?  But,  after  thy 
hardness  and  impenitent  heart,  treasurest  up  unto  thj'self  wrath 
against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  God ;  who  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his 
deeds."^» 

We  must  not  conclude  from  this  passage,  that  it  is  not  our 
duty  to  reprove  sin,  of  whatever  form  or  aggravation,  and  to  en- 
deavor to  rid  our  neighbors  of  every  moral  infirmity.  It  is  our 
duty  "  not  to  suffer  sin  on  our  brother,  but  surely  to  rebuke  him." 
Even  that  brother,  who  has  acted  so  disorderly,  as  that  we  arc 
not  familiarly  to  associate  with  him,  we  are  not  to  count  an 
enemy,  but  to  admonisli  as  a  brotlier.  But  we  are  taught  by  it 
that  the  indulging  in  any  sin  unfits  us  for  the  discharge  of  this 
duty,  and  that  if  we  would  be  useful  as  rejirovers,  we  must  en- 
deavor to  keep  our  "  conscience  void  of  offence  towards  God 
and  towards  man."" 

This  instruction  is  peculiarly  applicable  to  ministers.     The  re- 

"  Rom.  ii.  17-23.  "  Rom.  ii.  3-6. 

■su  '<  Ergo  taccbimus  et  neminem  omnino  corripiemus  ?  Corripiamua  plane,  sed 
prius  no8.  I'roximum  vis  corripere:  nihil  est  tibi  te  ipso  propiuquius." — 
AUQUSTIN. 


PART  VI.]  DETACHED  EXHORTATIONS.  255 

marks  of  Mr.  Scott  are  weighty  and  powerful.  "How  unfit 
must  unconverted  men  be  for  the  ministry,  yet  liow  many  such 
enter  into  that  arduous  ofhce,  and  attempt  to  take  motes  out  of 
the  eyes  of  others,  without  considering  the  beam  that  is  in  their 
own  eye  !  The  ministers  of  Christ  must  rebuke  with  all  au- 
thority. It  is  peculiarly  necessary,  therefore,  that  all  who  aspire 
to  that  office,  should  cast  out  the  beam  out  of  their  eye,  before 
they  attempt  to  pull  the  mote  out  of  their  brother^'s  eye  ;  and  all 
engaged  in  the  work  should  be  very  careful  not  to  expose  them- 
selves to  the  retort, — '  Thou  hj^pocrite,  first  cast  out  the  beam 
out  of  thine  own  eye ;  and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  cast  out 
the  mote  out  of  thy  brother's  eye.'  It  should,  however,  be  ob- 
served, that  a  discernible  mote  in  a  man's  eye,  does  not  disqualify 
him  from  casting  out  a  beam  out  of  another  man's  eye:  Yet 
many  harden  themselves  in  gross  sins,  or  wholly  neglect  the 
cautions  and  reproofs  of  these  ministers,  because  they  see  that 
they  also  are  liable  to  imperfections." 

§  2.    With  regard  to  instruction  and  reproof. 

The  6th  verse  is  one  of  those  passages  which  are  somewhat  ob- 
scure, not  because  wc  cannot  perceive  their  meaning,  but  because 
we  cannot  fix  their  reference.  "  Give  not  that  which  is  holy  unto 
the  dogs,  neither  cast  ye  your  pearls  before  swine,  lest  they 
trample  them  under  their  feet,  and  turn  again  and  rend  you."" 
The  literal  meaning  of  these  words  is  obvious.  '  It  is  an  incon- 
gruous and  foolish  thing  to  give  the  sacred  food  of  the  priests — • 
the  flesh  which  has  been  sanctified  by  being  laid  on  the  altar  of 
God — to  dogs,  unclean  animals,  which,  after  devouring  it,  may 
very  probably  turn  on  you  and  rend  you  ;  or  to  lay  pearls,  beau- 
tiful and  precious  as  they  are,  before  swine,  which,  totally  inca- 
pable of  estimating  their  beauty  or  their  value,  will  trample  them 
under  their  feet.'^'^ 

Some  have  supjoosed  that  these  words  have  no  connection  with 
what  goes  before,  but  are  a  general  advice  given  to  the  apostles, 
as  teachers,  not  to  obtrude  their  instructions  on  those  impious 
persons,  who  clearly  show  that  the  only  effect  would  be  to  drive 
them  to  greater  extremities  of  impious  madness  and  outrageous 
blasphemy.     There  can  be  no  doubt  that  such  was  the  duty  of 

'si  Matt.  vii.  6. 

52  This  iuterpretation  goes  on  the  principle  that  there  is  here  an  instance  of 
the  figure  termed  "  hysteresis,"  according  to  which,  of  two  verbs  coupled  together, 
the  first  relates  not,  as  usual,  to  the  first  of  the  two  preceding  nouns,  but  to  the 
second,  and  the  second  verb  to  the  first.  It  is,  however,  not  unnatural  to  refer 
both  the  verbs  to  the  "swine:"  for  the  wild  sow  is  a  ferocious  animal,  and  is 
likely  not  only  to  trample  a  pearl  under  its  feet,  but,  disappointed  in  not  finding 
in  it  something  to  eat,  to  turn,  and,  by  a  side  snatch,  wound  and  rend  the  unwise 
giver.  The  "  turning"  is  picturesque.  "  Verres  obiiquuiii  meditans  ictuni." — 
HoRAT.  "  Obliquo  deute  timendus  aper.'' — Ovid.  The  pearl  is  mentioned  not 
only  for  its  preciousuess,  but,  as  the  learned  Jesuit  JIaldonatus  remarks,  for  its 
resemblance  to  the  acorn  on  which  the  sow  feeds.  A  semicolon  put  after  "  dogs" 
brings  out  the  sense. 


256  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

the  apostles,  and  thev  acted  accordino^ly : — "  But  when  the  Jews 
saw  the  multitude,  they  Avere  filled  with  envy,  and  spake  against 
those  things  Avliich  were  s]ioken  by  Panl,  contradicting  and  blas- 
pheming. Then  Paul  and  Barnabas  waxed  bold  and  said,  It 
was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been 
spoken  to  you :  but  seeing  ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  your- 
selves unworthy  of  everlasting  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles."" 
"  And  when  they  agreed  not  among  themselves,  they  departed, 
after  that  Paul  had  spoken  one  word,  Well  spake  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  Esaias  the  prophet  unto  our  fathers,  saying,  Go  unto 
this  people  and  say.  Hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  sliall  not  under- 
stand ;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  not  perceive :  for  the  heart 
of  this  people  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing, 
and  their  eyes  have  they  closed  ;  lest  tliey  should  see  with  their 
eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart, 
and  should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them.  Be  it  known 
therefore  unto  you,  that  the  salvation  of  God  is  sent  unto  the 
Gentiles,  and  that  they  will  hear  it."^* 

But  there  is  nothing  to  lead  us  to  think  that  these  words  have 
any  exclusive  reference  to  the  apostles.  They  seem  naturally 
connected  with  what  goes  before.  We  are  not  only  to  take  care 
that  we  be  qualified  for  reproving,  but  that  the  persons  we 
reprove  be  such  as  there  is  at  least  some  probability  of  our  re- 
proof not  being  worse  than  lost  on  them.  There  are  persons  who, 
like  Nabal,  are  such  sons  of  Belial,  that  a  man  cannot  speak  to 
them."  Warning,  reproofs,  or  counsels,  are  resented,  as  if  they 
were  injuries  and  insults.  Such  men  are  so  enraged  at  them,  that 
they  not  only  trample  them  under  foot,  but  they  are  ready  to 
turn  again  and  tear  their  friendly  reprover.  In  the  case  of  re- 
proof, "  wisdom  is  profitable  to  direct,"  and  to  show  the  proper 
medium  between  sinful  timidity,  and  foolish  rashness. 

The  dog  has  been  considered  as  the  emblem  of  the  profane 
persecutor,  the  sow  of  the  impure  lover  of  sensual  indulgence. 
AYhatever  there  may  be  in  this,  the  general  character  of  the 
persons  referred  to  is,  that  they  cannot  be  reproved  without  the 
hazard  of  subjecting  both  truth,  and  him  wlio  speaks  it,  to 
outrage." 

It  is  plain,  from  this  passage,  that  there  are  such  persons  as 
are  no  proper  subjects  of  reproof.  It  may  injure,  but  it  cannot 
do  them  good,  while  they  are  in  their  present  temper :  we  may 
weep  for  such  persons  in  secret,  we  may  pray  for  them,  wc  may 
warn  others  against  them,  but  we  cannot,  with  advantage  to 
them,  and  without  danger  to  ourselves,  reprove  them,"  Let  us, 
my  brethren,  cheiisli  another  spirit.  Let  us  receive  with  grati- 
tude the  reproof  of  pious  friendship.      It   is   one  of   the    most 

•3  Acta  xiii.  45,  46.  '"'  Acts  xxviii.  2.>28.  ''•  1  Sain.  xxv.  17. 

''^  To  ih/Kiv  has  been  interpreted  of  eliiireli  fellowsliip.  Td  uyta  uyioi-c  was  the 
cry  of  tlie  dciicons  in  the  ancient  cliiircli,  before  tlie  coniniiiiiioii. 

57  "The  witness  for  the  truth  must  needs  be  zcaUms  mid  ri.urngeouf,  but  ho 
need  not  be  (lie  ought  not  to  be)  imprudent  or  IndiHcreet."— Akandicu. 


PART  VI.]  DETACHED   EXHORTATI(*rs,  257 

certain  tests  of  true  friendsliip.  Many,  who  call  themselves  our 
friends,  do  not  love  us  so  well  and  so  wisely  as  to  reprove  us, 
even  when  we  need  reproof.  The  proper  temper,  when  reproof 
is  needed  and  received,  is  that  expressed  by  the  psalmist : — "  Let 
the  righteous  smite  me,  it  shall  be  a  kindness ;  let  him  reprove 
me,  it  shall  be  an  excellent  oil.'"'  "As  an  ear-ring  of  gold, 
and  an  ornament  of  fine  gold ;  so  is  a  wise  reprover  upon  an 
obedient  ear.'"' 

§  3.    With  regard  to  Prayer^  as  the  means  of  obtaining  Blessings. 

The  object  of  our  Lord  in  that  beautiful  paragi'aph  which 
follows,  is,  I  apprehend,  to  show  his  hearers  how  the  righteous- 
ness, without  which  a  man  cannot  be  a  subject  of  the  Messiah's 
kingdom — the  righteousness,  so  far  superior  to  that  taught  by 
the  Scribes,  and  exemplified  by  the  Pharisees — was  to  be  ob- 
tained.*"  If  an  obedience,  so  spiritual  and  so  extensive,  be 
necessary  in  all  who  would  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  can 
any  of  the  family  of  frail  and  depraved  man  ever  become  its 
citizens?  '"Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?"  How  shall 
conformity  be  obtained  to  that  law  of  the  Messiah,  which  forbids 
an  opprobrious  word,  a  malignant  wish,  an  impure  desire,  a 
revengeful  thought — which  requires  a  devotion  so  rational,  so 
spiritual,  so  unostentatious — which  demands  the  entire  surrender 
of  the  whole  man,  obedience  the  most  explicit,  submission  the 
most  profound  ?  To  these  questions,  which  must  naturally  have 
arisen  in  the  minds  of  our  Lord's  hearers,  the  answer  is  to  be 
found  in  the  words  before  us.  "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ; 
seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you  ; 
for  every  one  that  asketh,  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh,  findeth  ; 
and  to  him  that  knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened.  Or  v/hat  man  is 
there  of  you,  whom,  if  his  son  ask  bread,  mil  he  give  hiili  a 
stone  ?  Or,  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  give  him  a  serpent  ?  If  yC 
then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
how  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  give  good 
things  to  them  that  ask  him  ?"" 

In  order  to  '  do  good  things,' — things  in  conformity  to  the  laws 
of  the  Messiah, — we  must  obtain  'good  things,'  that  is,  as  it  is  ex- 
plained in  our  Lord's  discourse  on  the  same  subject,  recorded  in 
the  eleventh  chapter  of  Luke,  we  must  receive  "  the  Holy  Spirit," 
the  enlightening,  enlivening,  guiding,  strengthening,  comforting 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  from  our  heavenly  Father ;  and  if 
we  would  obtain  these  good  gifts,  which  are  absolutely  necessary 
to  the  right  discharge  of  our  duty  as  Christians,  we  must  seek 
them  by  frequent,  fervent,  persevering  prayer ;  and,  if  we  do  thus 
seek  them,  we  shall  assuredly  find  them,  and  in  them  Ave  shall 
find  the  effectual  means  of  being  all  that  the  law  of  the  kingdom 

s*  Psal.  cxli.  5.  59  Prov.  xxv.  12. 

fi"  This  is  the  view  of  the  conaection  given  by  Chrysostom  and  Luther. 
•     "Matt.  vii.  7-11. 

VOL.    I.  17 


258  TH#SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT,  [EXP.  IV. 

of  God  requires  us  to  be— of  doing  all  that  the  law  of  tlie  king- 
dom of  God  requires  us  to  do.  Such,  I  apprehend,  is  the  general 
design  and  meaning  of  this  very  interesting  passage. 

What  lies  at  tlie  foundation  of  the  whole  train  of  thought,  is 
the  principle,  that  the  Holy  Spirit — that  divine  influence  which, 
in  the  economy  of  salvation,  is  always  represented  as  exerted  on 
the  mind  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  divine  person  who,  along  with 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  exists  in  the  unity  of  the  Godhead; 
that  this  divine  influence  is  absolutely  necessary,  in  order  to 
man's  yielding  obedience  to  the  law  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
exemplifying  that  righteousness  which  exceeds  the  righteousness 
of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 

Just  views  on  this  subject  are  of  the  last  importance.  Man 
labors  under  no  such  inability  to  obey  the  spiritual  and  exceed- 
ing broad  law  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  can  lay  any  founda- 
tion for  excusing  him  from  obedience,  or  for  vindicating,  or 
apologising  for,  his  disobedience.  Fo  physical  faculties  different 
from,  or  superior  to,  those  possessed  by  men  in  their  present  state, 
are  at  all  requisite  in  order  to  that  obedience  which  the  law  of 
the  new  economy  requires.  Its  first  requisition  is  faith  in  Christ, 
or  a  belief  of  the  testimony  which  God  has  given  us  concerning 
his  Son.  To  believe  this  testimony,  no  other  faculties  are  neces- 
sary than  to  believe  any  other  testimony.  The  testimony  is  a 
plain  statement,  which  any  man  possessed  of  reason  may  under- 
stand ;  and  a  statement,  accompanied  by  such  evidence,  that  any 
man,  who  makes  a  right  use  of  his  reason,  must  believe. 

And  all  the  other  requisitions  of  the  law  of  Christ  are  equally 
reasonable,  as  this  primary  and  fundamental  one.  There  is  not 
one  of  them  that  man  is  unable  to  comply  with,  if  he  were  but 
disposed  to  comply  with  it.  Examine  carefully  all  the  particular 
injunctions  of  the  law  of  the  kingdom,  contained  in  the  preceding 
part  of  this  discourse  on  the  Mount,  and  say  if  there  be  one  of 
them,  that  a  man  can  reasonably  refuse  to  obey,  on  the  ground 
that  it  is  physically  impossible ;  that  is,  on  the  ground  on  which 
the  lame  man  might  justly  refuse  to  obey  a  command  to  run  a 
race,  or  the  blind  man  to  read  a  book,  or  the  dumb  man  to  make 
an  oration.  The  law  of  the  kingdom  is  a  just  law  ;  it  requires 
of  men  nothing  that  is  impossible — nothing  that  should  be  diffi- 
cult— nothing  but  what  is  practicable — nothing  but  what  ought 
to  be  easy. 

But  while  this  is  truth,  and  not  only  truth,  but  most  important 
truth,  which  ought  to  be  "  i\ffirmed  constantly,"  as  that  which 
alone  affords  firm  footing  for  establishing  in  the  conscience  a 
charge  of  guilt  against  the  man  who  neglects  or  refuses  to  yield 
obedience  to  this  law,  yet  it  is  nof.  less  certairdy  true,  and  it  is  of 
equal  importance,  that  this  should  be  distinctly  stated,  that  man, 
left  to  himself,  never  will  yield  obeJicnco  to  the  law  of  the  king- 
dom, never  will  be  what  he  ought  to  be,  never  will  do  what  he 
ought  to  do.  Human  nature,  as  it  now  exists,  left  to  the  opera- 
tion of  its  own  propensities  and  irapult^es,  as  called  forth  by  the 


PART  VI.]  DETACHED  EXHORTATIONS.  259 

objects  and  events  of  the  present  world,  is  so  utterly  indisposed 
to  that  mode  of  thinking,  and  feeling,  and  acting,  prescribed  in 
the  law  of  the  kingdom,  that  it  is  just  as  certain  as  the  operation 
of  any  physical  law,  that  it  will  never  be  conformed  to  that  law. 
There  is  nothing  to  prevent  any  man,  to  whom  the  claims  of  the 
new  dispensation  and  its  author  are  presented,  from  complying 
with  these  claims,  but  his  own  depravity,  his  own  carnal  mind, 
his  own  wicked  heart ;  but  that  depravity,  that  carnal  mind,  that 
wicked  heart,  will,  if  not  counteracted  and  overborne  by  an  op- 
posite influence,  most  certainly  prevent  him  from  complying  with 
these  claims. 

It  is  this  depravity — this  depravity  alone — which  renders  such 
an  influence  as  we  are  speaking  of  necessary ;  and  it  does  ren- 
der such  an  influence  absolutely  necessarj^  To  the  question, 
Can  man  do  any,  can  man  do  all,  of  the  things  which  our  Lord 
here  enumerates,  as  included  in  the  righteousness  of  the  king- 
dom ?  the  true  answer  is.  He  can :  who,  what  hinders  him  ? 
To  the  question,  Will  man,  left  to  himself,  do  all,  or  any,  of 
these  things,  in  the  manner  in  which  they  are  required  to  be 
done  ?  the  answer  is,  No  ;  he  will  not,  "  For  his  carnal  mind  is 
enmity  against  Grod ;"  "  his  depraved  heart  is  deceitful  above 
all  things,  and  desperately  wicked."  This  spiritual,  moral  weak- 
ness or  inability,  is  man's  calamity,  but  it  is  also  his  fault — it  is 
guilt  as  well  as  misery.  It  thus  affords  no  shield  from  the  fear- 
ful denunciations  of  righteous  vengeance  for  wilful  transgression ; 
but  it  does  render  us  absolutely  dependent  on  divine  influence, 
in  order  to  our  obtaining  that  righteousness,  without  which  no 
man  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven — ^that  "  holiness, 
witliout  which  no  man  can  see  the  Lord." 

To  yield  obedience  to  these  commandments,  all  right  and 
reasonable  as  they  are,  we  must  receive  "  good  things,"  "  good 
gifts,"  "the  Holy  Spirit,"  from  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven; 
and  this  is  one  of  the  great  characteristic  excellences  of  the  new 
economy,  that  it  is  "the  ministration  of  the  Spirit"^^  to  men.  It 
makes  known  to  us  "  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus."°'  If  it  includes  in  it  by  fer  the  clearest,  and  the  most 
extensive  revelation  of  the  Divine  will,  as  to  Avhat  men  should 
T)e  and  do,  it  also  includes  in  it  the  revelation  of  the  efficient 
means  of  making  them  what  they  should  be,  and  enabling  them 
to  do  what  they  should  do. 

The  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ  was  intended  to  open  a  channel 
through  which  this  influence  might  find  its  way  to  man,  in  a 
manner  consistent  Avith  the  holiness  of  the  Divine  character,  the 
honor  of  the  Divine  law,  the  stability  of  the  Divine  administra- 
tion. "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,"  by 
becoming  "  a  curse"  in  our  room,  "  that  we  might  receive  the 
promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith,""  that  is,  the  promised  Spirit, 
by  believing.  And  while  the  atonement  of  Christ  thus  opens  up 
a  way  for  the  communication  of  that  divine  influence  which  is 
62  2  Cor.  iii.  8.  "  Rom.  viii.  2.  «<  Gal.  iii.  13,  14. 


260  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

necessary  to  induce  man,  in  his  present  state,  to  yield  true,  ac- 
ceptable, obedience  to  the  law  of  Christ,  it  forms  a  part  of  the 
new.  economy  that  the  communication  of  this  influence  is  usually 
made  in  answer  to  prayer. 

From  its  very  nature  as  divine  influence,  it  can  be  obtained 
only  from  God,  and  there  is  an  obvious  propriety  in  the  arrange- 
ment, that  he  who  needs  this  influence  should  ask  it  of  Him  who 
has  it,  and  who  is  always  far  more  ready  to  bestow  it,  than  we 
are  ever  desirous  of  receiving  it.  Hence,  says  our  Lord  to  those 
who,  on  hearing  his  illustrations  of  that  righteousness  which  so 
far  transcends  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
and  without  which,  no  man  can  be  a  citizen  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  might  be  disposed  to  say,  "  How  shall  we  work  this  work 
of  God  ?" — '  Your  heavenly  Father  will  give  good  things,  he 
will  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  who  ask  him.'  "  Ask,  and  it 
shall  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall 
be  opened  to  you :  for  every  one  that  asketh,  receiveth  ;  and  he 
that  seeketh,  findeth ;  and  to  him  that  knocketh,  it  shall  be 
opened,"  K  you  would  be  citizens  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
you  must  have  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom ;  if  you  would 
have  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom,  you  must  have  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  if  you  would  have  the  Holy  Spirit,  you  must  ask  him 
from  your  Father  in  heaven ;  and  if  you  ask  him  from  your 
Father  who  is  in  heaven,  you  shall  most  assuredly  obtain  him. 

In  order  to  your  thus  asking  this  Holy  Spirit,  whose  influence 
is  at  once  absolutely  necessary  and  abundantly  sufficient,  to  your 
obtaining  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom,  do  you  not  see  most 
clearly,  that  a  faith  of  the  truth  with  regard  to  the  fatherly  char- 
acter of  God  is  essential]}^  requisite — a  belief  tliat  he  is  "  rich  in 
mercy,"  "ready  to  forgive;"  that  he  is  "in  Christ  reconciling 
the  world  to  himself"' — his  Father,  and  our  Father — his  God 
and  our  God;  who  has  "  not  spared  his  own  Son,  but  delivered 
him  up  for  us  all,  and  who,  with  him,  will  assuredly  give  us  all 
good  things,"  if  we  will  but  give  him  credit  for  the  kindness 
which  is  in  his  heart,  and  which  he  has  proved  to  be  there,  and 
show  this  by  asking  him,  "  nothing  doubting,"  for  the  blessings 
which  he  has  promised  to  bestow  ?  There  cannot  be  acceptable 
prayer  for  divine  influence,  nor,  indeed,  for  any  blessing,  where 
this  faith  of  the  truth  respecting  the  fatherly  character  of  God  is 
wanting. 

But  then  why  should  it  be  wanting  in  any  of  us?  Has  not 
God  given  us  most  satisfactory  evidence  that  he  is  our  Father — 
our  loving,  forgiving  Father,  after  all  our  most  unnatural  and 
wicked  behavior?  and  why  then  should  any  of  us  not  say, 
"  Abba  Father  "?  • 

The  first  communication  of  divine  influence  is  not  in  answer 
to  our  prayer.s,  but  in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  him  whom  the 
Father  heareth  always.  The  first  communication  of  divine  in- 
fluence is  not  to  faith,  and  the  prayer  of  faith.  It  produces 
faith,  and  leads  to  the  prayer  of  faith.     But  in  the  economy  of 


PART  VI.]  DETACHED   EXHORTATIONS.  261 

grace,  the  established  order  is,  and  it  is  plainly  founded  on  the 
reason  of  things,  on  what  is  true  and  right,  that  further  commu- 
nications of  divine  influence  are  gi-anted  in  answer  to  believing 
prayer, — are  communicated  to  him  who,  feeling  his  want  comes 
to  Him  who  alone  can  supply  it. 

The  words  "  ask,  and  ye  shall  receive  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ; 
knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  to  you" — require  little  explication. 
Three  different  words  are  employed  to  designate  prayer,  "ask," 
"seek,"  "knock;"  and  three  different  corresponding  words  are 
employed  to  describe  the  answer  of  prayer,  "  ye  shall  receive," 
"ye  shall  find,"  "  it  shall  be  opened."  This  triple  representation 
obviously  teaches  us  the  high  importance  of  the  sentiments  here 
taught,  which  are  these,' — that  the  divine  influence  necessary  in 
order  to  our  yielding  obedience  to  the  law  of  Christ,  is  not  to 
be  expected  without  prayer;  and  that  by  prayer  this  influence 
will  most  certainly  be  obtained. 

There  is  something  hke  a  climax  in  the  phraseology — "  seek," 
seems  stronger  than  "ask,"  and  "knock,"  than  "seek."°*  It  is 
probable  that  our  Lord  means  thus  to  intimate,  that  to  secure 
those  aids  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  are  absolutely  necessary  to 
the  formation  of  the  christian  character,  and  the  performance  of 
christian  duty,  our  prayers  must  be  frequent,  fervent,  persever- 
ing;  we  must  be  "instant  in  prayer,"  we  must  "continue  to  be 
instant  in  prayer,"  we  must  "pray  and  not  faint."'' 

The  injunction  to  frequent,  fervent,  persevering  praj^er  for  the 
'good  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  are  at  once  absolutely 
necessary,  and  completely  suf&cient,  to  enable  us  to  yield  obedi- 
ence to  the  law  of  the  new  economy,  is  enforced  by  the  declara- 
tion— "For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth,  and  he  that  seeketh 
findeth,  and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened." 

These  works  may  be  considered  as  a  statement  of  the  general 
truth — That  asking  is  the  natural  means  to  be  employed  if  we 
would  receive  ;  seeking,  if  we  would  find  ;  knocking,  if  we  would 
have  the  door  opened.  *  In  religion,  use  the  means  you  would 
in  ordinary  life ;  if  you  wished  for  a  favor  from  your  father, 
would  you  not  ask  it? — if  you  needed  something  you  had  lost, 
would  you  not  seek  for  it? — if  you  wished  the  door  opened, 
would  you  not  knock  at  it  ?  Use  your  common  sense  in  religion 
as  in  everything  else;  and  if  you  do,  you  will  abound  in  prayer.' 
This  is  fitted  to  meet  a  common  but  absui-d  idea,  that  prayer  is 
a  meritorious  exercise — a  work  by  the  performance  of  which  we 
are  to  propitiate  God,  and  secure  his  favor — instead  of  being 
the  natural  means  of  expressing  our  wants,  and  having  them 
supplied.  Prayer,  or  rather  saying  prayers,  with  very  many  who 
not  unfrequently  engage  in  it,  is  not  at  all  the  means  of  obtain- 

65  Operose  quidem,  tria  ista  quid  inter  se  diffei'ant,^exponenduni  putavi,  sed 
longe  melius  ad  instaiitissimam  petitioneiu  omnia  referuntur." — Augustin.  Ennar. 
in  Fsal.  cxviii.  (cxix.)  48.  This  is  certainly  much  better  exegesis  than  when 
6  Ttdvv  expoun<led  it  thus:  "Petite,  oraudo ;  quterite,  disputando ;  pulsate, 
rogando  ;  id  est  interrogando."  "^  Rom.  xii.  12.     Luke  xviii.  1. 


262  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IT. 

ing  wliat  they  feel  they  need,  and  wish  to  obtain.  They  have 
often  no  feeling  that  they  need,  no  wish  to  obtain,  the  things 
asked  for  in  the  words  they  utter.  They  are  merely  doing  some- 
thing which  they  have  been  taught  to  believe  is  right,  pleasing 
to  God,  the  neglect  of  which  would  interfere  with  their  good 
opinion  of  themselves,  and  the  performance  of  which  keeps  them 
on  good  terms  with  themselves,  and  makes  their  conscience  com- 
paratively easy  as  to  their  religious  duties.  What  monstrous 
absurdity — what  fearful  impiety — is  this !  and  yet  this  is  the 
religion  of  a  large  body  of  men,  who  pass,  not  only  with  others, 
but  with  themselves,  for  being  religious  ! 

Or,  the  words  may  be  considered  as  an  express  promise  that 
such  prayers — 'prayers  to  our  Father  in  heaven  for  good  gifts,  for 
the  Holy  Spirit — shall  assuredly  be  answered ;  as  if  he  had  said, 
'  Rest  assured  that,  if  you  use  the  appropriate  means  for  obtain- 
ing the  Holy  Spirit,  you  shall  not  employ  them  in  vain.  He  that 
asks,  shall  receive  ;  he  that  seeks,  shall  find ;  he  that  knocks,  shall 
have  it  opened  to  him.' 

From  this  passage,  and  a  number  of  similar  passages  in  the 
New  Testament,  ill  understood,  some  have  deduced  the  absurd 
principle,  that  we  may  have  anything  we  please  from  God  for 
the  asking,  if  we  but  ask  it  in  faith ;  and,  asking  in  faith,  in 
their  estimation,  is  just  working  ourselves  up  to  the  persuasion, 
that  we  shall  obtain  what  we  ask.  The  passage  before  us  teaches 
us  no  such  absurdity.  It  teaches  us,  that  if  we  ask  of  God,  as 
our  Father  in  heaven,  "good  things,"  that  .is,  "the  Holy- 
Spirit,"  to  enable  us  to  do  his  will,  we' shall  not  be  disappointed. 
The  other  passages,  often  quoted  in  support  of  such  irrational 
expectations,  are  equally  ill  fitted  to  serve  that  purpose.  What- 
soever we  ask  "  in  faith,"  we  are  sure  to  obtain  sooner  or  later.; 
but  we  can  ask  nothing  "  in  laitli,"  without  a  reference  to  some 
Divine  promise,  in  which  the  blessing  we  solicit  has  been  pledged 
to  us.  To  "  pray  in  faith,"  is  not  to  pray,  expecting  that  God 
will  give  us  whatever  we  may  wish  or  ask,  but  that  he  will  give 
us  whatever  he  has  promised  us.  The  duty  of  praying  in  faith 
rests  on  the  plain  principle  that,  "  if  we  ask  anything  according 
to  his  will,  he  heareth  us." 

To  encourage  his  hearers  to  apply  to  God  for  these  good  gifts 
of  that  Holy  Spirit,  which  were  at  once  necessary  and  sufficient 
in  order  to  their  exempHfying  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom, 
our  Lord  makes  an  appeal  to  their  paternal  feelings,  and  reasons 
from  what  an  earthly  father,  witli  all  his  imperfections  and 
faults,  would,  or  would  not  do,  to  what  might  be  expected  from 
our  all-perfect  and  all  beneficent  Father  in  heaven: — "  Or"  what 
man  is  there  of  you,  whom,  if  his  son  ask  bread,"'  will  he  give 
him  a  stone  ?  or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  give  him  a  serpent  ?     If 

*^  "'H  coQtrarium  designat:  'an  coiitruiiuiu  accidere  solet?'" — FunzsouE. 

'*■'  "It  is  more  picturesque,  and  equally  accurate,  to  render  dpToi>,  a  loaf:  there 
is  a  similarity  between  a  lt>at'  and  a  stone.  On  the  same  priucij^le,  ujnoi,  in 
Matt.  iv.  '6,  should  be  rendered  loaves." — (JAiii'BELL. 


PART  VI.]  DETACHED  EXHORTATIONS.  263 

ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your 
children,  how  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven 
give"  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him?°' 

Parental  affection,  by  the  wise '  and  kind  arrangement  of  God, 
is  one  of  the  most  powerful  of  all  the  active  principles  of  the 
human  mind.  It  is  absolutely  monstrous  for  a  father  not  to 
supply  the  wants  of  his  children,  when  he  has  it  in  his  power : 
it  would  be  more  monstrous  still,  were  he  not  merely  to  refuse 
to  comply  with  their  entreaties  for  what  is  beneficial  and  neces- 
sary for  them,  but  to  give  them,  in  its  place,  what  is  useless  or 
noxious.  The  man  who  could  act  in  this  way,  would  justly  be 
considered  as  a  disgrace  to  the  species.  Even  though  in  many 
respects  evil,  though  hard-hearted  and  close-handed  in  reference 
to  others,  fathers  are  commonly  kind  to  their  children.  Their 
being  fathers,  in  ordinary  cases,  secures  kind  treatment  of  their 
children. 

Now,  says  our  Lord,  what  may  not  be  expected  from  the 
infinitely  excellent  and  amiable  Divinity  towards  those,  in  ref- 
erence to  whom  he  is  pleased  to  take  the  appellation  of  Father  ?™ 
In  knowledge,  in  wisdom,  in  kindness,  in  wealth,  in  liberality, 
our  heavenly  Father  infinitely  surpasses  all  earthly  fathers,  and 
therefore  we  may  ask  him,  with  the  absolute  certainty  of  obtain- 
ing our  request,  that  he  would  give  us  "  good  things/'  "  good 
gills,"  "  the  Hoi}--  Spirit."  He  knows  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
his  saving  influences,  is  as  absolutely  necessary  for  our  souls,  as 
food  is  for  our  bodies,  and  he  never  will,  he  never  can,  without 
denying  his  fatherly  character,  refuse  this  to  those  who  ask  him. 
This  is  most  conclusive  reasoning' — most  persuasive  exhortation 
— well  calculated  to  shame  into  annihilation  the  jealousies  of 
guilt,  the  fears  of  unbelief:"  "And  is  it  possible  that,  after  all 
this,  we  should  ever  feel  reluctant  to  draw  near  to  God  ?  Oh, 
what  must  be  that  alienation  of  heart,  which  can  make  light  of 
such  a  privilege — ^that  guilt  and  shame,  which  make  it  seem 
almost  a  duty  to  stand  aloof — and  that  distrust  of  God,  which 
gives  to  our  approach  before  him  an  appearance  of  presump- 
tion !"" 

It  is  plain,  however,  that  this  is  an  argument  which  can  have 
no  effect  on  a  mind  which  does  not  believe  the  truth  with  regard 
to  the  fatherly  character  of  God.     So  long  as  men  look  on  God 

59  Matt.  vii.  9-11. — We  have  a  specimeu — certainly  not  a  favorable,  and,  taken 
by  itself,  not  a  fair  one — of  patristic  exegesis,  yet  one  full  of  serious  import  to 
all,  in  these  times  of  growing  admiration  of  "  ancient,"  not  "  primitive"  Chris- 
tianity, in  the  following  passage  from  Augustine,  "facile  princeps"  of  the  Latin 
fathers: — "The  'fish' means  faith  in  the  ocean  billows  of  the  present  life;  the 
'  bread'  the  nutritive  power  of  love ;  the  '  egg'  is  believing  hope,  which  antici- 
pates the  future."  What  a  refreshment  to  turn  from  these  '  aniles  nugse'  to  such 
a  pregnant  interpretation  as  that  of  Bengel  ? — Tolg  alrovai,  "  ubi  vera  rogatio,  ibi 
divina  replicatio."    8ee  Note  I. 

""  "This  comparison  is,  in  the  highest  conceivable  degree,  opposed  to  all  pan- 
theistical and  deistical  notions  of  the  relations  between  God  and  creation." — 
Neandek.  • 

''^  "Though  we  had  no  motive  or  incentive  to  prayer,  except  this  kind  and 
precious  saying,  it  should  be  enough  of  itself." — Lutqek.  '^^  Fuller. 


264  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

merely  as  a  righteously- displeased  Judge,  they  cannot  come  to 
him  "  in  the  full  assurance  of  faith."  They  must  believe  his  own 
declaration,  that  he  is  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and 
gracious,  long-suffering  ,and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth, 
keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  and  transgress- 
ion, and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty  ;""  who 
hath  '•  set  forth"  his  Sou  "  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in 
his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins 
that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God  :  to  declare  at  this 
time  his  righteousness ;  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier 
of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus"'* — "  God  in  Christ,  reconciling 
the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them, 
seeing  he  hath  made  him  who  knew  no  sin,  to  be  sin  for  us."" 

As  I  have  already  remarked,  it  is  strange,  after  all  that  God 
has  said  and  done,  that  there  should  be  any  doubt  on  that  sub- 
ject, among  those  to  whom  the  word  of  the  christian  salvation 
has  come.  Has  he  not  declared  that  "  He  willeth  all  men  to  be 
saved"  ?  Has  he  not  sworn  that  "  He  has  no  pleasure  in  the 
death  of  the  wicked"  ?  Has  he  not  glorified  his  grace,  in  that 
he  "  hath  not  spared  his  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all"  ? 
Is  he  not  proclaiming,  "Eeturn  to  me,  ye  backsliding  children, 
for  I  have  redeemed  you"  ?  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye 
die?"'°  Is  it  not  strange,  that,  after  all  this,  we  should  doubt 
whether  God  be  our  Father  ?"" 

Till  we  believe  this — the  love  which  God  has  to  worthless, 
self-ruined  man — till  we  know  him,  as  "  God  in  Christ,  reconcil- 
ing the  world  to  himself,"  our  prayers  cannot  be  the  prayers  of 
faith,  and  therefore  cannot  be  acceptable;  and  the  more  clearly 
v;-e  perceive,  the  more  firmly  we  beheve,  this  truth,  the  more 
readily  shall  we  go  to  God  for  the  supply  of  all  our  need,  and 
the  more  abundant  evidence  shall  we  have,  in  our  own  experi- 
ence, that  he  indeed  gives  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not.  The 
reason  of  our  being  so  destitute  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  not  to  be 
traced  in  any-  degi'ee  to  the  backwardness  of  God  to  confer  the 
ilol}'  Spii'it,  but  entirely  to  our  "  not  asking,"  or  to  "  our  asking 
amiss."'"  We  thus  arrive  at  the  point  to  which,  in  all  our  illus- 
trations of  christian  doctrine  and  duty,  we  so  often  find  ourselves 
brought — the  necessity  of  the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  The  import- 
ance of  the  knowledge  and  belief  of  the  truth,  respecting'  the 
character  of  God,  as  rich  in  mercy,  ready  to  forgive — in  other 
words,  the  faith  of  the  Gospel — cannot  be  overrated.  It  lies  at 
tlie  foundation  of  all  acceptable  duty,  of  all  true  holiness,  of  all 

"  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  "'  Roin.  iii.  25,  26.  ^5  2  Cor.  v.  19. 

"6  1  Tim.  ii.  4.     Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.     lloiii.  viii.  32.     Jer.  iii.  22. 

■''Calvin's  words  are  beautiful: — "raterniis  amor  vitium  {(piTiavria)  superat, 
ut  liomines  sui  obliti  se  in  filios  plus  quain  liheraliter  eflfundant.  Undo  auteni 
est  nisi  quia  Deus,  a  quo  descendit  onmis  paternitas,  particulam  sua)  boiiitatis 
eorum  cordibus  instillat?  Quodsi  tantum  ad  beiicficeiitiain  valent  guttulffi,  quid 
ab  ipso  mari  inexhausto  sperandum  est?  An  restrictus  csset  Deus,  qui  liominum 
corda  sicapeiitf  Intcrea  tenendum  ^st  illud  lesaia;,  'Etiamsi  mater  filios  ejus 
obliviscatur,'  Dominum  tamen  lore  sui  simileui,  ut  se  Pater  semper  exhibcal." 

''8  James  iv.  '.'>. 


PAET  VI.]  DETACHED   EXHORTATIONS.  265 

solid  consolation,  of  all  permanent  happiness :  "  Lord,  show  us 
the  Father;"  "Lord,  increase  our  faith." 

§  4.  Comprehensive  rule  for  relative  duties^  illustrative  of  the  differ- 
ence between  the  righteousness  of  Christians^  and  the  righteousness 
of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 

Interpreters  have  fotind  some  difficulty  in  apprehending  and 
unfolding  the  connection  of  the  beautiful  practical  maxim  which 
follows,  with  what  precedes  it  in  our  Lord's  discourse.  That 
there  is  connection,  seems  plain  from  the  particle  rendered 
"  therefore ;"  but  what  that  connection  precisely  is,  it  is  not  so 
easy  to  discover. 

Some  would  connect  it  with  what  immediately  precedes  it,  the 
command  to  ask,  and  seek,  and  knock,  under  the  assurance  that 
if  we  do  so  we  shall  receive,  and  find,  and  have  it  opened  to  us. 
The  train  of  thought  seems  to  them  to  be  the  following, — '  All 
unkind  and  injurious  treatment  of  our  fellow-men,  is  ultimately 
to  be  resolved  into  inordinate  and  mistaken  self-love,  an  excessive 
attachment  to  worldly  good  in  some  form  or  other,  and  this  has 
its  root  in  ignorance  and  distrust  of  God.  If  we  were  seeking 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  and,  in  the  faith, 
that  all  other  things  v/ould  be  added,  asking,  and  seeking,  and 
knocking,  assured  that  we  shall  not  ask,  and  seek,  and  knock  in 
vain,  then  we  should  be  freed  from  the  inordinate  desire  of 
worldly  good,  freed  from  all  inclination  to  covetousness  or  injus- 
tice,— confident  of  the  care  of  the  Lord  our  Shepherd,  we  should 
be  anxious  about  nothing.  But  when,  "like  beasts  of  prey,  we 
set  off  as  it  were  to  forage  for  ourselves,  and  learn  to  grudge  at 
the  good  of  our  neighbors,  when  that  seems  in  any  way  to  inter- 
fere with  our  interest ;  and  make  it  our  great  object  to  secure 
what  we  think  useful  or  necessary  to  ourselves,  though  it  should 
be  at  their  expense — such  conduct  is  utterly  unworthy  of  those 
who  are  the  children  of  our  Father  in  heaven.  Since  we  have 
One  who  knows  what  we  need,  who  can  give  us  what  we  need, 
who  is  disposed  to  do  so,  who  has  promised  to  do  so,  let  us  not 
conduct  ourselves  as  those  who  are  seeking  a  portion  on  earth 
for  themselves,  and  who  therefore  scruple  not  to  use  the  means 
that  seem  most  likely  to  secure  that  for  them,  however  much 
this  may  trench  on  the  comforts,  and  rights,  and  interests  of 
their  fellow-men  ;  but  let  us  show  our  confidence  in  our  heavenly 
Father,  by  treating  all  our  fellow-men  with  that  equity  and  kind- 
ness with  which  we  could  wish  ourselves  to  be  treated  by 
them.'" 

This  is  ingenious,  but  it  does  not  seem  to  me  satisfactory.  I 
am  disposed  to  consider  the  words  before  us  not  so  much  con- 
nected with  what  immediately  precedes  them,  as  with  the  general 
scope  and  purpose  of  the  preceding  part  of  the  discourse.     I 

79  Fuller. 


266  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV- 

consider  tliem  as  a  farther  illustration  of  the  difference  of  the 
righteousness  of  the  kingdom  from,  and  its  superiority  over,  the 
righteousness  taught  b}''  the  Scribes  and  exemplified  by  the 
Pharisees.  The  word  rendered  "therefore,"'"  does  not  by  any 
means  necessarily  imply  that  what  follows  is,  strictly  speaking, 
an  inference  from  what  goes  before.  It  merely  implies  connec- 
tion of  some  kind ;  it  intimates,  in  the  most  general  way,  coher- 
ence of  thought,  and  might  be  rendered,  "whatsoever  then  ye 
would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  evep  so  to  them :  for 
this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets."" 

The  morality  taught  by  the  Scribes  and  exemplified  by  the 
Pharisees,  seems  to  have  been — '  Do  to  others  as  they  do  to  you 
— Love  your  neighbor,  hate  jonr  enemy — Love  them  that  love 
you,  do  good  to  them  that  do  good  to  you — Lend  to  them  from 
whom  you  hope  to  receive  again ;  and  as  to  those  who  do  you 
injuries,  the  rule  is.  An  eye  for  an  eye,  a  tooth  for  a  tooth.' 
But  our  Lord,  the  great  Legislator  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
gives  forth  a  ver}'  different  statute: — "Whatsoever  ye  would 
that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them :  for  this  is  the 
law  and  the  prophets."*'* 

Some  excellent  men,  in  their  zeal  for  strict  literal  interpretation, 
have,  I  apprehend,  entirely  misconceived  the  meaning  of  this 
maxim  of  our  Lord.  They  have  considered  him  as  saying,  '  Every 
man  is  bound  to  do  to  or  for  another  person,  whatever  he  wishes 
that  other  person  to  do  to  or  for  him.'  This  is,  no  doubt,  the 
literal  meaning  of  the  words,  strictly  interpreted ;  but  the  lan- 
guage is  plainly  what  niaj  be  called  proverbial  or  apothegmatical 
language,  which  is  very  generally  to  be  interpreted  with  limita- 
tions, not  speciiied,  yet  obviously  understood.  To  interpret  it  in 
the  way  proposed,  is  to  deprive  the  maxim  of  the  character  of  a 
general  rule  of  conduct  towards  our  neighbor,  which  it  seems 
obviously  intended  to  bear,  and  makes  it  a  check  on  unreasonable 
expectation,  instead  of  an  injunction  to  equitable  and  beneficent 
conduct.  Our  Lord's  design  is  to  say,  'Be  kind  and  just  to  all,' 
and  to  furnish  men  with  an  easy  method  of  finding  out,  in  any 
particular  case,  what  the  law  of  kindness  and  justice  requires ; — 
whereas  this  mode  of  interpretation  makes  him  in  effect  say, 
'  Take  care  not  to  expect  too  much  from  your  fellow-men,  for 
your  obligations  will  necessarily  rise  with  your  expectations.' 
Besides,  the  injunction,  understood  in  this  strict  mode  of  inter- 
pretation, implies  the  gross  absurdity,  that  if  I  wish  another  to 
do  what  is  sinful,  in  order  to  gratify  or  serve  me,  I  am  bound  to 
do  what  is  sinful  in  order  to  gratify  and  serve  him.*' 

It  is  obvious  that  the  words  are  to  be  interpreted  with  the 

8"  cwv.  s'  Matt.  vii.  12. 

8*  Neander  considcis  tlie  "nvr  here  as  ennnectiug  this  verse  with  verse  5,  and 
that,  in  it,  our  Saviour  gives  a  criterion  to  distinguish  true  from  pharisaic  right- 
eousness." 

'*J  For  many  of  the  thoughtn  in  tlio  remaining  part  of  the  exposition  of  this 
verse,  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  John  Kvans"  sermon  on  it,  in  his  "Discourses  on  the 
Christian  Temper" — one  of  the  best  books  on  ehristiau  ethics  that  wc  have. 


PART  VI.]  DETACHED   EXHORTATIONS.  267 

latitude  in  whicli  proverbial  language  is  usually  interpreted. 
They  are  to  be  understood  witli  certain  conditions  and  limita- 
tions. Wliat  these  are,  it  is  by  no  means  difficult  to  discover. 
The  words  are  equivalent  to  a  command  to  do  to  others  whatso- 
ever we  could  in  reason  and  justice  wish  them  to  do  to  us,  on  the 
supposition  that  our  position  to  each  other  were  reversed — ^that 
we  were  in  their  place,  and  they  were  in  ours. 

The  limitations  arc  plainly  of  two  kinds, — first,  such  as  rise 
out  of  the  nature  of  the  actions  to  be  performed  ;  and,  secondly, 
such  as  rise  out  of  the  relative  situation  in  which  men  stand  to 
each  other.  It  does  not  by  any  means  follow,  that  I  am  bound 
to  do,  or  to  abstain  from  doing,  anything  to  my  neighbor, 
merely  because  I  may  wish  him  to  do,  or  to  forbear  from  doing, 
the  same  thing  to  me.  I  may  wish  my  neighbor  to  violate  the  law 
of  justice,  or  truth,  or  chastity,  or  temperance,  to  please  me  ;  but 
that  is  no  reason  why  I  should  violate  any  of  these  laws  to  please 
him.  I  may  be  very  well  pleased  that  my  neighbor  should  not 
reprove  me  for  sin ;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  I  should  not  re- 
prove him  for  sin.  'My  unreasonable  and  wicked  wishes  can 
surely  never  render  conduct,  in  itself  unreasonable  and  wicked, 
reasonable  and  right.  It  is  only  whatsoever  is  reasonable  and 
right,  which  I  wish  from  another,  that  I  am  bound  to  do  to  an- 
other. 

The  other  lunitation  is  just  as  easily  drawn  with  distinctness, 
A  father  is  not  bound  to  do  to  his  children  the  very  same  things 
which  he  reasonably  expects  from  his  children.  A  master  is  not 
bound  to  do  to  his  servants  the  very  same  things  which  he 
reasonably  expects  from  his  servants.  To  say  this  were  to  con- 
found all  the  relations  of  society.  But  a  parent  is  bound  to  do  to 
his  child,  what,  if  he  were  a  child,  he  could  reasonably  expect 
from  his  father.  A  master  is  bound  to  do  to  his  servant,  what 
he,  if  he  were  a  servant,  could  reasonably  expect  from  his  master. 
The  maxim  before  us  is  plainly  to  be  understood  in  the  same  way 
as  the  apostle's  injunction  to  masters.  After  having  stated  the 
obligations  of  servants,  he  adds,  "  And  ye  masters,  do  the  same 
things  unto  them  ;'"*  that  is,  not  precisely  the  same  actions  of 
cheerful  and  conscientious  obedience,  but  as  they  are  bound  to 
do  their  duty  to  you,  you  are  equally  bound  to  do  your  duty  to 
them.  Such  is  the  meaning  of  our  Lord's  maxim — whatsoever 
you  can  reasonably  expect  from  another,  you  are  bound  to  do  to 
another,  were  he  in  your  place,  and  you  in  his.*^ 

No  precept  can  be  more  obviously  equitable  than  this.     It  is 

84  Eph.  vi.  9. 

85  Gibbon  remarks,  with  a  sneer,  in  reference  to  this  maxim,  "  I  read  it  in  a 
moral  treatise  of  Isocrates,  written  four  hundred  years  before  the  publication  of 
the  Gospel — A  TruaxovTig  v(p'  iTtpuf  opyi'^taOs,  ravra  toI^  u'aTioi^  jui  noieirf."  It  is 
finely  said  by  Trench,  "This  is  an  old  precept,  as  old  as  the  creation  itself,  written 
originally  on  the  heart  of  man  ;  which,  when  men,  fugitives  from  themselves,  and 
from  the  knowledge  of  their  own  hearts,  had  lost  the  power  of  reading,  Christ 
came  in  the  flesli  to  read  to  them  anew." — Exp.  of  the  Sermon  ou  the  Mount, 
pp.  143,  144. 


268  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

just  requiring  a  man  to  act  in  every  case  according  to  what  is 
reasonable  and  right.  It  is  founded  on  the  principle,  that  all  are 
equally  bound  to  regulate  themselves  by  the  dictates  of  sound 
reason  and  the  law  of  God ;  and  that,  of  course,  whatever  would 
be  the  dut}^  of  any  one,  in  particular  circumstances,  to  us,  must 
be  oiu'  duty  to  him,  if  he  were  in  our  cu'cumstances,  and  we  in 
his.  The  law  of  Grod — ^the  reason  of  things — is  immutable. 
Duty  remains  the  same,  though  the  individuals  be  different. 
Oui'  changing  places  with  our  neighbor  cannot  alter  the  eternal 
obligations  of  truth  and  justice — cannot  make  that  evil  which 
before  was  good — cannot  make  that  wrong  which  before  was 
right — cannot  destroy,  cannot  even  lessen,  the  obligations  of 
what  was  duty.*"  The  thing  is  so  plain,  that,  in  illustrating  it,  I 
feel  as  if  I  were  holding  up  a  taper  to  enable  you  to  see  the  sun. 

The  words  of  our  Lord  are  not  only  a  general  summary  of 
our  duty  to  our  neighbors,  but  they  are  a  rule  admirably  fitted 
for  enabling  us,  in  particular  cases,  to  discover  and  to  perform 
this  duty.  The  rule  is  this :  Suppose  yourself  in  the  case  of 
an  individual,  and  then  ask  yourself  what  you  would  or  might 
reasonably  expect  from  him,  were  he  to  bear  the  same  relation 
to  you  that  you  do  to  him.  This  is  a  rule  easily  understood, 
easily  remembered,  easily  applied.  The  person  of  the  most 
ordinary  faculties  and  education  can  turn  this  rule  to  use,  if  he 
is  but  dispossd.  He  has  but  to  consult  his  own  convictions  and 
feelings  : — ■'  How  should  I  desire  to  be  treated,  if  I  were  in  the 
situation  of  this  individual  ?  What  should  I  think  my  claims  on 
an  individual  in  my  situation  ?'  It  may  be  applied  even  on  a 
sudden  emergency,  when  we  have  no  time  nor  opportunity  for 
much  consideration — when  we  are  required  immediately  to  act. 
It  may  well  be  said  of  this  law,  "It  is  not  hidden  from  thee, 
neither  is  it  far  off:  it  is  very  near  thee  ;  it  is  in  thy  heart,  that 
thou  mayest  do  it."" 

Tliis  rule  has  this  great  advantage:  it  shows  both  what  we 
should  do,  and  what  we  should  not  do.  It  holds  both  negatively 
and  positively.  Tliough  it  wears  only  the  positive  form  in  the 
passage  before  us,  we  are  as  much  bound  not  do  to  others, 
what  we  would  not  have  others  to  do  to  us ;  as  to  do  to  them 
what  we  would  have  them  to  do  to  us.  To  neglect  to  do  what 
we  would  expect  from  others,  is  equally  wrong  in  nature,  though 
it  may  not  be  equally  wrong  in  degree,  as  to  do  to  them  what  we 
would  not  wish  tlicm  to  do  to  us. 

As  this  rule  is  well  fitted  to  be  a  universal  du'cctory,  it  may 
serve  a  good  purpose  to  go  a  little  into  detail  here.  In  the  ordi- 
nary intercourse  of  life,  our  conduct  ought  to  be  regulated  by 
this  maxim.  We  ought  to  treat  others  with  the  same  respect, 
courtesy,  and  kindness,  as  we  would  wish  to  be  treated  by  them. 
We  must  not  subject  others  to  those  sliglits  and  neglects,  which, 
were  we  in  their  circumstances,  and  they  in  ours,  we  should  feel 
to  be  undeserved  and  unpleasant.  How  muclr  is  the  happiness 
"6  Brewster.  "''  Deut.  xxx.  11-14. 


PAET  VI.]  DETACHED   EXHORTATIONS.  269 

of  domestic  life,  and  of  general  society,  embittered  bj  forgetting 
to  apply  this  rule,  even  when  none  of  the  more  obvious  requisi- 
tions of  truth,  or  equity,  or  even  love,  are  violated?  What  a 
happy  world  would  it  be,  if  this  were  the  great  regulating  prin- 
ciple of  social  intercourse ! 

In  the  management  of  the  business  of  life,  we  cannot  have  a 
better  rule.  It  would  lead  to  the  most  exact  justice  in  all  our 
dealings.  There  would  be  no  dishonest  debtors,  no  hard-hearted 
creditors.  The  light  weight,  the  scanty  measure,  the  adulterated 
commodity,  would  be  unknown.  The  rich  would  not  take  advan- 
tage of  the  necessities  of  the  poor,  nor  the  poor  impose  on  the 
ignorance  or  good  nature  of  the  rich.  What  a  vast  number  of 
practices,  which  obtain  in  commerce,  and  which,  from  their  com- 
monness, have  ceased  to  be  considered  as  improper,  when  touched 
as  by  the  Ithuriel  spear  of  this  maxim,  would  stand  forth  in  all 
their  moral  deformity  and  loathsomeness  ! 

It  is  not  only  fitted  to  guide  us  in  matters  of  strict  right,  but 
also  in  claims  made  on  our  compassion  and  assistance.  It  would 
prevent  the  poor  man  from  becoming,  without  absolute  necessity, 
a  burden  on  his  wealthier  neighbors,  and  it  would  prevent  the 
wealthy  from  hardening  his  heart,  and  shutting  his  hand  against 
his  poor  brother. 

It  is  well  calculated  to  show  us  our  duty  with  regard  to  the 
reputation  of  our  neighbors.  It  would  not  only  prevent  all 
malignant  and  false  statements,  but  it  would  make  men  take 
heed  how  they  take  up  and  circulate  a  bad  report  respecting  a 
neighbor.  It  would  put  down  all  busy  intermeddling  in  mat- 
ters which  do  not  concern  us,  all  speaking  evil  of  another,  even 
when  he  deserves  to  be  spoken  evil  of,  unless  duty  plainly  calls 
on  us  to  make  the  disclosure. 

In  the  ordinary  relations  of  life,  this  rule  maybe  of  the  greatest 
use.  Were  husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children,  masters 
and  servants,  often  applying  this  rule,  how  full  of  peace  and  hap- 
piness would  be  the  domestic  scene  !  Husbands  would  love  their 
wives,  and  wives  love  their  husbands.  Parents  would  not  pro- 
voke their  children  to  wrath,  and  children  would  not  be  disre- 
spectful and  disobedient.  Masters  would  give  to  their  servants 
the  things  which  are  just  and  equal,  and  servants  would  identify 
their  masters'  interests  with  their  own.  Governors  would  never 
be  tyrannical,  and  subjects  never  turbulent. 

I  shall  mention  only  one  other  case  in  which  this  rule,  if 
honestly  applied,  would  lead  to  the  happiest  results :  I  refer  to 
differences  in  religious  opinions.  Had  this  principle  been  acted 
upon,  persecution  in  all  its  forms  would  have  been  unknown. 
For  where  is  the  man  who  thinks  that  it  would  be  right  to  punish 
him  for  his  conscientious  convictions,  or  for  that  conduct  which 
is  the  necessary  result  of  them  ?  Eeligious  controversies  must  be 
agitated  so  long  as  men  differ  in  their  views,  and  feel  that  truth 
is  valuable ;  but  they  would  wear  a  very  different  aspect  from 
what  they  do,  were  those  who  engage  in  tliem  to  act  according  to 


270  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

this  golden  rule.  Imputation  of  unworthy  motives,  opprobrious 
language,  personal  abuse,  malignant  insinuations,  with  all  the 
other  poisoned  weapons,  with  which  the  armor}^  of  polemic  dis- 
cussion is  so  abundantly  furnished,  would  be  thrown  aside  for 
ever ;  and  clear  statement  and  fair  argument  take  their  place. 

It  is  a  peculiar  exeellence  of  this  rule  of  our  Lord,  that  it  not 
only  shows  us  our  duty,  but  its  obvious  tendency  is  to  persuade 
us  to  perform  it.  It  brings  duty  before  the  mind  in  a  peculiarly 
inviting  form.  It  not  only  enlightens  the  mind,  but  inclines  the 
heart.  Self-love  is  the  great  obstacle  in  the  way  of  our  doing 
our  duty  to  our  neighbor.  Our  Lord  makes  even  self-love  be- 
come, as  it  were,  the  hand-maid  of  justice  and  charity.  Having 
led  us  to  change  places  with  our  neighbor,  to  feel  what  are  our 
rights^  and  how  unreasonable  it  would  be  to  withhold  them,  he 
then  says,  '  These  are  his  rights,  and  will  you  be  the  unreasonable 
person  to  deprive  him  of  them  ?'  We  are  made,  as  it  were,  to  de- 
clare what  is  our  neighbor's  due,  when  we  suppose  we  are  only 
considering  what  was  our  OAvn;  and  we  cannot,  without  the 
shame  of  conscious  inconsistenc}^,  refuse  to  him  what  we  clearly 
see,  were  we  in  his  place,  we  should  account  it  unreasonable  and 
unjust  to  be  deprived  of. 

Our  Lord  enforces  this  comprehensive  precept  by  the  declara- 
tion,— "  For  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets."  "  The  law"  here, 
is  the  Pentateuch, — the  five  books  of  Moses.  "  The  prophets," 
are  the  rest  of  the  inspired  books  of  the  Old  Testament.  When 
our  Lord  says,  "  This  is  the  law  and  the  prophets,"  he  does  not 
mean  that  the  whole  information  contained  in  the  Old  Testament 
Scriptures,  is  summed  up  in  this  maxim ;  but  he  does  mean,  that 
all  which  these  divine  books  teach  respecting  the  duty  of  man  to 
man,  is  included  in  this  maxim.  Just  as  the  apostle  says,  that 
"  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."**  He  who  does  to  all,  in  their 
various  relations,  that  which  he  could  reasonably  expect  from 
them,  were  their  situation  exchanged,  has  obviously  performed 
all  relative  duties. 

I  think  it  not  improbable,  that  our  Lord  meant  to  convey,  too, 
this  idea,  '  This  is  not  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, but  it  is  the  righteousness  of  Moses  and  the  prophets.' 

Let  us  examine  ourselves.  Have  we  conducted  ourselves  ac- 
cording to  this  rule, — this  most  righteous  and  reasonable  rule  ? 
Who  does  so?  Is  not  every  one  constrained  to  say,  "wlio  can 
understand  my  errors  ?"  Does  not  every  one  feel  how  much  has 
been  wanting,  how  much  wrong?  Were  we  under  no  obliga- 
tions to  God  at  all,  or  had  we  strictly  discharged  thorn,  our  short- 
comings and  \vr(jng-goings,  with  regard  to  our  neighbor,  are 
enough  to  condemn  us;  •'  every  mouth  must  be  stopped  and  all 
the  world  must  become  guilty  before  God."^°  We  need  pardon. 
Pardon  may  be  obtained,  and  the  faith  of  the  same  truth  by  which 
pardon  is  obtained,  is  the  grand,  the  only  effectual,  cure  of 
inordinate  selfishness,  and  means  of  making  man  both  love 
«8  Rom.  xiii.  10.  «»  Horn.  iii.  19. 


PAKT  VIT.]  APPLICATION  OF  THE   DISCOURSE.  271 

God  whom  he  has   not  seen,  and  his  brother   whom   he   has 
seen. 

Let  all  who  habitually  neglect  or  violate  this  law  recollect, 
that  whatever  be  their  profession,  they  are  not  Christians.  Even 
now,  Christ  is  saying  to  them,  "Why  call  ye  me,  Lord,  Lord, 
and  do  not  the  things  which  I  say  ?"  And  by  and  by  he  will,  if 
they  remain  in  impenitence,  say  to  them  before  an  assembled 
world,  "  Depart  from  me,  I  never  knew  yon,  ye  that  work 
iniqmty.''^" 

VII.— APPLICATION  OF  THE  DISCOURSE. 
Matthew  vii.  13-23. 

The  concluding  verses  of  this  chapter  may  be  considered  as 
the  applicatory  part  of  our  Lord's  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  They 
are  not  to  be  viewed,  as  they  very  generally  have  been,  as  un- 
connected advices  or  statements,  but  they  naturally  rise  out  of 
the  previous  part  of  the  discourse.  One  leading  design  of  that 
discourse  is  to  show  the  spiritual  nature,  and  the  wide  extent,  of 
that  obedience  which  is  characteristic  of  the  true  subjects  of  the 
Messiah,  and  which  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  that  state  of  ultimate  blessedness  which  is  provided  for 
them — to  show  that  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  far  exceeds 
"  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  the  Pharisees." 

To  Jews,  who  expected  that  they  all  were  to  be  subjects  of  the 
Messiah, — that  all  the  descendants  of  Israel  would,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  be  heirs  of  the  kingdom,  and  who  considered  "  the 
righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees"^ — ^that  system  of  relig- 
ious and  moral  duty  taught  by  the  Scribes,  and  exemplified  by 
the  Pharisees — as  fully  embracing  and  answering  all  the  requisi- 
tions of  the  Divine  law, — the  statements  of  our  Lord  must  have 
appeared  hard  sayings.  It  was  natural  for  men,  with  these  views, 
to  say  within  themselves,  '  Who  then  can  be  saved  ?  This  is 
indeed  "  a  strait  gate ;"  this  is  indeed  "  a  narrow  way."  ' 

Our  Lord,  who  often  speaks  to  the  thoughts  of  his  audience, 
meets  this  state  of  mind  by  saying,  in  effect,  '  The  gate  is  strait, 
the  way  is  narrow  ;  yet  it  is  your  wisdom,  your  interest,  as  well 
as  your  duty,  to  enter  by  that  strait  gate,  to  walk  in  that  narrow 
way.  There  is,  indeed,  a  wide  gate,  soliciting  your  entrance, — 
there  is  a  broad  path,  inviting  your  steps  to  Avalk  in  it ;  and 
multitudes  are  passing  through  that  gate,  and  walking  along  that 
way  ;  but  that  gate  is  the  gate  of  perdition,  that  road  is  the  road 
to  hell.  The  strait  gate  is  the  only  gate  of  life ;  the  narrow  way 
is  the  only  way  to  heaven.  Few  indeed,  comparatively,  enter 
by  that  gate,  and  walk  in  that  way.  But  that  is  just  an  additional 
reason  why  ye  should  seek  that  ye  be  among  that  little  flock ; 
for  to  them  alone  "  is  it  the  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  the 
kingdom." ' 

»  Luke  vi.  46.     Matt,  vii,  23. 


272  \  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

§  1.   This  is  the  only  way  of  escaping  perdition^  and  securing 
salvation. 

"Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate:  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and 
broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be 
which  go  in  thereat :  Because  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is 
the  way,  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it."" 
These  words  consist  of  an  exhortation,  "  Enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate," — •enforced  by  two  considerations.  "  Enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate,  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to 
destruction."  "  Enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  for  strait  is  the  gate, 
and  narrow  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  unto  life :"  that  is,  '  Enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate,  for  the  wide  gate,  through  which  so  many 
enter,  leads  to  destruction.  Enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  through 
which  so  few  pass,  for  it  alone  leads  to  life.'*^ 

To  "  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,"  is  to  embrace  those  views  of 
truth,  and  duty,  and  happiness,  which  our  Lord  unfolds,  and  of 
which  we  have  an  admirable  specimen  in  this  discourse ;  and  to 
walk  in  the  narrow  way,  is  habitually  to  regulate  our  temper  and 
conduct  by  these  views.  To  embrace  these  views,  is  represented 
as  entering  through  a  strait  gate,  through  which  the  person  with 
difficulty  presses,  finding  it  impossible  to  take  anything  along 
with  him,  because  these  views  are  naturally,  in  the  very  highest 
degree,  unpalatable  to  the  human  mind  and  heart,  and  cannot 
be  embraced  without  a  relinquishment  of  sinful  pleasures,  con- 
nections, pursuits,  and  interests — without  that  sacrifice  of  former 
habits  of  thought  and  feeling,  which  our  Lord  elsewhere  repre- 
sents as  a  man's  "denying,"  renouncing,  "himself;"  and  to 
regulate  our  temper  and  conduct  habitually  by  these  views,  is 
represented  as  walking  in  a  narrow  encumbered  path,  because 
this  implies  our  steadily  prosecuting  a  course  of  implicit  faith  in, 
and  obedience  to,  our  Lord  and  Master,  whatever  opposition,  and 
whatever  temptations,  we  may  meet  with. 

Our  Lord's  exhortation  is,  '  Embrace  these  views,  however 
opposite  to  preconceived  opinion — follow  this  coui'se,  however 
inconsistent  with  your  worldly  interest.  It  is  no  doubt  much 
easier,  much  more  agreeable,  to  hold  fast  fondly-cherished  prej- 
udices— to  indulge  natural  propensities — to  follow  a  course 
which  promises  to  secure  for  you  worldly  honor,  wealth,  and 
pleasure.  This  is  a  wide  gate,  this  is  a  broad  unencumbered 
way.     It  is  easy  to  enter  on  this  way,  and  few  obstructions  are 

s'  Matt.  vii.  13,  14. — The  figure  has  been  thought  tliatof  a  narrow  way,  leading 
through  a  strait  gate  to  a  fortress  or  palace — eterual  life.  The  similarity  of  this 
figure  to  that  in  the  famous  7r/j'a^  of  Cebes  is  striking: — ovkovv  I'lpfii;  Ovpav  n.vd 
fiiKfMif,  Kol  666v  Ttva  Trpdf  rz/f  Ovpw;,  t/ti(;  ov  no/.v  dxAtverai,  dAAfi  TTui/v  oXiyoi 
TToptvovTur  avTTi  iffTiv  7/  odor,  7/  tiyovan  irphg  ti)v  iD.r](hvi'jv  Tratf^Fiav.  Bengel,  how- 
ever, seems  right  in  his  remark — "  IIu'Atj  ponitur  ante  oi^oi;."  Tlie  gate  is  the 
entrance  ;  the  way,  the  prosecution,  of  a  religious  course. 

^■2  "The  Hebrew  repeated  liis  •'3  when  wo  would  use  and,  especially  in  impas- 
sioned diction.  See  Gcsenius,  in  wiiich  are  cited  as  examples: — Isa.  vi.  5;  i.  29, 
yij;  iii.  1-6;  ix.  3-6.     Job  iii.  24,  25;  viii.  9;  xi.  15,  16." — Tuoluck. 


PAKT  VII.]  APPLICATION  OP  THE  DISCOURSE.  273 

to  be  expected  in  prosecuting  it.  The  transition  from  sin  to  sin, 
from  occasional  transgressions  to  habitual  indulgences,  is  easy, 
and  in  this  way  you  -will  be  in  no  want  of  company.  The  old 
and  the  3^oung,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  learned  and  the  un- 
learned, walk  there.  It  is  "the  course  of  the  world,"  in  which 
all  men  naturally  walk,  "fulfilling  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  of 
the  mind."  But  this  path,  inviting  as  it  may  seem,  frequented 
as  it  is,  is  indeed  ruinous.  It  "  leads  to  destruction,"  it  termi- 
nates in  hell.  "  The  end  of  these  things  is  death."  If  you  arc 
wise,  then,  "  enter  not  in  at  this  gate,  walk  not  in  this  way."  ' 

The  other  course,  however  repulsive  to  natural  inclination,  is 
incomparably  the  more  eligible  one.  "Enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate ;  for  strait  is  tlie  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  that  leadeth 
unto  life."  This  way  of  implicit  faith  and  obedience  certainly 
conducts  to  life,  to  true,  satisfactory,  permanent  happiness. 
This  is  the  onward  way  of  well-doing,  which  leads  to  "  glory, 
honor,  and  immortality."  The  glories  and  felicities  in  which 
it  terminates,  will  far  more  than  compensate  for  the  sacrifices 
made  in  entering  on  it,  and  for  the  difficulties  met  with  in  prose- 
cuting it. 

To  heighten  the  force  of  the  motive,  our  Lord  adds,  "  Few 
there  be  that  find  it."  Comparatively  few  men  are  religious. 
Many  neglect  religion  altogether — others  rest  in  external  forms 
and  empty  notions — others  are  deluded  into  some  of  those  more 
soothing,  flattering,  fashionable  species  of  religion,  which  Satan, 
transformed  into  an  angel  of  light,  and  his  servants  transformed 
into  ministers  of  righteousness,  propose  to  them  when  they  are 
roused  to  a  state  of  alarm  in  reference  to  the  interests  of  their 
souls.  They  are  deterred  by  the  difficulties  of  entering  through 
the  strait  gate,  and  walking  along  the  narrow  way ;  they  are 
terrified  at  the  idea  of  being  counted  precise  and  singular. 
They  hope  to  get  to  heaven  at  an  easier  rate,  and  they  do  not 
know  that  this  narrow  way  has  its  peculiar  supports,  and  consola- 
tions, and  joys,  that  far  more  than  counterbalance  its  toils,  and 
difficulties,  and  discouragements.'^ 

Stripped  of  its  figurative  dress,  and  expressed  in  plain  lan- 
guage, oui-  Lord's  exhortation  is — '  Be  religious,  by  embracing 
my  doctrine  and  obeying  my  law  ;  for  irreligion,  in  all  its  forms, 
necessarily  ends  in  everlasting  ruin,  and  vast  multitudes  in  thi< 
way  perish.  Be  religious,  for  religion  is  at  once  the  only,  and 
the  certain,  way  to  everlasting  happiness;  but  ah,  how  few 
are  there,  comparatively,  who  in  this  way  obtain  this  happi- 
ness I' 

These  awfully  solemn  words  of  our  Lord  are  as  applicable  to 
us  as  they  were  to  those  to  whom  they  were  originally  addressed. 
The  two  gates,  the  two  ways,  still  stand  before  us, — the  one 
leading  to  destruction,  the  other  to  life.  The  broad  road,  with 
all  it3  endlessly  diversified  tracks  of  irreligion  and  false  religion, 
apparently  quite  distinct,  yet  in  reality  all  leading  in  the  sa,me 

»  ScotL 
VOL.   I.  18 


274  THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT.  [EXP.  IV. 

direction,  down  to  the  chambers  of  eternal  death,  continues  to 
be  crowded  b}^  travellers.  The  narrow  path,  often  beset  with 
snares,  often  rugged  with  difficulties,  but  always  onward  and 
upward,  continues  to  be  trodden  by  only  a  small  and  despised 
group  of  pilgrims.  These  are  the  only  two  paths,  and  one  of 
them  we  must  choose. 

There  has  been  always  a  very  eam'est  wish — a  very  eager 
endeavor — 'to  avoid  the  necessity  of  making  this  choice,  by 
joining  the  two  roads  into  one,  or  by  forming  a  third  road  which 
should  have  the  recommendations  of  both, — or,  at  any  rate,  by 
so  combining  them,  as  that  the  traveller  may  have  the  comforts 
of  the  broad  path  during  his  journey,  and  the  safety  of  the  nar- 
row one  at  its  close.  Men  would  fain  escape  the  pains  of  self- 
denial  here,  and  of  hell  hereafter.  They  would  fain  have  the 
enjoyments  of  self-indulgence  in  time,  and  of  heaven  in  eternity. 
They  often  seem  to  succeed  in  deluding  themselves,  so  far  as  to 
persuade  themselves  that  they  have  accomplished  this  impossi- 
bility. But  it  is  a  delusion  ;  and,  if  persisted  in,  it  will  prove  a 
fatal  delusion.  A  religion  which  requires  no  self-denial,  is  not 
the  religion  of  Christ.  If  the  gate  be  not  strait,  if  the  road  be 
not  narrow,  it  is  not  the  gate  of  life,  it  is  not  the  road  to  heaven. 
In  all  ages  of  the  world,  the  way  that  leadeth  to  life  is  narrow. 
It  is  not,  it  cannot  be,  easy  or  agreeable  to  our  corrupted  nature. 
It  requires  attention  to  find  it,  self-denial  to  enter  upon  it,  and 
labor  and  resolution  to  persevere  in  it. 

And  in  all  ages,  too,  the  broad  way  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to 
destruction.  A  j^eriod  may  come,  we  trust  a  period  shall  come, 
when  the  majority  of  mankind  shall  be  truly  religious,  but  that 
period  has  not  yet  come ;  and  in  every  past  age  to  think,  and  feel, 
and  act  in  religion,  along  with  the  multitude,  has  been  the  same 
thing  as  to  think,  and  feel,  and  act  wrong.  The  truly  religious 
are,  and  ever  have  beei^,  a  minority — comparatively  a  very  small 
minority.  That  man  has  great  reason  to  fear  he  is  fotally  wrong, 
who  finds  nothing  in  his  religious  principles  and  feelings  to 
separate  him  from  the  great  body  of  mankind,  and  who  can  ap- 
prove of  the  pursuits,  and  partake  of  the  pleasures,  of  almost  all 
around  him.  He  is  "  of  the  world,"  and  continuing  to  be  of  it, 
he  must  perish  with  it. 

The  announcement,  "  Few  there  be  that  find  it," — that  is, 
find  life  by  entering  in  by  the  strait  gate, — has  often  been  misap- 
prehended. It  has  been  supposed  to  teach  the  doctrine,  that  a 
very  small  uiinorit}'  of  the  human  race  are  to  be  saved.  Our 
Lord  did  not  see  fit  to  answer  the  inquiry,  "  Lord,  are  there  few 
that  shall  be  saved  ?"  when  the  question  was  put  to  him ;  but 
li'om  other  passages  of  Scripture  we  know  that  there  are  to  be 
"nations of  the  saved,"  and  that  they  are  to  form  "  a  multitude 
whom  no  man  can  number."  Scripture  leads  us  to  a  joyful  hope 
respecting  all  who  die  in  infancy,  and  in  the  age  of  millennial 
glory  the  converts  to  true  religion  will  be  very  numerous.  But 
in  our  Lord's  time,  in  our  time,  in  every  intervening  age,  there 


PART  VII.]  APPLICATION   OF  THE  DISCOURSE.  275 

can  be  no  doubt,  few  comparatively  have  found  life  by  entering 
in  tlirougli  the  strait  gate. 

These  words  have  also  been  supposed  to  intimate  that  many 
who  are  very  anxious  to  be  saved  may,  notwithstanding,  come 
short  of  salvation.  But  if  men  do  not  find  eternal  life,  it  is 
because  they  do  not  seek  it  in  the  way  in  which  God  has  ap- 
pointed it  to  be  sought.  No  man  who  thus  seeks  it  shall  seek 
it  in  vain.  You  will  observe  that,  in  the  parallel  passage  in 
Luke,  the  persons  here  spoken  of,  and  who  are  there  represented 
as  seeking  to  enter  in,  but  not  able,  are  persons  who  become 
desirous  of  eternal  life  when  it  is  too  late — •"  When  once  the 
Master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut  to  the  door,,  and 
ye  begin  to  stand  without,  and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying, 
Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us ;  he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I 
know  you  not  whence  ye  are."**  "  Now  is  the  accepted  time ; 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  Few  find  life,  for  few  seek  it. 
None  seek  it  aright  but  they  who  are  entering  through  the  strait 
gate,  and  walking  in  the  narrow  way.  None  who  thus  seek  it 
shall  come  short  of  it. 


§  2.   Caution  against  false  teachers^  and  the  means  of  discovering 

them. 

Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  Avarn  his  hearers  against  those 
teachers  whose  doctrine  might  prevent  them  from  entering  in  at 
the  strait  gate,  and  walking  in  the  narrow  way.  "  Beware  of 
false  prophets.""" 

The  word  "  prophet,"  in  its  literal  etjmiological  signification, 
denotes  one  who  predicts  future  events.  It  is  frequently,  most 
frequently  perhaps,  employed  in  Scripture  to  signify  an  inspired 
teacher, — one  divinel}'^  commissioned  and  qualified  to  make 
known  the  will  of  God.  It  sometimes,  however,  seems  used 
to  describe  a  religious  instructor,  even  though  he  lays  no  claim 
to  supernatural  qualifications.**  This,  we  rather  apprehend,  is  its 
meaning  here.  False  prophets  do  not  here  seem  to  mean  per- 
sons making  a  false  pretension  to  a  divine  mission,  but  persons 
teaching  false  doctrines  in  religion.  I  can  scarcely  doubt  that 
our  Lord  directly  refers  to  the  Jewish  Scribes,  who  not  only 
would  not  enter  in  themselves  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah, 
but,  by  their  false  doctrines,  did  all  in  their  power  to  hinder  from 
entering  in  those  who  were  inclined  to  do  so.  The  object  of 
their  teaching  was  to  prevent  men  from  becoming  disciples  of 
Jesus, — ^to  keep  them  in  the  broad  way,  by  making  them  believe 
it  was  the  way  to  life,' — and  to  prevent  them  from  entering  in 
through  the  strait  gate,  and  walking  in  the  narrow  way. 

They  "  came  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  were  raven- 
ing wolves."  "  They  had  the  appearance  and  the  profession  of 
being  humble,  harmless,  disinterested  and  devout, — ^but  they  were 

94  Luke  xiii.  25.  ^'  Matt,  vii  15. 

9<s  2  Pet.   ii.  L     1  John  iv.  L     2  Cor.  xi.  13. 


276  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

in  reality  under  the  influence  of  some  unworthy  principle,  ac- 
tuated by  a  selfish  love  of  profit  or  of  praise."" 

Our  Lord  gives  his  hearers  a  mark  by  which  they  might  know 
these  false  prophets, — ■"■  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits." 

The  fruits  of  the  false  prophets  are  commonly  considered  as 
referring  to  their  moral  dispositions  and  behavior.  This  appears 
to  me  unduly  to  restrict  the  meaning  of  the  phrase,  which,  I  ap- 
prehend, refers  to  their  doctrines,  as  well  as  to  their  tempers  and 
actions.  '  Do  not  give  implicit  credit  to  their  professions :  ex- 
amine their  doctrines  by  the  test  of  inspired  Scripture;  and 
observe,  too,  what  influence  their  doctrine  has  on  their  own  char- 
acter and  conduct.'  This  is  the  common-sense  plan  of  judging: 
"  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?"  It  is  the 
vine  from  which  men  gather  grapes — it  is  the  fi^-tree  which  alone 
produces  figs.  Sound  doctrine,  and  a  holy  life,  are  the  best 
proofs  that  a  religious  teacher  is  worthy  of  the  name  ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  unsound  doctrine,  and  an  unholy  life,  are  sufScient  to 
discredit  all  pretensions  to  a  claim  on  our  attention,  and  belief, 
and  obedience:  "Every  good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit." 
Every  really  trustworthy  religious  teacher  teaches  sound  doctrine, 
and  exemplifies  the  influence  of  that  doctrine  in  a  holy  life.  "  A 
corrupt  tree  bringeth  forth  corrupt  fruit ;"  an  unprincipled,  sel- 
fish, time  serving,  religious  teacher,^  will  discover  his  character  in 
the  doctrine  he  teaches,  or  in  the  manner  in  which  he  teaches  it, 
and  also  in  the  prevailing  tenor  of  his  disposition  and  behavior. 
"  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit ;  neither  can  a  corrupt 
tree  bring  forth  good  fruit :"  '  Every  teacher,  who  really  knows 
and  believes  the  truth  himself,  cannot  but,  in  his  teaching,  de- 
.  clare  that  truth,  and,  in  his  character  and  conduct,  exemplity  its 
influence.'  And,  on  the  other  hand,  "A  corrupt  tree  cannot 
bring  forth  good  fruit:"  '  A  false  teacher  cannot  but,  in  his  teach- 
ing and  conduct,  exhibit  what,  to  a  careful  observer,  will  be  found 
a  sufficient  proof  of  his  true  character.'  "  Every  tree  that  bring- 
eth not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire :" 
*  Every  religious  teacher  who  does  not  publish  the  truth,  and  ex- 
emplify it,  shall,  sooner  or  later,  be  punished  by  God.' 

"  Wherefore  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  It  is  not  by 
their  profession,  but  by  their  doctrine,  and  by  their  conduct,  that 
you  are  to  judge  of  the  claims  which  religious  teachers  have  on 
your  attention,  faith,  and  obedience.' 

These  words,  as  uttered  by  our  Lord,  had,  no  doubt,  a  peculiar 
reference  to  the  circumstances  of  those  to  whom  they  were  origin- 
ally aidresscd  ;  but,  like  every  other  part  of  this  admirable  dis- 
course, they  are. replete  with  important  instruction  to  his  followers, 
in  all  countries  and  ages.  "  As  there  were  false  prophets  among 
the  people  of  Israel,"  so,  says  the  apostle  Peter,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit  of  prophecy,  "  there  shall  be  false  teachers 
among  you."  In  every  age  of  the  church,  this  prediction  has 
been  fulfilled.     Men,  bearing   the  name  of  christian  ministers, 

*'  Brewster. 


PART  VII.]  APPLICATION   OF  THE   DISCOURSE.  277 

"  Have  brought  in  damnable  heresies ;  and  have  not  only  brought 

on  themselves  swift  destruction,"  but  have  "  drawn  many  after 
them,  in  their  pernicious  ways."  It  is  the  duty  and  the  interest 
of  all  Christ's  followers  to  be  on  their  guard  against  these  false 
teachers,  and  to  apply,  in  every  case,  the  Saviour's  rule :  "  By 
their  fruits  shall  ye  know  them."  "  By  good  words,  and  fair 
speeches,  these  men  have  often  deceived  the  hearts  of  the  simple," 
and  men  have  been  made  to  think  themselves  safe,  while  they 
were  walking  in  the  broad  way  which  leads  to  destruction.  The 
command  of  our  Lord,  by  his  apostle,  exactly  corresponds  to  the 
maxim  here  laid  down : — "  Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but 
try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God ;  because  man}^  false 
prophets  are  gone  out  into  the  world."  Try  them  by  their  fruits, 
by  theii-  doctrines: — "Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God:  Every 
spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  of 
God :  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God :  and  this  is  that  spirit  of  anti- 
christ, whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it  should  come ;  and  even  now 
already  is  it  in  the  world."  Try  them  by  their  spirit  and  con- 
duct:— "They  are  of  the  world;  therefore  speak  they. of  the 
world,  and  the  world  heareth  them.'"* 

The  rule  furnished  by  our  Lord  is  substantially  this :  '  Eeceive 
no  one  as  a  religious  teacher,  whose  doctrine  does  not  harmonize 
with  the  declarations  of  the  word  of  God,  however  apparently 
devout  and  holy  he  may  be ;  and  receive  no  one  as  a  religious 
teacher,  however  rigidly  orthodox  he  may  profess  to  be,  who  in 
his  temper  and  behavior  is  worldly  or  wicked.' 

There  is  no  doubt  that  there  may  be  difficulties  in  applying 
this  rule,  like  all  general  rules.  We  may  be  mistaken,  both  on 
the  favorable  and  the  unfavorable  side ;  yet,  as  a  general  direc- 
tion for  those  who  sit,  not  as  final  judges,  but  merel}^  for  the 
practical  pur^DOses  of  the  present  life,  it  is  admirably  fitted  to 
answer  the  end  for  which  it  was  given,^*  If  a  man  oppose,  in  his 
teaching,  the  principles  of  inspired  Scripture,  he  cannot  be  a 
teacher  of  truth ;  and  he  can  scarcely  be  reasonably  supposed  to 
be  leading  men  to  heaven,  who  is  manifestly  himself  walking  in 
an  opposite  direction.  False  teachers  endeavor  to  give  their 
errors  the  appearance  of  truth ;  but  the  man,  whose  eye  is  single, 
will  seldom  find  it  difficult  to  see  through  the  disguise  ;  and  the 
virtue,  and  amiableness,  by  which  teachers  of  error  are  not  un- 
frequently  distinguished,  when  carefully  examined  by  the  touch- 
stone of  the  Divine  word,  will  be  found  to  consist  chiefly  of  such 
things  as  are  highly  esteemed  in  the  sight  of  men,  and  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  habitual  disregard  of  many  duties,  and  the 
habitual  indulgence  in  many  practices,  which,  though  the  world 
approves  of  them,  are  indeed  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God. 
He  who  conscientiously  applies  our  Lord's  rule,  \vl11  run  very 
little  risk  of  being  imposed  on  by  false  teachers.'"" 

The  times  in  which  we  live  are  characterized  by  a  gi'eat  dis- 

s*  1  John  iv.   1,  2,  3,  5.  »»  Fuller.  "*  Scott. 


278  THE  SERMOX  OX  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

position,  on  tlic  part  of  many  professors  of  Christianity,  to  "  give 
heed  to  seducing  spirits,"  to  attend  to  every  one  who  assumes  to 
himself  the  character  of  a  christian  teacher,  either  from  the  pulpit 
or  the  press,  if  he  but  bring  forward  something  new  or  strange. 
With  regard  to  these  self-constituted  teachers,  it  may  very  justly 
be  said,  that  whatever  is  true  in  their  doctrine,  is  not  new ;  and 
whatever  is  new,  is  not  true.  The  command  has  seldom  been 
more  seasonable :  "Be  not  carried  about  with  divers  and  strange 
doctrines.  Be  not  tossed  to  and  fro  with  every  wind  of  doctrine, 
and  cunning  craftiness  of  men,  who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive."  And 
seldom  has  the  wisdom  of  our  Lord's  rule  been  more  strikingly 
exemplified,  than  in  what  has  occurred,  and  is  occurring,  in  ref- 
erence to  those  men,  who,  by  their  strange  opinions  and  wild  pre- 
tensions, have  drawn  upon  themselves  so  unenviable  a  notoriety : 
"  By  their  fruits  shall  ye  know  them." 

§  3.   Caution  against  self-deception. 

Our  Lord  proceeds  to  caution  his  disciples  against  self-decep- 
tion, and  to  impress  on  their  mind  tliat  nothing  short  of  repent- 
ance, proving  itself  by  its  appropriate  fruits — nothing  short  of  a 
real  change  of  mind,  producing  a  real  change  of  conduct — 
would  serve  the  purpose;  that  a  mere  acknowledgment  of  the 
truth  of  his  doctrine,  a  mere  profession  of  obedience  to  his  au- 
thorit}-,  would  be  utterly  profitless  in  the  way  of  obtaining  a  por- 
tion in  the  peculiar  blessings  of  the  new  economy. 

"  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  wOl  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."' 

In  explaining  this  passage,  the  first  thing  to  be  done,  is  to 
ascertain  the  meaning  of  the  phrase,  "  To  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven."  The  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  I  have  often  had 
occasion  to  remark,  is  the  new  order  of  things  introduced  by  the 
Messiah.  This  new  order  of  things  may  be  contemplated  as  be- 
gun in  the  present  state,  and  perfected  in  a  future  state  ;  and  the 
phrase,  "  kingdom  of  God,"  or  "  of  heaven,"  sometimes  has  a  di- 
rect reference  to  the  one,  and  sometimes  to  the  other,  of  these  two 
aspects  of  the  same  econom3\  Many,  perhaps  most,  interpreters 
consider  the  phrase  here,  as  referring  to  the  last  of  them,  and  as 
an  equivalent  to  the  state  of  celestial  blessedness.  "  Not  every 
one  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  is,  in  their  estima- 
tion, just  equivalent  to,  'Not  every  one  shall  get  to  heaven,  and 
enjoy  that  state  of  perfect  holy  ha])piness  which  is  reserved  for 
the  subjects  of  the  Messiah,  in  the  world  to  come.'  They  con- 
sider the  entrance  into  the  kingdom,  and  the  entrance  into  life,  as 
the  same  event;  and  this  event  is  to  take  place  in  "  that  day"  of 
which  our  Lord  speaks  in  the  verse  tliat  immediately  follows, 
which  seems  plainly  to  refer  to  the  day  of  judgment. 

'  Matt.  vii.  21. 


PART  VII.]  APPLICATION  OF  THE  DISCOURSE.  279 

1  am  disposed,  however,  to  understand  tlie  phrase  in  what  ap- 
pears to  me  its  ordinary  meaning,  as  equivalent  to,  participating 
of  the  peculiar  blessings  of  Christianity,  whether  these  are  enjoyed 
on  earth  or  in  heaven ;  blessings  which,  from  their  very  nature, 
can  be  enjoyed  only  by  the  man  who  repents,  who  is  converted, 
who  is  born  again, — and  who  proves  all  this,  by  exhibiting  in  his 
temper  and  conduct,  the  fruits  of  this  repentance,  conversion,  and 
new-birth. 

The  expression,  '  to  call  a  person  lord,'  is  equivalent  to  '  to  ac- 
knowledge him  as  master.'  If  there  be  any  emphasis  in  the  repe- 
tition of  the  word  "lord,"  it  is  intended  to  express,  not  merely 
profession,  but  a  decided,  open,  habitual  profession.  Our  Lord's 
declaration,  then,  is,  that  a  profession  of  embracing  his  religion, 
however  explicit,  public,  and  often  repeated,  does  not  open  the 
way  to  the  enjoj^'ment  of  the  peculiar  blessings  of  his  kingdom, 
unless  it  is  proved  to  be  the  result  of  true  repentance,  a  real 
change  of  mind, — by  a  corresponding  course  of  conduct  in  doing 
the  will  of  his  Father  in  heaven.'' 

The  words  bef6re  us  obviously  imply,  what  is  very  distinctly 
stated  in  other  parts  of  Scripture,  that  a  profession  of  discipleship, 
an  acknowledgment  of  our  submission  in  mind  and  heart  to 
Christ  Jesus,  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  our  enjoying  the 
privileges  of  discipleship.  No  person  who  does  not  call  Christ 
"Lord,  Lord,"  can  "enter  into  the  kingdom  of  Grod:"  no  man 
who  is  ignorant  of  His  claims,  who  treats  these  claims  with  neg- 
lect, who  rejects  these  claims,  or  who,  though  he  may  be  all  but 
persuaded  that  these  claims  are  just,  yet  from  worldly  motives 
does  not  acknowledge  them, — no  such  person  can  participate  in 
the  peculiar  blessings  of  His  disciples,  either  on  earth  or  in 
Heaven. 

While  this  important  truth  is  plainly  implied  in  our  Lord's 
words,  the  truth  which  they  directly  teach  is,  that  profession, 
however  necessary  in  connection  with  faith  and  obedience,  cannot 
of  itself  secure  a  participation  in  the  peculiar  blessings  of  the  new 
economy.  The  man  who  says  "  Lord,  Lord,"  while  he  does  not 
"  do  the  will  of  our  Lord's  Father,"  shall  not  "  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God." 

Many  of  the  Jews,  struck  by  our  Lord's  miracles,  were  dis- 
posed to  become  his  disciples,  while  ignorant  of,  and  strongly 
opposed  to,  that  manifestation  of  the  Divine  will  respecting  the 
salvation  of  men,  which  formed  the  doctrine  and  the  law  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  To  prevent  such  men  from  supposing,  that 
their  merely  acknowledging  him  as  a  teacher  sent  from  God,  or 
even  as  the  Messiah,  in  the  sense  in  which  they  understood  that 
word,  would  secure  for  them  the  blessings  he  came  to  bestow, 
seems  to  have  been  the  object  of  our  Lord  in  making  this  decla- 
ration ;  and  it  affords  a  line  illustration  of  his  determination  to 
take  no  unfair  advantages  of  men's  prejudices, — of  that  thorough 

2  There  is  a  calling  Christ,  Lord,  tliat  is  necessarily  counected  with  salvation. 
1  Cor.  xii.  3.     Rom.  x.  13. 


280  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 

plain  dealing  which  is  so  strikingly  characteristic  of  the  whole  of 
his  transactions  with  his  countrymen. 

The  declaration,  though  primarily  addressed  to  his  country- 
men, is  full  of  important  instruction  to  all,  in  every  country  and 
in  every  age,  where  his  religion  is  presented  to  the  examination 
and  reception  of  men.  It  is  still  true,  it  will  always  be  true, 
that  *'  not  every  one  that  saith,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  his  Father 
who  is  in  heaven," — that  some,  that  many,  professors  of  Chris- 
tianity, will  come  short  of  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of 
Christianity. 

There  are  many  persons  who  may  with  propriety  be  denomi- 
nated mere  "nominal"  Christians.'  Thc}^  bear  the  name  of 
Christ,  and  that  is  all.  They  have  been  born  in  a  country  where 
Christianity  is  the  prevailing  religion ;  they  have  received  prob- 
ably some  kind  of  instruction  in  what  are  considered  as  the  ele- 
ments of  that  religion  ;  they  may  belong  to  some  religious  society 
bearing  the  name  of  a  christian  church.  If  questioned  respect- 
ing their  fiith,  they  readily  declare  that  they  are  Christians  ;  but 
that  means  little  more  than  that  they  are  not  Jews,  Pagans, 
Mohammedans,  or  professed  infidels.  Such  persons  often  are 
grossly  ignorant  of  the  doctrines  of  Christianity ;  they  often  live 
in  habit'i;il  neglect  of  the  institutions  of  Christianity.  They 
would  1)^;  greatly  puzzled  to  give  an  answer  to  the  question, 
What  is  it  to  be  a  Christian  ?  and,  if  possible,  still  more  so,  to 
the  question,  Why  do  you  profess  to  be  a  Christian  ?  Surely 
such  persons  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  They  can- 
not participate  in  its  spiritual  blessings,  either  on  earth  or  in 
iieaven.  The  blessings  would  not  be  spiritual  if  these  men  could 
enjoy  them. 

There  is  another  numerous  class  who  may  be  styled  "formal" 
Christians.  They  are  able  to  repeat  some  catechism,  and  can  give 
something  like  an  intelligent  account  of  the  doctrines  and  the 
laws  of  Christ.  They  profess  submission  to  his  authority,  and 
with,  it  may  be,  exemplary  regularity,  observe  all  the  external 
acts  of  worship  which  characterize  his  followers ;  but  their  relig- 
ion is  just  a  system  of  speculative  opinions  and  external  ob- 
servances. They  have  a  form  of  Christianity,  but  they  know 
nothing  about  its  power.  They  have  no  wisli  to  experience  its 
governing  influence  on  their  affections  and  pursuits,  and  indeed, 
very  generally  view  as  deluded  enthusiasts  or  canting  hypocrites, 
all  who  seem  to  consider  an  experimental  Christianity  as  the  only 
genuine  Christianity.  It  is  equally  plain,  that  these  persons 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  They  do  not  under- 
stand and  believe  that  trutli  whicli,  when  understood  and  be- 
lieved, influences  the  whole  nature,  and  transforms  the  whole 
character ;  and  which,  by  doing  so,  puts  the  individual   in  pos- 

'  For  this  division  of  those  who  call  Christ  "  Lord,  Lord,"  I  am  indebted  to  Dr. 
Brewster. 


PART  VII.]  APPLICATION  OF  THE  DISCOURSE.  281 

session  of  the  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

There  is  a  third  class  included  in  the  general  declaration  of  our 
Lord,  who  may  be  termed  "  hypocritical  "  Christians.  Lil^ce  the 
formal  Christian,  the  hypocritical  Christian  acknowledges  the 
truth,  and  observes  the  ordinances,  of  Christianity;  and,  in  ad- 
dition, is  usually  zealous,  even  to  rancor,  in  the  defence  of  the 
one,  and  exact,  even  to  scrupulosity,  in  the  observance  of  the 
other.  Not  content  with  a  dull  formal  round  of  duties,  he  as- 
sumes the  appearance  of  a  deep  interest  in  religion,  while  all  the 
time,  his  object  is  to  obtain  the  honors  of  supposed  saintship,  or 
to  pacify  his  conscience  while  living  in  the  neglect  of  known  duty, 
and  the  commission  of  known  sin.  This  is  incomparably  the 
vilest  of  the  three  characters  I  have  sketched ;  and  surely  it  needs 
no  proof  nor  illustration  that  such  a  person,  notwithstanding  the 
loudness  and  frequency  of  his  protestations  that  Christ  Jesus  is 
his  Lord,  cannot  be  recognized  by  him  as  a  genuine  disciple,  and 
cannot,  while  he  continues  what  he  is,  participate  in  the  privileges 
of  genuine  discipleship. 

To  all  who  belong  to  these  three  classes,  it  may  well  be  said 
by  our  Lord — "  Why  call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the 
things  which  I  say  to  you  ?" 

To  the  mere  nominal  Christian  it  may  be  said, — '  Your  con- 
duct is  utterly  unworthy  of  a  rational  being  ;  what  can  be  more 
absurd  than  to  bear  a  name,  of  the  meaning  of  which  you  are 
ignorant, — to  pretend  to  believe  a  revelation,  of  the  contents  and 
the  evidence  of  which  you  are  equally  ill-informed  ?  If  you  will 
not  yield  that  attention  to  Christianity  which  is  necessary  in 
order  to  understand  and  believe  it,  it  would  be  an  act  of  respect 
for  3"ourself,  and  of  justice  to  that  system  which  you  degrade  by 
pretending  to  be  its  adherent,  to  renounce  the  name,  which  in 
your  case  is  a  mere  name.' 

To  the  formal  Christian  it  may  be  said, — '  How  inconsistent 
it  is  to  profess  to  believe  doctrines  which,  if  true,  are  infinitely 
important,  and  yet  remain  unimpressed  by  them ;  how  absurd 
to  observe  ordinances,  and  yet  be  altogether  careless  about  the 
sentiments  of  which  these  acts  of  worship  are  intended  to  be  the 
expression, — the  habits  of  thought  and  feeling  which  they  are  in- 
tended to  produce  and  strengthen  !  How  foolish  to  take  up  with 
the  husk  instead  of  the  grain  ;  the  shell  instead  of  the  kernel ; 
with  a  dead  carcass  instead  of  a  living  body  !' 

To  the  hypocritical  Christian  it  may  be  said, — '  Your  conduct 
as  it  is  more  contemptible,  so  assuredly  it  is  not  less  irrational 
and  absurd,  than  that  of  your  nominal  and  formal  brethren. 
Know  ye  not  "that  all  things  are  naked  and  opened  before  Him 
with  whom  you  have  to  do,"  and  that  few  affronts  will  be  more 
severely  punished  by  him  than  dishonor  done  to  his  omniscience. 
"  Be  not  deceived,  I^  is  not  mocked."  Instead  of  being  ad- 
mitted  into  the   kingdom,  the   hypocrite's  portion  will   be  in 

f  ^ 


282  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP,  IV. 


"outer  darkness,    wliere   there   is   weeping,    and  -wailing,    and 
gnashing  of  teeth." ' 

When  a  person  looks,  with  an  observant  eye,  through  what  is 
but  too  approj^r lately  called  the  christian  world,  what  vast  multi- 
tudes appear  to  arrange  themselves  under  these  three  classes; 
and  how  awfully  emphatic  do  the  words  of  our  Lord  appear  to 
be,  "  not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven"  ?  . 

While  our  Lord  thus  declares,  that  a  profession  of  belief  in 
his  doctrines,  and  of  submission  to  his  authority,  unconnected, 
with  subjection  of  mind  and  heart  to  him,  manifested  in  disposi- 
tion and  conduct,  will  be  utlerly  ineffectual  in  the  way  of  ob- 
taining for  a  man  a  participation  in  the  blessings  of  the  heavenly 
kingdom,  he  with  equal  plainness  asserts,  that  the  man  whose 
profession  is  verified  by  his  behavior,  shall  be  made  a  partaker 
of  these  blessings.  "  He  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  in 
heaven,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

The  designation  is  plainly  equivalent  to,  '  He  that  not  only 
calls  me  Lord,  but  does  the  will  of  my  Father  in  heaven.'  The 
"  will  of  God,"  as  the  Father  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  is  "that 
men  should  be  saved  through  tlie  knowledge  of  the  truth,"  and 
"to  do"  the  will  of  God,  is  just  to  seek  for  salvation  through 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  It  is  his  will  that  men,  believing 
the  truth  respecting  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation 
through  him,  should  rely  entirely  on  his  atonement  and  grace ; 
and,  acknowledging  his  supreme  authority,  "  walk  without  fear 
before  God,  in  all  his  commandments  and  ordinances  blameless." 

The  fundamental  part  of  the  will  of  God  is  revealed  in  these 
words  : — "  This  is  my  beloved  Sou,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased : 
hear  ye  him."  When  this  is  complied  with,  everything  else 
follows.'*  Without  it,  sinful  man  cannot  in  any  degree  do  the 
will  of  God.  From  the  time  that  a  sinner,  by  believing  the 
truth,  relies  on  the  Saviour's  atonement,  embraces  his  salvation, 
and  submits  to  liis  authority,  his  habitual  employment  is  to  do 
the  will  of  God.  He  is  far  from  yielding  a  perfect  obedience  to 
that  will,  but  it  is  the  prevailing  bent  of  his  mind,  the  constant 
object  of  his  endeavor,  to  be  "  perfect  and  complete  in  all  the 
will  of  God ;"  to  have  his  mind  brought  into  complete  accord- 
ance Avith  God's  mind,  his  will  into  complete  accordance  with 
God's  will.  The  person  who,  in  the  faith  of  the  truth,  habitually 
seeks  conformity  to  the  will  of  God,  in  heart  and  in  life,  whose 
aim  it  is  to  make  the  will  of  God  tlie  rule  of  his  thoughts,  and 
feelings,  and  actions,^that  man,  and  that  man  alone,  is  a  true 
subject  of  the  Messiali ;  lie,  and  he  alone,  enjoys  the  peculiar 
immunities  and  privileges  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  both  on  earth 
and  in  heaven. 

This  awfully  interesting  truth  is  presented  in  a  form  peculiarly 
impressive  in  the  words  Avhich  follow,  in  which  our  Lord  unfolds 
the  principle  according  to  which  the  linal  states  of  men  shall  be 

'  Scott. 


PART  VII.]  APPLICATION    OF   THE   DISCOURSE.  283 

fixed,  "  Many  will  say  to  me  in  tliat  day,  Lord,  Lord,  liave  we 
not  prophesied  in  tliy  name  ?°  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out 
devils  ?"  and  in  th}-  name  done  many  wonderful  works  ?  And 
then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you :  depart  from 
me,  ye  that  work  iniquity.'" 

Li  these  words  our  Lord  obviously  goes  on  the  principle,  that 
he  was  the  appointed  Judge  of  all, — that,  according  to  his  sen- 
tence the  final  state  of  men  was  to  be  fixed.  By  "that  day"  we 
are  to  understand  what  is  ordinarily  termed  the  day  of  judgment 
— "  the  day  in  which  every  man's  Avork  shall  be  made  manifest, 
being  tried  by  fire."® 

I  do  not  think  that  we  are  to  consider  the  words  before  us  as 
a  literal  description  of  what  is  then  to  take  place.  It  seems  im- 
possible that  the  persons  referred  to  should  continue,  during  the 
period  of  their  separate  existence  in  the  unseen  world,  under  the 
delusion  that  they  were  so  connected  with  Christ,  as  to  have 
reason  to  expect  on  the  judgment-day,  that  they  are  to  share  in 
the  happiness  which  he  is  then  to  bestow  on  his  people.  The 
hope  of  the  nominal,  formal,  hypocritical  professors  of  Christianity, 
must  perish  at  death.  We  are  to  consider  the  words  just  as  a 
striking  and  picturesque  statement  of  the  truth,  that  multitudes 
of  men,  who  made  a  profession  of  Christianity,  and  who  were 
even  possessed  of  the  supernatural  gifts  by  which  the  primitive 
age  of  that  religion  was  distinguished,  and  who  flattered  them- 
selves to  the  last  that  tliey  would  be  saved,  shall,  in  consequence 
of  their  not  having  done  the  will  of  Christ's  Father  in  heaven, 
be  shut  out  from  all  participation  in  the  happiness  of  the  genuine 
followers  of  Christ,  and  a  clear  demonstration  then  given  that  he 
never  considered  them  as  belonging  to  that  class.°  Many  who 
have  prophesied  in  his  name,  who  in  his  name  have  cast  out 
devils,  and  done  man}^  wonderful  works,  shall,  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  be  rejected  by  him,  as  persons  whom  he  had  never 
acknowledged  as  his  disciples.'" 

That  miraculous  gifts  did  not  necessarily  infer  the  true  chris- 
tian character  of  those  who  possessed  them,  is  quite  evident,  and, 
in  itself,  does  not  seem  more  wonderful  than  the  undoubted  fact, 
that  uncommon  intellectual  endowments  are  by  no  means  neces- 
sarily connected  with  moral  worth.  We  have  no  reason  to 
doubt  that  Judas  performed  miracles  as  well  as  the  rest  of  the 
apostles. 

All  who  have  not  done  the  will  of  Grod,  though  they  may  have 
been  members  of  the  christian  church,  though  they  may  have 
-♦ 

5 "'  Adde :  Commentarios  ot  observationes  exegeticas  aJ  libros  et  loca  V.  et 
N.  T.  scripsimns,  horailias  insignes  habuimus,"  &c. — Bengel. 

«  6ai/x6via,  demons.  There  is  but  one  Devil,  6  (hdj:lo/.og,  but  many  demons, 
6ai/i6fia. —  P''ic?e  Campbell's  Diss.  "Matt.  vii.  22,  23.  "  1  Cor.  iii.  13. 

'•>  "  Hypocrisy  here  appears,  at  the  same  time,  in  the  light  of  self-delusion. 
That  a  bandying  of  words  on  the  day  of  judgment  is  out  of  the  question,  must  be 
understood  as  a  matter  of  course." — Olshausen. 

'"  There  is  no  room  for  Augustine's  question.  Whether  this  is  not  an  additional 
lie? 


284  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT,        [EXP.  IV. 

been  ministers  in  it,  tliough  thej  may  have  been  singularly  gijpted, 
and  even  miraculously  endowed,  shall,  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
be  rejected  and  condemed. 

Their  rejection  and  condemnation  is  described  by  the  Judge 
saying  to  them,  "Depart  from  me:  I  never  knew  you,  ye 
workers  of  iniquity.""  The  word  "knew"  here  is  used  in  a 
somewhat  peculiar  sense.  In  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word, 
our  Lord  knew  them  all  along.  They  imposed  on  others, — they 
imposed,  perhaps,  on  themselves;  but  they  never  imposed  on 
him,  he  was  "  not  deceived,"  he  was  "  not  mocked."  From 
the  first,  "  all  things  were  naked  and  opened  before  him  ;" — ^he 
searched  their  hearts,  he  tried  their  reins,  he  knew  what  was  in 
them.  "  Knew"  is  here  equivalent  to  acknowledged,  or  approved, 
■ — a  sense  of  the  term  of  not  nnfrequent  occurrence  in  Scripture. 
"  The  Lord  hiowetli  the  way  of  the  righteous,"''' — he  approves, 
and  gives  tokens  of  his  approval,  of  their  way.  "  You  only  have 
I  hioivn  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,"— acknowledged  as  my 
peculiar  people."  "  I  know'' — acknowledge — " my  sheep,  and 
am  knowrH'' — acknowledged — "  of  mine.  As  the  Father  know- 
eth"' — acknowledgeth — "  me,  even  so  knovf — acknowledge — "  I 
the  Father."'* 

It  will  be  made  evident,  then,  that  whatever  place  these  per- 
sons held  among  his  people,  he  never  recognized  them  as  his ; 
for  while  "in  words  they  acknowledged  him,  in  ivorks  they  de- 
nied him."  Their  being  workers  of  iniquit}-, — that  is,  their 
habitually  doing  anything  inconsistent  with  the  will  of  God, — 
has  far  more  weight,  as  evidence  that  they  did  not  belong  to 
Christ,  than  all  external  privileges,  and  miracles,  and  mighty 
works  have,  that  they  did  belong  to  him. 

The  general  truth  taught  in  these  words  is  one  of  the  most 
awfully  impressive  in  the  word  of  God.  Let  us  allow  it  to  sink 
into  our  cars,  into  our  minds,  into  our  hearts.  Let  us  beware  of 
concluding  ourselves  Christians — let  us  beware  of  supposing  that 
the  interests  of  our  eternity  are  secure,  because  we  belong  to  a 
christian  church,  however  pure — because  we  even  hold  office  in 
it,  however  high — because  our  attainments  in  religious  specula- 
tive knowledge  are  extensive,  and  we  can  display  them  so  as  to 
secure  the  good  opinion,  and  even  command  the  admiration,  of 
our  fellow  church-members.  Let  us  do  the  will  of  our  Father 
ill  heaven.  In  a  firm  belief  of  the  trutlj,  let  us  rely  on  the 
Saviour's  atonement,  submit  to  the  Saviour's  authority,  seek  the 
aid  of  the  Saviour's  S])irit ;  and  while  we  gladly  and  gratefully 
rccieive  eternal  life  as  the  gift  of  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  let  us,  in  a  "  constant  continuance  in  well-doing,  seek  for 
glory,  honor,  and  immortality."  Oh,  let  all  of  us  who  profess  to 
have  "received  the  Lord  Jesus,  walk  in  him;"  and,  professing 
to  love  liim,  let  us  "keep  liis  commandments." 

"The  words  that  are  udilod,  Luke  xiii.  25,  TroDn'  rnrt,  rendered  in  our  transla- 
tion, "Whence  ye  are" — should  be  given  interrogatively,  "Whence  are  ve?" — 
ovK  uvuOev.  ''^  Psal.  i.  6.  ''Amos  iii.  2.  "John  x.   14,  15. 


PART  Vni.]  PERORATION.  285 

VIII,    PERORATION. 

Matthew  vii.  24-27. 

§  1.   General  illustration. 

These  impressive  words  form  the  peroration  of  our  Lord's 
Sermon  on  the  Mount.  The  statement  thej  convey  is  deeply 
important,  and  the  language  in  which  it  is  expressed  is  remark- 
able alike  for  its  beauty  and  its  force.  The  different,  the  opposite, 
fates  of  those  who  do,  and  who  do  not,  regulate  their  characters 
and  their  hopes  according  to  the  principles  contained  in  this  won- 
derful discourse,  are  represented  under  images,  calculated  to 
strike  universally,  but  peculiarly  fitted  to  make  an  impression  on 
the  minds  of  those  to  whom  they  were  originally  presented,  as 
being  borro\\'ed  from  natural  phenomena  with  which  they  were 
familiarly  acquainted. 

In  Judea,  as  in  other  oriental  countries,  the  rains  are  periodi- 
cal. When  they  descend,  they  often  descend  in  torrents,  and 
continue  to  do  so,  with  unabated  violence,  for  a  number  of  days. 
In  consequence  of  this,  the  most  trifling  mountain  brook  becomes 
a  mighty  river — a  deluge  rushes  down  with  dreadful  impetuosity 
from  the  high  grounds  to  the  plains,  converting  them  into  one 
wide  waste  of  waters.  The  huts  of  the  inhabitants,  generally 
formed  of  clay  hardened  in  the  sun,  are  exposed  to  great  danger. 
They  'are  often  literally  melted  down  by  the  heavy  rains,  or  over- 
turned by  the  furious  gusts  of  wind ;  and,  when  not  founded  on 
the  solid  rock,  undermined  and  swept  away  by  the  resistless  tor- 
rent,'* In  such  a  country,  it  is  the  part  of  a  wise  man  to  take 
good  care  that  the  foundation  on  which  he  builds  his  habitation 
be  solid.  He  who  attends  to  this  precaution,  is  likely  to  find  the 
advantage  of  doing  so ;  and  he  who  neglects  this  precaution,  is 
likely  to  pay  dear  for  his  folly.  Such  are  the  facts  to  which  our 
Lord  refers,  and  from  which  he  draws  an  illustration  of  the  wis- 
dom of  the  man  who  "hears  and  does  his  words,"  and  the  folly 
of  him  "  who  hears  them,  but  will  not  do  them."  Let  us  ex- 
amine that  illustration  a  little  more  particularly:  "Therefore, 
whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them,'*  I  will 
liken  him  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  a  rock ; 
and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew, 
and  beat  upon  that  house;  and  it  fell  not:  for  it  was  founded 
upon  a  rock.     And  every  one  that  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine, 

'•  "I  enjoyed  yesterday  a  delightful  prospect  of  the  whole  plain  and  the  sur- 
rounding scenery  under  a  glorious  sun,  with  a  most  serene  atmosphere ;  but,  to- 
day, I  beheld  it  in  the  wildest  and  most  terrific  grandeur.  1  was  unluckily 
overtaken  by  a  storm,  as  if  the  flood-gates  of  heaven  had  been  set  open,  which 
came  on  in  a  moment,  and  raged  with  miglity  fury,  conveying  a  just  idea  of  the 
end  of  all  things :  during  tliis  time,  there  was  a  solemn  gloom,  and  darkness 
spread  over  the  whole  laud." — Rae  Wilson's  Travels  in  the  Holy  Land,  p.  310; 
quoted  by  Tholuck. 

'3  The  construction  is  peculiar.     The  nominative  case  seems  put  absolutely. 


286  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

and  docdi  them  nof,  shall  he  likened  unto  a  foolish  man,  which 
built  his  house  u]~)on  the  sand ;  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the 
floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house  ;  and 
it  fell :  and  great  was  the  full  of  it"" 

The  connective  particle  translated  "  therefore,'"'  does  not  neces- 
sarily imply,  that  what  follows  it  is  a  logical  inference  from  Avhat 
is  previously  stated.  It  very  often  merely  marks  transition  of 
thought ;  but,  in  the  case  before  us,  it  seems  to  import  more  than 
this.  For,  surely,  if  "  Not  every  one  who  calls  Christ,  Lord, 
Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he  only  who 
does  the  will  of  his  Father  who  is  in  heaven," — if,  to  all  workers 
of  iniquity,  even  although  they  should  have  "  prophesied,  and 
cast  out  devils,  and  done  many  wonderful  works,"  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  it  shall  at  last  be  said  by  our  Lord,  determining  by  his 
judgment  the  final  state  of  men,  "Depart  from  me;  I  never 
knew  you," — then  it  certainly  follows,  that  he  who  hears  and 
does  our  Lord's  sayings,  is  a  wise  man,  and  that  he  who  hears 
them,  and  docs  them  not,  is  a  fool.  The  one  secures,  the  other 
loses,  the  salvation  of  the  soul,  the  happiness  of  eternity. 

The  first  thing,  then,  to  be  done  here,  is  to  ascertain  what  our 
Lord  means  by  "hearing  and  doing,"  and  by  "hearing  and  not 
doing,  his  words."  Our  Lord  obviously  refers  to  the  discourse 
which  he  was  concluding,  and  of  which,  I  apprehend,  as  of  most 
of  his  discourses,  we  have  only  an  imperfect  account ;  but  what 
he  says  of  these  words  of  his,  is  equally  true  of  all  his  words, 
whether  spoken  by  himself  personally;  or  made  known  through 
the  medium  of  his  insj^ired  apostles. 

To  "  hear"  is  often,  in  the  New  Testament,  used  in  a  very  ex- 
tensive sense,  as  equivalent  to, — to  listen,  attend,  believe,  obey. 
Such  is  its  meaning  in  phrases  like  the  following : — "  This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  hear  him."  "  They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
let  them  hear  them."  "  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."" 
In  the  case  before  us,  it  seems  used  in  a  more  confined  sense.  To 
hear  our  Lord's  sajrings,  is  just  to  have  them  addressed  to  us,  to 
have  an  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  with  them. 

To  "  do"  our  Lord's  sayings,  is  often  interpreted  as  if  it  meant 
merely  to  perform  those  actions  which  our  Ijord  requires.  This 
is,  however,  very  impro2")erly  to  limit  its  meaning.  To  do  our 
Lord's  sayings,  is  just  to  conform  the  whole  inner  and  outward 
man  to  these  sayings — to  form  our  whole  character  by  them — to 
I'asliion  our  liabits  of  thought,  of  feeling,  and  of  action,  in  accord- 
ance with  them.  Tlie  man,  then,  who  "  hears  and  does  these  say- 
ings" of  our  liord,  is  the  man  who  not  only  has  them  addressed  to 
him,  who  not  only  listens  to  them,  Avho  not  only  understands  their 
meaning,  but  who,  believing  them,  learns  to  think,  and  feel,  and 
act,  according  to  them :  who  through  these  sayings,  understood 
and  believed,  repents,  changes  his  mind,  is  "  converted,"  is  radi- 
cally changed,  is  "born  again,"  becomes  "a  new  creature,"  being 

'7  Matt.  vii.  24-27.  '■*  ovv. 

'9  Matt.  xvii.  5,     Luke  xvi.  21».     Malt.  xi.  16. 


PART  VIII.]  PERORATION.  287 

"  transformed  by  this  renewing  of  his  mind."  This  is  the  one 
character. 

The  other  is  described  as  hearing,  but  not  doing,  these  words 
of  our  Lord,  Under  this  description,  a  variety  of  characters  are 
included,  having  all,  however,  one  distinctive  mark, — ^tliat,  while 
they  hear  the  words  of  our  Lord,  they  do  them  not.  One  class, 
to  whom  our  Lord's  words  are  addressed,  pay  no  attention  to  them 
— they  make  light  of  them.  Another  class  listens  with  some  de- 
gree of  attention,  profess  to  inquire,  and,  after  a  very  partial  in- 
quiry, refase  to  believe  and  obey  them.  Another  class  profess  to 
believe  his  words,  and  declare  their  determination  to  obey  them  ; 
but  while  they  "  call  him  Lord,  Lord,  they  do  not  the  things  which 
he  says"  to  them.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  our  Lord  had  a  special 
reference  to  this  last  class,  when  he  used  these  words. 

All  these  classes  Lave  this  in  common,  tliat,  wliile  they  have  the 
means  of  oljtaining  acquaintance  with  our  Lord's  words,  they  re- 
fuse that  subjection  of  mind,  and  heart,  and  conduct  to  them,  to 
which  they  are  entitled,  and  without  wliich,  from  the  very  nature 
of  the  case,  saving  advantage  cannot  be  derived  from  them. 

Having  thus  ascertained  who  the}^  are  who  hear  and  do  our 
Lord's  sayings,  and  who  they  are  who  hear  and  do  .them  not,  let 
us  inquire  into  what  our  Lord  says  in  reference  to  these  two  classes 
of  men  : — "  I  will  liken  the  man  who  hears  these  sayings  of  mine, 
to  a  wise  man,'"'  who  built  his  house  upon  a  rock ;  and  the  rain  de- 
scended, and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon 
that  house ;  and  it  fell  not :  for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock." 
And  "  I  will  liken  the  man  who  hears  these  saying  of  mine,  and 
doeth  them  not,  to  a  foolish  man,  who  built  his  house  upon  the 
sand ;  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds 
blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house ;  and  it  fell :  and  great  was  the 
fall  of  it." 

These  words  obviously  imply  this  general  truth,  '  The  flrst  class 
of  men,  notwithstanding  all  the  trials  and  dangers  to  which  they 
may  be  exposed,  shall  assuredly  obtain  final  happiness  ;  the  second 
class  of  men,  shall  no  less  assuredly  involve  themselves  in  com- 
plete and  everlasting  destruction.'  In  other  words,  there  is  no 
other  way  of  being  saved  but  by  repenting,  and  being  converted, 
— no  "  entering  into  the  kingdom  of  God,"  without  being  "born 
again."  Notliing  different  from,  notldng  short  of,  a  surrender  of 
the  mind  and  heart,  to  the  authority  of  Christ  Jesus,  speaking  in 
his  word,  can  secure  salvation.  If,  on  hearing  his  word,  you  re- 
fuse to  attend  to  it,  or  reject  it  as  false,  or  while  you  profess  to  con- 
sider it  as  true,  you  in  consequence  of  not  really  understanding 
and  believing  it,  continue  strangers  to  its  transforming  efficacy, 
you  must  perish.  If,  on  hearing  his  words,  you  understand  and 
believe  them,  and  yield  yourselves  up  to  their  influence,  you  shall 
assuredly  be  saved.  Tins  is  the  great  general  truth  which  these 
figurative  representations  are  intended  to  convey. 

2'J  (ppovi/ioc.  Tlie  cro^of  has  the  right  end  in  view,  the  <pp6vi./ioc_  chooses  also  the 
right  means  for  gaining  the  right  end.     Matt.  xxv.  2.     Luke  xvi.  8.     Matt.  x.  16. 


288  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.        [EXP.  IV. 


§  2.   More  particular  illustration. 

But  I  apprehend,  that  in  the  present  case,  as  in  most  others, 
even  the  minuter  parts  of  the  figurative  illustrations  employed  by 
our  Lord  are  replete  with  instruction,  and  it  may  serve  a  good 
purpose  to  inquire,  in  reference  to  both  the  wise  and  the  foolish 
builder.  What  is  the  foundation?  What  is  the  superstructure? 
What  is  the  trial  to  which  it  is  exposed?  and,  What  is  the  result 
of  the  trial  ? 

(1.)  The  wise  builder  and  his  fate. 

First,  then.  What  is  the  foundation  of  "rock"  on  which  the 
wise  builder — that  is,  "  the  man  who  hears  and  does  the  sayings 
of  our  Lord," — places  the  edifice  he  is  about  to  raise?  I  appre- 
hend the  foundation  is  just  the  sayings  of  our  Lord,  understood 
and  believed.  These  sayings  are  the  dictates  of  eternal  truth  and 
righteousness;  and  the  everlasting  mountains  shalTTe  sooner 
rooted  up  than  any  one  of  them  shall"  be  falsified.  This  is  the 
foundation  on  which  the  wise  builder  places  his  edifice  ;  not  his 
own  conjectures  or  reasonings,  not  the  conjectures  or  reasonings 
of  other  men,  but  "  the  true  and  faithful  sayings  of  God." 

Now,  what  is  the  building  which  he  erects  on  this  foundation? 
The  building,  I  apprehend,  shadows  forth  either  the  cha^cter 
which  he  cultivates,  or  the  hopes  he  cherishes. 

By  character  I  understand~"the  whole  frame  of  a  man's  senti- 
ments, and  affections,  and  active  habits.  The  wise  builder  hav- 
ing, by  the  faith  of  the  truth,  found  the  only  sure  foundation, 
erects  on  it  an  edifice  of  thoughts,  and  feelings,  and  actions. 
He  is  moulded  according  to  "  the  form  of  doctrine  into  whicli  he 
has  been  delivered."" 

The  building,  in  the  figurative  representation  now  under  con- 
sideration, may  have  a  special  reference  to  the  hope  which  the 
hearer  and  doer  of  the  sayings  of  Christ  cherishes.  That  hope 
is  entirely  founded  on  these  sayings.  He  has  a  "  hope  of  eternal 
life" — a  ''  good  hope  through  grace" — but  that  hope  rests  entirely 
on  what  Christ  has  said  to  him.  It  is  indeed  an  essential  part 
of  that  spiritual  character,  which  we  consider  as  the  edifice 
which  the  Avise  builder  raises  on  the  rocky  foundation. 

The  next  inquiry  is,  What  is  the  trial  to  which  this  building 
is  to  be  exposed?  "'The  rain  descended,  the  floods  came,  the 
winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house." 

Some  interpreters  seem  to  think  that  these  are  emblematical 
of  the  afflictions  of  life,  or  of  the  temptations  of  Satan.  I  cannot 
helj)  thinking  they  arc  intended  to  represent  the  final  trial  at  the 
general  judgment".  The  whole  of  the  paragraph  points  the  mind 
to  tlie  transactions  of  "  that  day.""  The  solstitial  rains  were  the 
severest  trial  to  which  a  Jewish  house  coulooe^xposed,  and 

2'  Rom.  vi.  17.  ^'^  2  Tim.  i.  18. 


PAET  VIII.]  PERORATION.  289 

they  seem  to  shadow  forth  the  severest  trial  to  which  human 
character  and  human  hopes  can  be  subjected.  Sometimes  to  de- 
note the  same  idea,  the  final  judgment  is  represented  as  a  trial 
by  fire.  Men's  characters  and  hopes  must  all  undergo  an  ex- 
amination before  the  judgment-seat  of  Grod. 

This  is,  I  apprehend,  the  trial ;  and  what  will  be  the  result, 
Avhen  the  edifice  of  the  wise  builder  is  thus  tried?  "  The  house; 
fell  not,  for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock."  That  spiritual  character 
wliich  was  formed  under  tlie  influence  of  the  sayings  of  Christ, 
rmderstood  and  believed,  will  meet  with  the  Divine  approbation.  "" 
There  will  be  found  much  wanting  and  much  wrong,  and  that  will 
be  freely  forgiven  for  Christ's  sake ;  but  the  frame  of  character, 
of  thought,  feeling,  and  action,  formed  by  the  faith  of  the  truth, 
will  meet  the  unqualified  approbation  of  God;  and  the  hope 
founded  on  these  sayings  will  prove  to  be  a  "  hope  that  maketlu^ 
not  ashamed,"  a  hope  which  He  who  is  faithfal  and  just  will  com- 
pletely fulfil.  The  building  stood  firm,  for  the  foundation  was 
firm.  The  spiritual  character  of  the  believer  will  meet  with  the 
approbation  of  God  at  last,  just  because  it  is  in  accordance  with 
that  revelation  of  perfect  trutli  and  righteousness,  which  was  made 
by  Jesus  Christ.  The  hope  of  the  believer  will  be  realized,  just 
because  he  hoped  for  what  God,  who  cannot  lie,  had  promised. 
Such,  I  apprehend,  is  the  full  import  of  the  figurative  representa- 
tion of  the  hearer  and  doer  of  Christ's  sayings,  as  a  wise  builder. 

(2.)  Tfie  foolish  huilder  and  his  fate. 

Let  us  now  institute  a  similar  inquirj^,  in  reference  to  him  who 
hears,  but  does  not  do,  the  sayings  of  our  Lord,  and  who  is  repre- 
sented as  a  foolish  builder.  "What  is  his  foundation?  What  is 
his  building  ?  What  is  the  trial  it  must  be  exposed  to,  and  what 
will  be  the  result  of  that  trial  ? 

What  is  the  foundation  of  the  foolish  builder  ?  If  our  general 
apprehension  of  the  figurative  representation  be  correct — his 
foundation  is  whatever  is  the  basis  of  his  character,  and  the 
ground  of  his  hopes  for  eternity.  This  is  not  the  true  and  faith- 
ful sayings  of  the  Saviour,  for  though  he  hears  them,  he  does 
not  conform  his  mind  to  them — he  does  not  believe  them.  His 
foundation  is  that  sect  of  false  principles,  whatever  they  may  be,  - 
or  wherever  they  may  have  been  got,  which  regulate  his  temper 
and  conduct,  and  are  the  basis  of  his  character,  the  ground  of 
his  hopes.  These  vary  in  different  individuals.  In  the  case  of 
those  whom  our  Lord  was  addressing,  the  traditions  of  the  fathers, 
the  doctrines  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  were  probably  the 
foundation  on  which  they  were  building. 

The  edifice  itself  is  just  that  character,  that  mode>of  thinking, 
feeling,  and  acting,  which  such  false  principles  naturally  produce, 
or  those  hopes  which  they  naturally  inspire.  That  character  has 
often  a  great  degree  of  plausibility,  and  gains  in  no  ordinary 
measure  the  esteem  and  approbation  of  men.     Those  hopes  are 

VOL.  I.  ly 


290  THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.         [EXP.  IV. 

often  very  confidently  entertaiued.  But  the  stability  of  the  edifice 
must  be  tested. 

Both  the  character  and  hopes  must  be  subjected  to  the  test  of 
the  Divine  judgment.  Weighed  in  the  balances,  they  will  be 
found  wanting.  "  That  which  was  highly  esteemed  among 
men,"- will  be  found  to  be  "abomination  in  the  sight  of  God,"" 
and  all  the  fondly-cherished  expectations  of  happiness  will  vanish 
in  the  darkness  of  everlasting  despair.  The  house  will  fiill,  and 
tlreadful  will  be  its  overthrow.  No  character  will  stand  the 
Divine  judgment,  but  that  which  is  formed  in  accordance  with  the 
sayings  of  Christ.  No  hope  will  in  that  day  be  "gladness,"  but 
the  hope  which  these  sayings  warrant. 

From  this  j^assage,  ill-understood,  some  false  and  dangerous 
conclusions  have  been  drawn.  '  It  appears  from  this,'  say  some, 
'  that  it  is  by  doing,  and  not  by  believing,  that  we  are  to  be 
saved.'  Theycto  "not  observe,  that  what  our  Lord  contrasts,  is 
not  believing  and  doing,  but  hearing  and  doing ;  nor,  that  in  the 
doing  of  Christ's  sayings,  believing  these  sayings  is  necessarily 
implied ;  nor,  that  our  Lord  is  not  here  discoursing  on  the  ground 
or  mode  of  justification,  but  on  the  principles  and  procedure  of 
the  final  judgment. 

'  It  appears  from  this,'  say  another  class,  '  that  it  matters  but 
very  little  what  doctrines  we  believe,  if  we  have  a  good  life;'  It 
would  not  be  very  easy  to  show  how  a  man  is  to  live  a  really 
good  life,  if  he  does  not  believe  true  doctrine ;  and  in  the  passage 
before  us,  Christ's  sayings,  understood  and  believed,  are  plainly 
represented  as  the  only  foundation  on  which  a  character  and  con- 
duct pleasing  to  God  can  be  reared. 

The  discourse  of  our  Lord  produced  a  strong  impression  on 
the  minds  of  those  who  heard  it.  The  people  "  were  astonished 
at  his  doctrine." 

The  word  "  doctrine "  may  be  considered  as  descriptive  both 
of  the  matter  and  of  the  manner  of  his  teaching.  The  people 
were  astonished,  both  at  what  he  taught,  and  the  mode  in  which 
he  taught.  What  he  taught  bore  the  impression  of  truth  and 
importance.  Nothing  was  doubtful,  nothing  trivial.  And  his 
doctrines  were  perspicuously  and  energetically  expressed.  We 
can  have  no  doubt  they  were  also  delivered  in  a  natural,  digni- 
fied, earnest,  and  pleasing  manner;  and  besides,  they  were  in 
many  instances  attended  by  the  divine  energy  of  his  Spirit,  and 
thus  secured  of  their  appropriate  influence  over  the  mind  and  heart. 

What  particularly  excited  the  astonishment  of  the  people, 
was  the  contrast  between  his  doctrine,  or  teaching,  and  that  to 
which  they  had  been  accustomed,  the  doctrine  of  the  Scribes, — 
"he  taught  them"  as  with  authority,  and  not  as  the  Scribes."" 

w  Luke  xvi.   15. 

21  '"Hy  ih6di7Kuv  nvToxic — periphrasis  Hebraica,  Gi-fflcis  etiam  familiurii^,  cujus 
tamen  interdum  ea  vis  inest,  ut  inoram  significet  ct  persevcrantiam  in  aliqua  re 
facienda." — Beza. 

25  "The  Scribes  frequently  spake  trutbe,  but  t.hey  wanted  the  iiovaia  TTvev/iaTtKjj. 


PART  VIII.]  PERORATION.  291 

The  teachers  among  the  Jews,  having  the  law  and  the  proph- 
ets, might  therefore  have  taught  certain  and  important  truth, 
and  had  they  been  themselves  influenced  by  it,  must  have  taught 
it  in  a  manner  somewhat  impressive,  and  ought  to  have  taught 
it  authoritatively  as  being  a  revelation  from  heaven  ;  yet  they  in 
fact  employed  themselves  more  about  the  traditions  of  the  fathers, 
than  about  the  doctrines  of  Moses  and  the  prophets  ;  and  when 
they  made  the  Scriptures  the  subject  of  their  discourses,  did  not 
dwell  on  the  great  principles  of  religious  truth  and  duty,  but  on 
the  lesser  matters  of  the  law,  "  The  tithing  of  mint,  and  anise, 
and  cummin " — the  comparative  obligation  of  an  oath  by  the 
temple,  and  the  gold  of  the  temple — ^by  the  altar,  and  the  gift  on 
the  altar''' — these  seem  to  be  a  fair  specimen  of  their  subjects  of 
teaching.  In  speaking  of  these  things,  they  did  not  speak  with 
authority.  In  one  sense,  they  spoke  vdih  too  much  authority, 
for  "  they  taught  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men  "" — 
they  required  men  to  believe  what  they  could  give  no  sufficient 
reason  for  their  believing.  They  did  not  manifest  the  authority 
of  God,  and  truth,  and  duty.  They  appealed  chieflj'-,  if  not 
solely,  to  the  traditions  of  the  elders,  and  the  opinions  of  the 
Rabbis. 

Our  Lord,  on  the  contrary,  taught  with  "authority.".  They 
were  accustomed  to  introduce  their  teaching  with,  It  was  said  by 
the  ancients :  He  introduced  his  with,  "  But  I  say  unto  you," — 
"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you."  In  all  he  said,  he  taught  as 
one  Avho  had  full  authority  from  God  to  teach.  His  whole  man- 
lier was  that  of  one  who  spoke  in  .the  name  of  God,  and  who 
well  knew  that  what  he  uttered  was  eternal  truth, — what  he  en- 
joined, eternal  righteousness. 

'  Let  us  recollect,  my  brethren,  that  to  us  these  words  of  author- 
ity have  come,  as  well  as  to  those  to  whom  they  were  originally 
addressed.  We  are  very  stupid  if  we  are  not  astonished  at  them. 
But  we  must  not  only  be  astonished  at  them, — we  must  believe 
them  if  we  would  be  saved  by  them.  To  us,  they  come  if 
possible  with  more  authority,  than  to  those  to  Avhom  they  were 
originally  addressed.  He  spoke  to  them  on  earth.  By  induc- 
ing his  apostles,  under  the  influences  of  his  Spirit,  to  record  these 
doctrines  in  a  permanent  revelation  of  his  will.  He  "  speaks  'to 
us  from  heaven."  Let  us  take  good  "  heed  to  the  things  which 
we  have  heard,  lest  at  any  time  we  should  let  them  slip.  For 
if  the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast,  and  every  trans- 
gression and  disobedience  received  a  just  recompense  of  reward  ; 
how  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  ;  which  at 
the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto 

Their  discourses  were  pictures  painted  on  the  air,  without  being  possessed  of  any 
essential  or  life-bestowing  powei-.  This  the  words  of  Jesus  breathed  forth ;  and, 
by  means  of  them,  he  laid  iiold  of  the  hearts  of  his  hearers  in  their  innermost 
depths  ;  hence,  wlierever  tiiere  was  dormant  in  the  interior  of  any  person  an  echo 
for  truth,  there  this  echo  was  necessarily  awakened." — Olshausen. 

•^  Matt,  xxiii.  18.  -'  Matt.  xv.  9. 


292  NOTES.  [EXP.  IV. 

us  by  them  that  heard  him."  "  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that 
speaketh :  for  if  they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  speaking  on 
earth,  much  more  shall  not  we  escape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him 
speaking  from  heaven."" 

Let  us  consider  his  words  as,  what  they  indeed  are,  "  the  will 
of  our  Creator,  the  commands  of  our  Sovereign, — the  laws  of  our 
Judge,  the  counsels  of  our  Father,  the  entreaties  of  our  Sav- 
iour.""' Let  us  turn  this  wonderful  discourse  to  its  appropriate 
purpose.  Let  us  employ  it  as  an  instrument  for  promoting  that 
"  repentance,"  that  "  conversion,"  that  entire  change  of  mind  and 
of  heart,  without  which  we  cannot  be  saved,  and  in  which  so 
much  of  salvation  consists. 

Let  us  seek  the  Divine  Spirit,  that  the  sentiments  which  it 
teaches,  and  the  affections  which  it  breathes,  may,  through  that 
faith  which  is  of  his  operation,  be  so  engrafted  into  our  minds 
and  hearts,  as  to  form  a  part  of  ourselves ;  so  that  we  may  not  be 
among  those  who  say,  "Lord,  Lord,"  but  do  not  the  things  which 
he  says  to  them,  to  whom  he  will  at  last  say,  "  Depart  from  me  ;" 
but  that,  conjoining  consistent  conduct  with  open  profession, 
cheerfully  doing  and  suflering  the  will  of  our  Father  in  heaven, 
we  may  at  last  receive  the  transporting  invitation,  "Come  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,"  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servants, 
enter  ye  into  the  joy  of  our  Lord."'" 


Note  A,  p.  115. 

"The  ^aadsla  tov  0£oO, — in  Matthew  always  ^uaiXela  twj'  oi^iai-o)*', — 
is  again  mentioned  in  the  sequel  of  the  sermon  on  the  Movnit,  at  verses 
10,  19,  20;  vi.  10;  vii.  21.  To  discuss,  on  all  the  sides  which  it  pre- 
sents, an  idea  so  pregnant  in  meaning  as  this,  calls  foi'  a- separate  work. 
But  as  the  phrase  here  requires  no  very  detailed  investigation,  we  content 
ourselves  with  stating  the  leading  traits ;  nor  can  we  refer  to  any  book 
where  the  subject  is  handled  in  a  manner  in  every  respect  satisfactory. 
Fleck  has  amassed  a  variety  of  materials,  it  is  true ;  but  with  great  pro- 
lixity, he  mixes  what  is  foreign,  and  is  deficient  in  the  talent  for  combina- 
tion and  arrangement.  If  C.  Gottfried  Bauer  had  executed  the  whole 
plan,  of  which  he  made  a  commencement  in  the  essay  '  De  Causis  quibus 
nititur  rectum  super  ralione  Regni  Divini  in  N.  T,  passim  obvia  judi- 
cium,"' something  satisfactory  might  have  been  expected  ;  at  least  no 
modern  author  who  has  handled  the  subject  has  equally  weighed  it  on  all 
sides.  M>u;h  excellent  matter  is  also  eontwined  in  the  Treatise  of  Sarto- 
rius, '  Ueber  den  Zweck  lesu  bei  Stirtung  eines  Gottes-Reiches.'  Amidst 
all  that  the  doctrinal  works  of  modern  times  have  said  upon  the  subject, 
the  hints  thrown  out  in  Baumgartcn  Crusius'  '  Biblische  Theologie'  p. 
149-157,  seem  to  me  to  merit  particular  consideration.     For  the  most 

"  Heb.  ii.   1 ;  xii.  25.  29  Brewster.  3o  Matt.  xxv.  21,  84,  41. 

3'  Commentationes  Thool.  cd.  RoaenmuUer  et  Maurer,  i.  p.  2. 


EXP.  IV.]  NOTES.  293 

part,  writers  have  been  taken  up  with  pointing  out  the  connection  of  the 
New  Testament  doctrine  with  that  of  the  Rabbins,  which,  however,  is,  at 
all  events,  a  task  of  less  consequence,  the  moment  it  is  conceded  that  the 
Saviour  connected  with  the  expression  different  ideas  from  theirs. 

"  Two  kinds  of  defects  are  to  be  found  in  the  usual  treatment  of  this 
doctrine.  At  one  time  the  different  sides  and  allusions  of  the  Baailfut 
70V  &SOV  are  ranged  together  as  diverse  sigiiifications  of  the  phrase,  with- 
out any  attempt  to  show  their  identity,  by  discovering  the  fundamental 
idea ;  and,  at  another,  what  is  still  worse,  one  single  aspect  of  the  idea  is 
exclusively  seized,  and  all  the  rest  disregarded.  To  mention  an  ancient 
commentator,  the  first  defect  is  exemplified  in  Euthymius,  who,  upon 
Matt.  iii.  2,  after  having  previously  said  that  Christ  himself  is  here  called 
X!t\Q  ^otoiXeUt  tOii'  ovQttPWt'^  remarks:  i)  ^aaiXelu  ovQuvibv  Xiyei  rr^j'  noXnelav 
T(bv  (iyje'Awj/,  rp  o  Xqiaiog  oaov  oijnoi  lo/nodsreif  s/uei-ls  Sia  iwf  F.vuyyeXtuwv 
ifToXCov  Xevetixi  8e  ^uaikslu  ovqixpGiv  xul  I'l  unoluvaig  tCjv  iv  o^iqavolg  (j.yadihi'. 
drjlol  de  x«i  ai-ku  nksiora  to  ovofia  iij^  ^uaii.8lug  twj'  ovQavC)Vj  noXvai'iJUuvtoi- 
Of,  <hg  TiQoiofTtg  ££ipij(To,ufi»'.=^  From  the  expositoi's  of  the  middle  period, 
we  may  here  quote  the  note  of  Zwinglius  upon  John  iii.  3  :  '  Capitur  hie 
regnum  Dei  pro  doctrina  coelesti  et  praedicatione  Evangelii,  ut  Luc£e 
xviii.  Capitur  aliquando  pro  vita  jeterna,  Matt.  xxv.  Luc.  xiv.  Quandoque 
pro  Ecclesia  et  congregatione  fidelium,  ut  Matt.  xiii.  24.'  Even  the  later 
lexicographers,  Schleusner  and  Bretschneider,  however,  have  not  advanced 
beyond  these  indefinite  statements ;  and  the  article  on  the  subject  by  the 
latter  is  particularly  defective.  He  sets  out  with  the  Rabbinical  idea, 
which  he  also  finds  in  the  New  Testament,  and  enumerates  a  multitude 
of  texts,  from  which  it  is  impossible  to  make  out  in  what  sense  the  term  is 
used!  Matt.  iv.  17  ;  v.  10  ;  xix.  23  ;  vii.  21  ;  xvi.  19,  28  ;  xviii.  3,  4, 
23 ;  xii.  28,  et  passim.  He  farther  states  the  meaning,  '  Felicitas  Chris- 
tianorum  post  resurrectionera,'  and  then,  with  a  ccete7-u7n,  the  very  diverse 
meanings  of,  '  res  Christiana,  vocatio  ad  regnum  Christi,  Christus  ipse, 
nuntii  Regni  divini.'  How  the  word  comes  to  have  all  these  significations 
he  does  not  explain."  Wahl  is  much  more  correct,  when  he  comprises  all 
the  significations  of  the  word  in  the  following  formula :  '  Felicitas  nunc  et 
olira  per  lesum  obtinenda.'  But  although  the  unity  of  the  idea  is  thus 
preserved,  the  particular  sense  of  (iuadalu  is  lost.  The  second  of  the 
faults  we  mentioned,  which  consists  in  giving  undue  prominence  to  one 
side  of  the  subject,  and  neglecting  the  rest,  appears,  to  cite  examples  in 
the  Treatises  of  Koppe  and  Keil,  according  to  whom  the  word  refers  only 
to  the  future  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  which  has  still  to  be  erected ;  in 
Storr,  who  says  it  is  to  be  understood  solely  of  the  reign  of  the  glorified 
Christ ;  and  in  Teller,  who  makes  it  the  constitution  of  the  Chritian  relig- 
ion.    In  explaining  this  name,  we  shall  begin  with  ^aadelu  zov  Qeov,  by 

32  Or  by  the  kingdom  of  heaven  he  means  the  commonwealth  of  the  angels, 
which  Christ  was  about  to  rule,  as  never  was  done  before,  by  gospel  precepts. 
The  fruition  of  celestial  blessings  is  also  called  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  and  many 
other  things  besides  does  this  name,  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  imply ;  for  it  is  very 
significant,  as  we  shall  find  in  the  sequel. 

■*•'  "  Botli  Bretschneider  and  Schleusner  seem  to  have  entertained  the  idea,  that 
Christ  merely  employed  the  expression  by  way  of  accommodation.  But  thus  to 
disregard  so  much  that  is  comprised  in  it,  is  a  ci-jing  injustice,  of  whicli  Semler 
was  first  guiltj",  and  against  which  Baumgarten  Crusius  rightly  says  (Bib.  Theol. 
s.  152),  'It  was  no  mere  acconmiodation,  but  tlie  only  term  suitable  for  the  thing 
and  system  in  question.'  The  Wolfeiibuttcl  fragments,  however,  have  treated  the 
expression  worst  of  all,  and  audaciously  anssert  that  Jesus  used  it  in  no  other  sense 
than  the  ambitious  Jews,  and  thereby  betiaved  his  own  aspiring  designs." 


294  NOTES.  [EXP.  lY. 

which  the  variations,  Suadela  iCii-  oiQat'Cjr,  and  ^uudflu  jov  XQiaro?,  -will 
also  he  explained.  According  to  my  view,  none  have  brought  forward 
the  fundamental  notion  more  correctly  than  Origen  among  the  ancients, 
and  Calvin  among  the  Reformers.  The  particular  aspect  of  the  idea  which 
the  several  Fathers  of  the  church  seized  and  stated,  can  be  best  seen  in 
their  explanations  of  the  second  petition  of  the  Lord's  Prayer ;  Augustine 
especially  develops  the  subject  with  great  depth  and  fulness.  Most  of 
them  understand  by  it  the  kingdom  of  glory  ^  the  future  revelation  of  Christ. 
Origen  alone  (in  the  book  nsql  evxr\i)  endeavors  more  specifically  to 
unfold  the  idea  of  (faadeiu:  di]).of6n  t)  svxo^Bfog  ildslv  Trjv  ^uoiXbIuv  jov 
6>£o0,  nsQi  TOO  Tr\v  if  uitiCi  ^aaiXeluv  xov  Qeov  ufuielXai,  xul  xuQuocpOQriaai 
xui  jei.stbj6T]P(xi,  Bokoyuig  fiixerut.  navioq  fiev  &ylov  inb  Qeov  ^uaiXevoftivov 
y.ui  JoTg  Tii'sv/uuTixoTg  rouotg  tov  Qeov  nsidofiii'ov,  olov  el  ecvo/uov/JtvTjv  n6i.ip 
oly.ovvTog  euvtod-  nuqovjog  ttvroj  rov  najfiug  xal  avfi^^ovXevovjog  Toj  tiutqI  jov 
Xqiotov  iv  TTJ  JSTi-lnM/jEii]  V'V/r^  xuju  to  slQi^fiirov^  ov  tiqo  ^qaxiog  ifivijfio- 
vevor-  TTQog  uijov  s'Xevau/nfOu  xul  /.lov^v  ttuq    aiiiQ  noir/a/jfUFda}* 

"  After  some  intermediate  illustrations,  he  proceeds :  The  more  the 
hallowing  of  God's  name  takes  place,  the  more  also  will  his  kingdom 
come,  and  that  be  fulfilled  which  is  written,  1  Cor.  xiii.  9,  10;  and  then 
he  adds,  Trj  ovv  iv  I'lf/iP  BuaiXBiq.  JOV  6B0U  -fj  uxQOirjg  ud i aXs In jutg  nqoxoniovaiv 
ivuTi'iasvui,  or«/'  nXrjQiu6r\  id  tiuqu  iCJ  'AnoaidXu)  elQrjfiEvov,  on  6  XQicrjog, 
ntkt'jun'  uijw  jCov  i^fO^av  ■vnOTiiyivjMV ,  nuQiifiioan  ti^jJ'  ^uutXeluf  Ttu  6fa  xut 

nnTQt,  ifu  rj  6  dfbg  tun&vju  iv  naai.^s  With  these  admirable  words  let 
the  reader  compare  what  he  says  upon  the  same  subject  in  another  place, 
Hom.  xiv.  in  Matt.,^^  where  he  calls  Christ  in  his  own  person,  viewing 
him  as  the  principle  by  which  sin  is  to  be  vanquished,  the  ^itaiXeiu  ;  for 
of  the  8uadslu  in  our  text  he  says,  'That  properly  it  is  Christ  himself 
who  is  promised  to  the  poor  as  the  'tvw  puadeiu''  In  accordance  with 
these  \aews  of  the  ancient  fathers,  Calvin,  in  the  Commentary  to  his 
Harmony  upon  Matt.  vi.  10,  has  the  following  words:  '  Regnare  enim 
dicitur  Deus  inter  homines,  quum  came  sua  sub  jugum  redacta  et  suis 

cupiditatibus  valere  jussis  illi  se  rcgendos  addicunt  et  tradunt 

Quare  summa  hujus  precationis  est,  ut  Deus  verbi  sui  luce  mundum  irra- 
diet,  Spiritus  sui  afflatu  corda  fbrmet  in  obsequium  justitise  suae,  quicquid 
est  dissipatum  in  terra  suis  auspiciis  in  ordinem  restituat,  exordium  vero 
regnandi  faciat  a  subigendis  carnis  nostras  cupiditatibus.  Jam  vero,  quia 
regnum  Dei  per  continuos  progressus  augetur  usque  ad  mundi  finem, 
necesse  est  quotidie  optave  ejus  adventum.'  With  this  is  to  be  compared 
his  comment  upon  Matt.  iii.  2,  and  John  iii.  3,  where,  among  other  things, 
he  says :  Falluntur  qui  regnum  Dei  pro  cciclo  accipiunt,  cum  potius  spirit- 
ualem  vitam  significct,  (pue  fide  in  hue  mundo  inchoatur,  magisque  in  dies 
adolescit,  secundum  assiduos  fidei  progressus.'  What  Calvin,  guided  by 
a  systematic  consideration  of  texts  of  Scripture,  here  expresses,  Luther, 

3*  "It  is  cletir,  that  whoever  prays  for  the  kingdom  of  God  to  come,  prays  by 
due  inference  for  that  kingdom  to  be  set  up,  and  bear  fruit,  and  reach  perfection 
in  himself:  Inasmuch  as  every  saint  wlio  is  under  tlie  dominion  of  God,  and 
obeys  his  spiritual  laws,  <lwells,  us  it  were,  in  the  well-guvcrned  city  of  liiniself, 
the  Father  being  present  witli  him,  and  Christ  giving  counsel  with  tlie  Father  in 
the  perfect  soul,  according  to  that  text,  of  which  I  cited  a  little  ago,  'We  will 
come  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  witii  him.'  " 

'^'>  "For  those  who  incessantly  advance,  tlic  consummation  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  witliin  us  shall  commence  wlicn  tluit  saying  of  the  apostle  has  been  fulfilled, 
'That  Christ,  having  put  all  cnumics  under  liis  feet,  shall  deliver  up  the  kingdom 
to  God,  even  the  Father,  that  (iod  may  be  all  in  all.'  " 

M  Ed.  dc  la  Rue,  T.  iii..  p.  92'J. 


EXP.  IV.]  NOTES.  295 

following  the  dictates  of  his  pious  heart,  handles  in  the  beautiful  sermon. 
Oil  the  kingdom  of  God,  of  the  j'ear  1524,^"  with  which  we  may  compare 
his  exposition  of  the  eighth  Psalm,  §  22,  23.^*  We  lay  down,  accord- 
ingly, as  the  fundamental  notion  of  the  kingdom  of  God  :  A  community 
in  which  God  reigns,  and  which,  as  the  nature  of  a  right  governmeni  in- 
volves, obeys  him  not  by  constraint,  but  from  free  will  and  affection  ;  of 
which  it  follows,  as  a  necessary  consequence,  that  the  parties  are  intimately 
hound  to  each  other  in  the  mutual  interchange  of  offices  of  love.  To  estab- 
lish a  community  of  this  kind,  was  the  purpose  for  which  the  Saviour  ap- 
peared upon  the  earth ;  and  forasmuch  as  it  can  only  exist  in  perfection 
after  the  defeat  of  all  his  enemies,  1  Cor.  xv.  28 ;  Heb.  x.  13,  the  chief 
seat  of  this  kingdom  of  Christ  is,  doubtless,  in  the  world  to  come ;  and 
it  is  a  gross  error,  when  Usteri,  in  the  4th  edition  of  his  '  Pauliniseher 
Lehrbegriff,'33  follows  Eosenkranz,  and  would  persuade  us,  that  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  belongs  only  to  the  world  that  now  is.  The  prophets, 
whose  glance,  it  is  true,  took  in  the  whole  extent  of  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom, but  was  chiefly  fixed  upon  the  period  of  its  completion,  were  thereby 
led  to  place  it  at  the  end  of  time,  and,  in  like  manner,  most  of  the  texts 
of  the  New  Testament  promise  it  as  something  beyond  the  grave.  See 
this  done,  for  example,  by  the  Evangelists,  Matt.  xiii.  43  ;  xxv.  34  ;  xxvi. 
29  ;  Mark  ix.  47  ;  Luke  xiii.  29  ;  and  equally  so,  though  many  call  this 
into  question,  by  the  apostles,  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10  ;  Gal.  v.  21  ;  Eph.  v.  5 ; 
1  Cor.  XV.  50;  2  Tliess.  i.  5;  2  Tim.  iv.  1,  18;  2  Pet.  i.  11 ;  Acts  xiv. 
22.  Those  expositors,  accordingly,  who,  like  Koppe  and  Keil,  understood 
by  the  ^mrileiu  rov  deov,  Christ's  kingdom  in  the  world  to  come,  take  what 
is  certainl}^  a  partial  view ;  stiil,  however,  they  have  more  truth  on  their 
side  than  their  opponents.  B.ut  it  was  a  very  awkward  evasion  of  the 
contrary  texts  to  which  they  had  recourse,  when  they,  moreover,  added 
that  '  sometimes  the  term  denotes  the  institutions  preparatory  to  God's 
kingdom  in  the  world  to  come,'  and  expounded  such  passages  as  Mark 
xii.  34,  as  follows :  '  Thou  art  upon  the  right  way  to  the  kingdom  of  God 
hereafter.'  They  would  have  done  much  better  to  allow  that  the  ^uadslu 
is  unquestionably  represented  m  the  New  Testament  as  already  come,  al- 
though but  in  its  commencement.  The  kingdom  of  God  has  hereafter  in 
fact  become  existent  in  time,  by  the  appearance  in  human  nature  of  him, 
who  could  say  of  himself, '  I  always  do  the  things  that  please  the  Father,' 
He  who  is  the  king  is  likewise  the  first  citizen  of  the  kingdom  of  God ; 
and  if  we  interpret  the  ivTog  in  the  text  Luke  xvii.  21,  among,  which  is 
the  right  way,  then  Christ  himself  declares,  that  with  his  person  God's 
kingdom  in  eternity  first  became  a  kingdom  in  time.  He  commands  us, 
moreover,  daily  to  pray  that  his  kingdom  may  come ;  and  the  more  that 
that  life  which  is  in  him  is  diff"used  among  mankind,  the  more  do  they  cease 
to  be  disobedient  subjects  of  God.  As  now  present,  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  represented  in  Matt.  xi.  12;  xii.  28;  xvi.  9;  Mark  xii.  34;  Luke  xvi. 
16;  xvii.  20;  and  in  the  Epistles,  Rom.  xiv.  17;  1  Cor.  iv.  20;  Col.  i. 
13;  iv.  11.  Heb.  xii.  28.  Now,  when  we  consider  that  thus  both  the 
first  Gospels  and  Paul  represent  the  kingdom  of  God  as  future,  and  yet 
at  the  same  time  speak  of  it  as  liaving  already  come,  we  perceive  a  re- 
markable point  of  coincidence  between  them  and  John  with  respect  to 
the  doctrine  which  has  ever  been  regarded  as  peculiar  to  that  apostle : 
viz.,  That  life  eternal  commences  here  in  timc.^" 

37  Walch,  vol.  xii.,  p.  1933.  '<  Walch,  vol.  v..  p.  294.  ^^  P.  371. 

*°  "The  two  passages  in  wiuc'!i  this  Eva;)<^elist  my.itious  the  iiaaiXsia  rov  deov. 


296  NOTES.  [EXP,  IV. 

"  After  thus  defining  the  (^nadEla  t  o  0  0  s  o  C  ,  wo  learn  how  the 
fiaadela  x  ov  X  q  i  a  v  o  v  and  the  ^aatleln  rCov  o  v  q  a  r  ib  v  \n  Matthew 
are  to  be  explained.  The  kingdom  of  Christ  denotes  just  the  reign  of 
God,  conceived  as  carried  on  through  the  mediation  of  Christ.^'  Hence 
the  more  power  God  acquires  over  us,  and  the  more  we  become  his 
children,  the  more  does  the  Son  deliver  up^^  f\^(,  kingdom  to  the  Father, 
until  that  full  delivery,  whereof  St.  Paul  speaks,  1  Cor.  xv.  28.  Ov^aioi 
is  not,  according  to  the  Rabinnical  7(sus  loquendi,  synonymous  with 
God,^^  but  denotes  the  world  that  lies  beyond,  and  is  elevated  above  the 
present  sphere  of  time  and  sense.  Some  passages  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  are  explanatory  of  this,  particularly  c.  xii.,  and  the  expression 
of  St.  Paul,  i)  u''M  '  leoovanX/fU. 

"  In  order  fully  to  elucidate  the  idea,  we  should  now  necessarily  re- 
quire to  enter  upon  a  similar  consideration  of  the  terms  which  are  in 
various  respects  analogous:  «/a)»'  fiei.XMi\  oixovftivi]  ftiXkovaa,  inxltjala. 
This,  however,  would  carry  us  too  far." — Tholuck. 

Note  B,  p.  131. 

Tlie  following  remarks  on  four  of  the  beatitudes  are  just  and  beau- 
tiful. "  Happiness  or  rest  of  soul,  our  Divine  Saviour  well  knew,  was 
the  great  object  of  man,  and  to  this,  therefore,  he  ever  applies  himself. 
'  Hap'py^  says  he,  '  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;  happy  are  the  meek  ;  happy 
are  the  mercifid  ;  happy  are  the  pure  in  heart.'  The  plainness  and  sim- 
plicity of  these  sayings  may  lead  the  superficial  to  overlook  their  force 
and  fulness.  But  if  ever  there  was  weight  of  sentiment  and  language  it 
is  here  ;  or  if  ever  truth  was  rendered  attractive  by  the  mode  of  exhibi- 
tion, it  is  in  these  instances.  It  is  common  to  inculcate  good  temper  and 
right  conduct,  as  matter  of  duty  ;  but  here  they  are  pressed  upon  us  as 
the  ingredients  of  inward  happiness.  And  on  a  moment's  calm  reflec- 
tion, M'c  do  not  ourselves  see  them  to  be  so  ?  Humility  is  the  parent 
of  contentment,  because  it  restrains  all  arrogance  of  demand,  all  exorbit- 
ance of  desire.  It  fits  a  man  to  his  situation,  and  makes  him  content 
with  what  he  hath.  Meekness  consists  in  equability  of  temper,  in  gen- 
tleness of  mind,  in  immovable  self-possession.  Is  not  this  itself  a 
security  for  happiness  %  for  how  many  of  the  miseries  of  life  do  we  clearly 
sec  arising  from  the  want  of  this  invaluable  temper?  Mercifulness, 
too,  is  another  great  component  of  happiness.  We  are  made  for 
action  and  for  society ;  and  what  can  so  secure  to  us  the  happiness 
of  active  and  social  beings,  as  a  taste  for,  and  a  delight  in,  doing 
good  ?  '  It  blesseth  him  that  gives,  and  him  that  takes,'  says  a  great 
master  of  human  nature.  But  a  far  greater  master  has  carried  it  still 
higher.  '  It  is,'  said  he,  '  more  blessed  to  give  than  receive.'  Purity  of 
heart  implies  a  superiority  of  soul  to  everything  low  and  brutish,  to 
everything  selfish  and  mean,  a  freedom  from  little  views  and  sinister 
L-nds,  and,  on  the  contrary,  a  relish  and  love  of  everything  really  great 

ill.  3  ;  xviii.  36,  have  been  usually  referred  to  the  life  hereafter,  but  unjustly  ;  the 
latter  merely  afiBrms  that  tiie  dominion  of  Christ  did  not  take  its  rise  from  the 
relations  of  the  present  life — wk  IotIv  Ik  tov  Korr/iov  rovror — and  hence  is  not  in 
its  appearance  like  an  earthly  {government     Luke  xvii.  20  is  a  parallel." 

*'  J.  Gerhard's  J<oci  Tiieolojrici,  toin.  xx.,  p.  122,  123. 

<2  napaiVl),  restore,  bring  back.  Vide  "Storr,  i)ii  not.  cajl.  reg."  Opusc.  L,  274, 
275.— J.  B. 

43  Baumgarten  Crusius,  Bibl.  'fheologie,  p.  151. 


EXP.  IV.]  NOTES.  297 

and  good.  This  our  Redeemer  places  next  after  mercy,  because  it  is 
necessary  to  the  reality,  as  well  as  the  duration,  of  mercy :  a  wronjr  end 
spoiling  the  temper  as  surely  as  it  warps  the  principles  ;  on  which  St. 
James  has  given  the  noblest  comment,  when  he  says,  that  '  the  wisdom 
from  above  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be  entreaterj. 
full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  without  hypocrisy  ;' 
a  sentence  which  deserves  to  be  written  in  letters  of  gold." — Alexandek 
Knox,  Remains,  III.,  386,  387. 

Note  C,  p.  168. 

"  'Pntiu.  from  the  Syriac,  i^P".  which  is  from  the  Hebrew  P"i.  mean- 
ing  an  empty,  insignificant,  worthless  fellow.  Mw^l^  from  the  Hebrew 
'T^'i,  which  signifies  a  rebellious  man — an  apostate  ;  a  more  bitter  term 
of  reproach  than  the  former.  Both  these  terms  should  be  preserved  in 
a  translation,  as  they  were  used  in  a  general  and  indecisive  acceptation. 
The  latter  word,  Maoi^  from  being  rendered  in  an  expression  by  no 
means  equivalent,  has  occasioned  embarrassment  to  some,  as  our  Saviour 
himself  calls  the  Pharisees  '  fools  ;'  Matt.  xxii.  17,  19  ;  and  employs  the 
word  on  other  occasions,  and  so  does  his  Apostle  Paul."  "  In  a  treatise  of 
Maimonides,  '  concerning  offences  of  ignorance  and  inadvertency.'  iii.  7, 
'  the  man  who  commits  a  sin  in  direct  violation  of  the  law  of  God,  and 
in  perverse  opposition  to  his  express  will,  is  called  ~'''^,  a  rebel  or  an 
apostate — a  term  implying  the  highest  enormity,  and  most  aggravated 
guilt.  What  a  mortal  antipathy  the  Jews  bore  against  an  apostate  from 
their  religion,  may  be  seen  from  the  conduct  of  Mattathias,  as  related  in 
the  first  book  of  Maccabees,  and  Joseph.  Antiq.  Jud.  xii.  8.'  "—Wakefield. 

"  It  seems  odd,  that  when  the  Jews  had  been  just  before  reprimanded 
for  calling  any  one  Raka,  a  Syriac  term  of  reproach,  they  should  here  be 
warned  against  calling  him  /'K'^s,  tkoic/ool,  as  more  aggravating.  There 
is  not  the  same  scale  in  the  crime  as  in  the  punishment.  Nay,  fiojQt  in 
Greek,  does  not  signify  so  much  as  Raka  in  Syriac  ;  and  therefore  should 
not  be  interpreted  at  all  any  more  than  Raka,  or  at  least  should  not  have 
been  interpreted  by  the  Greek  word  /'wot,  tkou  fool.  It  is  properly 
Syriac,  and  comes  from  the  Hebrew  T-,  which  signifies  rebellious, 
stubborn,  apostate.  Deut.  xxi.  18,  20  ;  Numb.  xx.  10 ;  Psal.  xxviii.  23." 
— Sykes.  "This  observation  is  certainly  just." — Dr.  Henry  Owen. 
Bishop  Pearce  also  accords  with  this  exegesis. 

Note  C,'^  p.  180. 

Swear  not  at  all. — '  Let  your  communication  be  yea,  yea ;  nay,  nay.' 
"  Not  one  of  the  oaths  which  our  Lord  chooses  as  an  illustration  of  his 
prohibition,  is  a  judicial  oath.  Every  one  of  them  is  just  the  kind  of 
oath  which,  from  the  analogy  of  other  nations,  we  should  suppose  would 
be  used  in  familiar  discourses.  The  communication  (J^oYog'j^  which  is  to 
be  '  yea,  yea ;  nay,  nay,'  cannot,  without  a  most  strange  use  of  language, 
include  a  formal  legal  procedure." — "There  are  some  of  you  who  think 
that  you  must  be  very  careful  of  using  the  word  God  in  your  familiar 
talk,  because  God  hath  set  apart  that  for  solemn  purposes  ;  but  you  do 
not  think  much  of  swearing  by  heaven,  or  by  earth,  or  by  Jerusalem,  or 
by  your  head, — you  do  not  care  how  lightly  you  use  these  oaths.  Now, 
whether  you  knew  it  or  not,  this  arises  from  want  of  reverence  of  God. 


298  T^OTES.  [EXP.  IV. 

You  think  it  is  just  the  name  that  is  sacred.  Oh,  no  !  Everything  is 
sacred.  God  is  in  everything.  Loolc  up  to  the  wide  heaven  over  your 
head,  God  is  there  ;  the  sun  speaks  of  him ;  the  firmament  speaks  of 
him.  Look  at  the  earth,  God  is  there;  every  tree,  and  plant,  and  flower 
speaks  of  him.  Go  into  Jerusalem,  there  is  the  temple  in  which  God 
has  promised  to  dwell.  Think  of  your  head,  there  is  a  witness  for  God  ; 
it  is  he  who  preserves  every  hair  of  it.  I  say,  then,  '  Swear  not  at  all.' 
If  you  trifle  with  an  oath,  you  trifle  with  God,  in  whose  presence  j'ou 
are  living,  and  moving,  and  having  your  being." — Maurice,  iii.  34, 
35-42,  43. 

Note  D,  p.  186. 

"  Tlie  question,  whether  a  really  absolute  universality  and  literal  ful- 
fdment  pertain  to  these  words,  must  be  determined,  first,  from  the 
vjliole  Christian  doctrine,  then  from  the  connection,  and  in  fine,  from  other 
declarations  of  Scripture,  especially  Christ's  own  behavior,  and  that  of 
his  disciples. 

"  In  regard  to  the  first  of  theae  topics,  it  may  be  said  as  follows  : — 
Tlie  Christian,  in  the  perfected  state,  is  the  child  of  his  heavenly  Father;" 
and,  consequently,  xottMfo;  ttj;  Ofhtg  qwaeoig,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  Goodness  in 
him  must  hence  resmble  that  of  his  original,  and  thus  his  love  bear  the 
character  of  the  love  of  God.  The  love  of  God,  however,  is  always  ac- 
companied Avith  holiness  and  wisdom,  and  being  so,  it  stands  in  its  rela- 
tion to  evil,  not  merely  in  attitude  of  defence,  but  also  of  restraint  and 
punishment,  partly  according  to  the  inward  necessity  of  the  Divine 
nature,  partly  for  the  good  of  the  sinner  himself,  and  partly  for  the  ad- 
vantage of  human  society.  In  the  same  way,  then,  the  love  of  the  Chris- 
tian in  relation  to  evil  must  not  manifest  merely  passive  submission,  ex- 
cept in  such  measure  as  )iot  to  comproniisc  the  honor  and  holiness  of 
God  among  men,  in  the  first  place  ;  the  good  of  the  sinner  in  the  second  ; 
and,  in  fine,  the  interests  of  human  society.  On  the  contrary,  when  this 
is  the  case,  even  the  Christian's  love  in  relation  to  evil,  must  become 
restraining  and  punitive.  Considering,  however,  that  in  a  community, 
the  exercise  of  this  restraining  and  punitive  love  cannot  be  conceded  to 
every,  individual,  inasmuch  as  the  individual  wants  the  power,  or,  by 
reason  of  excited  passion,  the  wisdom  requisite,  the  office  of  punitive  love 
has,  by  Divine  appointment,  been  devolved  upon  the  magistracy,  in 
which  those  qualities  necessary  for  its  exercise  are  united,  and  has  con- 
tinued with  indi.viduals,  as  e.  g.  with  the  father  of  a  family,  only  in  such 
measure  as,  the  magistracy  invests  them  with.-i^  Thus,  viewed  with 
reference  to  the  whole  systern  of  Christian  truth,  our  saying  acquires  the 
fijllowing  import :  '  To  such  an  extent  ought  ye,  my  disciples,  to  be  free 
from  the  desire  of  revenge,  as  that,  except  where  the  honor  of  God,  and 
the  good  of  your  injurer  and  the  community,  exact  of  you  the  contrary, 
you  ought,  in  patient  self-denial,  to  do  more  than  even  what  insolence 
demands  from  you.' 

"To  this  restriction,  the  context  is  at  least  not  opposed,  for  the  aim  of 
the  preccjtt  is  not  to  limit  the  ininishment  of  the  wicked,  but  the  desire 
of  vengeance  in  Ciirist's  disciples.  Nay,  that  the  restriction  much  rather 
emanates  from  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  will  be  established  by  other 
Biblical  declarations.  Here  we  liavc  chiefly  to  consider  the  kind  of  way 
in  which  the  apostle  Paul  expresses  himself,  in  the  particular  passages 
<*  See  ver.  45,  and  p.  145,  <fcc.  *'  Tliis  is  a  (iuestiouiible  tboor}'. — J.  B. 


EXP.  IV.]  NOTES.  299 

where  he  delivers  admonitions  referring  to  the  commandments  of  Christ. 
At  1  Cor.  vi.  7,  he  does  not  call  it  a  ■nu^i'tmutj.ta  of  the  Corinthian  Church, 
that  they  had  gone  to  law  with  one  another,  but  a  \TiTifin.  Jiu  il,  says 
he,  ov;(i  firjXXoi'  udtxnaOf.  .  .  .  ixlh'x  iifntg  uSiy.Hre.  .  .  .  xi'l  tuvtoc 
udeXcpovg.  Here  tlie  precept  of  Christ  appears,  in  that  less  harsh  form  in 
which  every  reader  of  sound  sense  takes  it  up  at  the  first  approach,  with 
an  ou/l  fiullor.  With  this  we  have  to  conjoin  the  well  known  diet.  prob. 
in  Paul  and  Peter,  respecting  the  magistracy  :  (^fov  diuxofog  iartf, 
txSixog  fig  ooj'r/j'  tw  to  yixxui-  nqdaaovji ;  and  moreover,  the  passages 
where  Jesus  permits  his  followers  to  withdraw  from  persecution  by 
fiight. 

"  As  regards  Christ's  own  behavior,  and  that  of  the  apostles,  we  have, 
John  xviii.  23,  the  example,  that  when  he  was  smitten  upon  the  cheek, 
he  does  not  literally  fulfil  the  precept ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  asks  of  him 
who  did  the  violence,  'If  I  have  spoken  well,  why  smitest  thou  me?' 
Paul,  too,  everywhere  acts  in  such  a  wa,y,  as  to  recognize  the  punitive 
office  of  the  magistrate,  and  when  exposed  to  injustice,  in  place  of  suffer- 
ing patiently,  appeals  to  them,  Acts,  xvi.  35-40 ;  xxii.  23-29  ;  xxv. 
9-11."— Tholuck. 

Note  F,  p.  190. 

Chrysostom's  view  of  the  course  of  thought  in  this  paragraph  is  finely 
conceived,  and  most  felicitously  expressed.  "  ElSeg  oaovg  dci'edij  ^udftoig, 
xixi  nibg  eig  (xirriv  i^ftag  ttji'  y.oQvcf.^v  tOTi^ufi  ii]g  ugsirig  ;  axunei  da  evudsf 
i()idjit(i)i"  TTQ'Jndg  eoTTi  (iixdf/og,  |Mtj  Hq/fiv  uSiy.lag-  dfvTf(jog,  /ueiu  to  &Q^acr6ut, 
jov  uaiicovvTtt  Tolg  i'aoig  firi  (xuv>'6a6(tf  iQliog,  ,m»j  doaaut  lof  tni}qe6.1^Qviu 
TttVTu  &  snudsp,  dlX'  ■fjov^f'icaaf  ihaQTog,  to  xui  nuQitaxtlv  kaviov  eig  to 
nadslv  xccKwg-  nEfinrog^ro  xui  tiXeov  naqaaxtl*',  ^  ixflvog  ^ovXetui  6  noiriaag- 
ixTog,  TO  fiTj  fiiar^aui  xbv  juvtu.  iqyttt^ouF.fOv  iSSouog,  to  x«i  ayixniiaui'  oydoog, 
TO  )tul  BuBqysTr\(Tuf  et'vuzog,  to  xvtl  Osov  ineq   uvrou  nuQaxalflv  eldsg  vifiog 

(pilogocpiug  ;"  "  Do  you  observe  the  scale  he  has  ascended,  and  how  he 
has  placed  us  upon  the  pinnacle  of  virtue  ?  Contemplate  the  enumera- 
tion from  the  beginning.  The  first  step  is,  not  to  begin  injuring ;  the 
second,  after  injury  has  been  done,  not  to  retaliate  like  for  like  upon  the 
injurer ;  the  third,  not  to  inflict  the  same  on  the  offender  that  one  has 
suffered,  but  to  be  quiet ;  the  fourth,  to  yield  ourself  to  suffer  evil ;  the 
fifth,  to  yield  more  than  he  who  did  the  evil  wishes ;  the  sixth,  not  to 
hate  him  who  did  such  things ;  the  seventh,  even  to  love  him  ;  the  eighth, 
to  do  him  good  ;  the  ninth,  to  pray  to  God  for  him.  Do  you  mark  the 
summit  of  philosophy  ■?" 

Note  G.  p.  211. 

"  On  the  richness  of  the  contents  of  this  prayer,  Tertullian,  in  his  day, 
expresses  himself  with  great  force,  'De  orat.'  c.  1 :  'Brevitas  ista  .... 
magnag  ac  beatce  interpretationis  substantia  fulta  est,  quantumque  sub- 
stringitur  verbis,  tantum  diffunditur  sensibus,  ncque  cnim  propria  tantum 
orationis  officia  complexa  est,  venerationem  Dei,  aut  hominis  petitionem, 
sed  omncm  pasne  sermonem  Domini,  omnem  commemorationem  dis- 
ciplinse,  ut  revera  in  oratione  breviarium  totius  Evangeln  comprehendatur.'' 

'•  We  must  beware' of  underlaying  with  logical  schemes,  according  to 
the  forms  of  the  school,  the  discourses  of  the  Lord  and  his  r.poslles.  In 
the  language  of  God  to  mankind,  Koundiug  from  the  kingdom  of  grace, 


300 


NOTES. 


[EXP.  rv. 


equally  with  that  which  addresses  us  from  the  kingdom  of  nature,  an 
order  of  a  loftier  kind  than  the  formally  logical  prevails.  Just  at  the 
point  where  the  square  of  our  logic  will  no  longer  fit,  commence  the  con- 
fines of  a  higher  realm.  The  discourses  of  men  of  God  do  not  need  to  be 
dressed  into  French  gardens  by  the  scholastic  shears  of  a  Lampe  and  a 
Baumgarten,  in  order  to  acquire  order  and  connection.  They  are  like  an 
English  park,  where  grove  and  meadow  variously  alternate,  but  where, 
through  all  the  seeming  confusion,  the  law  of  beauty  and  order  of  a 
higher  sort  is  yet  maintained.  It  would,  however,  be  running  into 
extremes  on  the  opposite  side,  were  we  to  discard  every  proof  of  a  strict 
logical  arrangement. 

"  This  prayer  contains  a  sacred  heptad  of  petitions,  which  separate  into 
two  halves.  The  first  expresses  God's  relation  towards  us,  the  latter  our 
relation  towards  God.  The  three  opening  petitions  unfold  gradually  one 
thought :  1.  God  jnust  be  acknowledged  to  be  what  he  is  ;  2.  Then  does 
he  reign  over  man  ;  3.  Thereby  will  the  earth  be  at  last  glorified  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In  like  manner,  the  four  last  petitions  contains 
a  progression  which  runs  parallel.  Supplication  begins  with  what  is 
inferior,  entreating  first  for  earthly  necessaries,  and  then  for  spiritual 
blessings  :  1.  for  the  removal  of  past  guilt ;  2.  for  protection  from  guilt 
to  come ;  3.  for  final  deliverance  from  all  sin  and  evil.'*"  Hereupon  is 
appended  an  epilogue,  belonging,  indeed,  to  a  later  period,  but  exceed- 
ingly well  suited  to  the  place  it  occupies,  and  which,  once  more  in  a  triad, 
states  the  grounds  of  the  Christian's  assurance  of  fliith.  This  train  of 
ideas  is  set  forth,  still  more  strictly  arranged,  in  the  following  scheme  by 
Dr.  Weber,  in  the  program  of  1828,  to  which  we  have  referred. 


UpoXuyog. 

1)  ■Ku.Tep. 

2)  i^fiuv. 

3)  6  kv  Tolc 
ovpavolg. 


Aoyof. 


Evxai- 

1)  ayLaadiQTo)  to 
ovo/xu  aov. 

2)  i}M:Tu  11  (ia- 
aiTiEia  aov. 

3)  -yEVtjOTJTO)     TO 

di?i.7}/j.d      cav 


aintifiaTa. 

1)  TOV    upTOV    TjflUV    TOV 

incovaiov    doc    7//J.IV 
a?jjUEpov. 

2)  Kal     dipec     Vixtv     Tu. 

6(j)ei?,7/flUTa    KTA. 

3)  Kal  fiTj  elaeviyrii 
rjfidg  eig  neipaa/iov 
kt'A. 


'ETt'/loyof. 

\)  OTL  aov  t<J- 
Tiv    i]    8a- 

aiTi-Eia. 

2)  aov      taTiv 
7/  livvofiic. 

3)  aov      iariv 
7/  66^0. 


The  first  ei'X']  and  the  first  (/('(/;,«.«,  Dr.  Weber  refers  to  theology,  the 
second  ev^f^  and  nhtjuu  to  Christology,  the  third  fvx^h  with  the  third 
uirrjftu.  to  pneumatology,  or  angelology  and  demonology.  It  is  more 
correct  to  say,  that  the  disposition  of  these  petitions  is  founded  in  the 
economy  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  which  economy  here,  as  is  also  often 
the  o^ise  elsewhere,  appears  as  the  deeper  basis  of  our  logical  order  of  the 
triad.  The  acknowledr/ment  of  the  iiature  of  the  Godhead  as  holy,  relates 
)i)ainly  to  the  Father.,  as  the  '''■{'XH-  His  re'igii  in  mankind  is  carried  on 
thi-(jiigh  the  mediation  of  the  Son.  It  attains  its  completion  through  the 
Spirit.,  in  which  the  Father  and  Son  preside  in  the  church,  so  that  the 
Divine  will  is  executed  upon  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  In  the  same  way, 
the  aupport  of  the  bodily  existence  relates  to  the  '  opus  creationis  etcon- 
servationis,'  consequently,  chiefly   to    the  econ<^)niy   of  the  Father.,   the 

<'  Bengel:  "Tres  reliqum  rogationes  spectaiit  vitro  spiritualis  in  imiiulo  initium, 
progrftssiim,  cxitnm,  rogantcsque  coiifitciitiir  noii  soluin  dc  sua  iiuligeutia,  sed 
etiam  de  reatu,  pprienlo  et  angiistilK.  Qiunn  Iir'o  ainota  siiiif,  Dcus  est  illis  oninift 
in  omnibus,  ]*cr  rogationes  trea  primas."     Comj)arc  Augustine  and  Calvin. 


EXP.  IV.]  NOTES.  301 

doing  away  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  to  the  economy  of  the  Son,  protection 
from  the  power  of  temptation,  and  ultimate  subjective  redemption  from 
evil,  to  the  economy  of  the  Spirit." — Tholuck. 

"  Considered  as  a  whole,  our  Lord's  prayer  contains  only  one  thought, 
or  idea,  the  longing  after  the  kingdom  of  God,*'  to  which  all  the  prayers 
of  the  children  of  God  (as  those  whom  Jesus  here  teaches  to  pray)  as- 
pire. But  this  one  idea  must  be  viewed  as  having  two  references ;  Jirsi, 
with  regard  to  tlie  relation  of  God  to  men,  which  is  expressed  in  the 
three  first  petitions,  which  represent  the  kingdom  of  God  as  still  per- 
fecting itself,  wherein  that  which  is  God's  highest  object  is  uttered  in  the 
form  of  a  wish ;  secondly,  with  regard  to  the  relation  of  men  to  God, 
which  is  expressed  in  the  four  last  petitions,  in  which  are  reviewed  the 
obstacles  to  the  progress  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  In  the  Jirst  part, 
therefore,  the  discourse  begins  with  the  riches  of  God. 

"  Thy  name  be  hallowed, 

"  Thy  kingdom  come, 

"  Thy  will  be  done. 
"  In  the  second  part,  on  the  contrary,  it  commences  with  the  poverty 
of  man. 

"  Us  give  daily  bread, 

"  Us  forgive  our  debts, 

"  Us  lead  not  into  temptation, 

"  Us  deliver  from  evil, 
"  In  the  very  significant  doxology  is  expressed  the  certain  hope  that 
the  prayer  will  be  heard,  a  hope  which  is  founded  on  the  nature  of  the 
unchangeable  God  himself,  who,  as  the  highest  good,   will   realize   the 
good  at  his  appearance  (the  kingdom  of  God)." — Olshausen. 

It  is  impossible  to  express  in  too  strong  terms,  pity  and  disapproba- 
tion at  the  want  of  spiritual  perspicacity  and  sensibility,  and  the  impious 
arrogance,  manifested  in  the  judgments  given  of  this  prayer,  by  two  ra- 
tionalist German  theologians,  Shulz  and  MoUer. 

The  former  theologian  is  of  opinion  that  "  The  want  of  all  coherence 
and  all  natural  connection  between  the  several  petitions,  which  could 
scarcely  be  excused  in  a  suppliant  praying  with  the  most  unbridled 
fancy,  far  less  in  one  so  reflective  and  considerate  as  Jesus,  makes  it  im- 
possible to  suppose  that  the  prayer  forms  a  connected  whole."*^  And 
Moller  says,  "  In  short,  the  moment  we  regard  the  prayer  as  connected, 
we  perceive  in  it  so  many  defects,  that  one  does  not  understand  why 
Jesus  did  not  deliver  something  moi*e  perfect."  !  ! 

The  best  expositions  of  this  prayer  we  are  acquainted  with,  are  to  be 
found  in  "  Chemnitii  Harmonia  Evang."  Tom.  I, ;  •'  Amyraldi  Exercit. ;" 
and  '•  Witsii  Exercit.  Sac,"  of  which  we  have,  what  is  a  very  uncommon 
thing,  a  really  good  translation  by  my  esteemed  friend,  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Pringle.  Augustine's  short  commentary,  and  Nosselt's  notes  in 
his  "  Exercitationes,"  are  worth  consulting.      Stapfer's  and  Brunning's 

^^  Luther,  therefore,  justly  says:  "The  true  Christian  says  an  evcrlasti7ig  'Our 
P'ather,'  namely,  in  so  far  as  all  his  longing  is  concentrated  in  the  idea  of  the 
kingdom  of  God." 

^'  "Schulz  supposes  that  the  prayer  is  to  be  taken  up  as  follows — 'When  you 
want  to  make  a  priyer  of  adoration  to  the  Father  of  universal  nature,  thus 
speak  :  0  thou,  who  art  our  Father,  and  the  Father  of  all  thy  creatures,  highly 
exalted,  let  thy  praise  be  our  continual  employment.'  2.  'Or  when  you  wish  to 
pray  for  the  acceleration  of  the  commencement  of  my  religion,  speak  .  .  .  ' 
3.  'Or  when  you  wish  to  pray  to  God  for  the  utmost  happiness  of  mankind,  con- 
aibtiug  in  the  willing  observance  of  his  precepts,  saj'     .     .     . 


302  NOTES.  [EXP.  rv. 

learned  and  injrenious  dissertations,  in  the  first  and  second  volumes  of 
the  "  Tempe  Helvetica,"  are  curiosities  of  their  kind.  These  good  men 
find  all  the  minute  particulars  of  a  very  artificial  system,  and  all  the 
leading  events  of  the  future  history  of  the  Christian  church,  in  this  sim- 
ple prayer.  I  am  afraid,  they  have  rather  put  them  into,  than  drawn 
them  out  of  it.  The  brief  exposition  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  in  the  West- 
minster Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism,  is  admirable.  That  in  their 
Larger  Catechism  is  excellent  also,  only  not  a  very  few  sincere  Chris- 
tians would  rather  deprecate  than  supplicate,  as  they  direct  us  to  do  un- 
der the  second  petition,  that  "  the  church  should  be  maintained  by  the 
civil  magistrates."  The  Rev.  David  Duncan's  little  volume  deserves  to 
have  for  its  motto,  ''Multum  in  Parvo." 

Some  learned  interpreters — among  the  rest  Lightfoot,  in  his  "  Horae 
Hebraic£e  ct  Talmudicte ;"  Witsius,  in  his  "  Exercitatioues  Sacrse ;" 
Schottgen,  in  his  "  ITorte  Hebraicss ;"  Vitringa,  in  his  work  "  De  Syn- 
agoga ;"  and  Wetstein  in  his  '■  Commentary," — have  endeavored  to 
show,  that  in  his  prayer  are  many  forms  of  expression,  which  the  Jews 
of  that  age  were  accustomed  to  use  in  their  prayers.  Some  have  even 
gone  so  fiir  as  to  hold,  that  the  whole  of  the  petitions  are  to  be  found 
word  for  word  nearlj^  in  the  liturgies  which  it  is  supposed  the  Jews 
about  this  period  began  to  use  in  their  synagogues.  With  regard  to 
this  question,  1  am  much  disposed  to  acquiesce  in  the  opinion  of  the  ju- 
dicious and  eloquent  Vernede  : — Divers  s^avans  ont  sontenu  qu'il  jugea 
a  propos  d'en  empruuter  tons  les  articles  des  anciennes  liturgies  des 
Juifs,  ou  des  eerits  des  docteurs  de  cette  nation.  Mais  d'abord  on  auroit 
de  la  peine  a  prouver  que  des  lors  il  y  eut  des  liturgies  universellement 
revues  dans  cette  eglise.  De  plus,  il  est  certain  que  plusieurs  des 
ouvrages,  auxquels  on  en  appelle,  sont  posterieurs  a  I'ere  chretienne :  Et 
les  passages  qu'on  en  produit  en  preuve  n'ont  ricn  moins  qu'une  conform- 
ite  exacte  et  fi-ippante ;  quelquefois  n'ont  qu'un  rapport  asses  cloigne 
avec  ceux  qu'on  pretend  en  avoir  ete  deduits.  Aiusi  nous  ne  sqaurions 
adopter  cette  hypothese." — Sermons  sur  le  discours  sur  la  montagne. — 
Vol.  III.,  Ser.  XXII,,  pp.  42,  43. 


Note  H,  p.  222. 

"The  Epilogue, "Ort  CToD  tffT<i' i^7^«CTtA,6^«  x.T.i.  The  authenticity  of 
these  words  has  been  strongly  assailed  by  criticism.  Taking  the  data  as 
they  at  present  lie  before  us,  we,  too,  can  do  nothing  else  than  decide 
against  their  genuineness,  inclusively  of  the  "/"!''.  Were  we,  however, 
to  proceed  entirely  upon  internal  evidences  in  answering  the  question, 
our  verdict  would  certainly  be  very  different.  Nothing  could  be  a 
greater  mistake  than  for  Wetstein  to  think  of  demonstrating  the  spu- 
riousness  of  the  epilogue  from  the  circumstance,  that  it  jiuts  the  14th 
verse  too  far  from  the  first  petition,  which,  however,  it  should  help  to 
elucidate,  as  if  the  sixth  and  seventh  petitions  did  not  intervene  to  sep- 
arate them — and  further,  by  saying,  that,  when  cou|>led  with  the  sixth 
])etition,  the  words  appear  inapposite,  and,  wh(>n  referred  l)ack  to  the 
three  first,  tautological.  Much  more  does  this  cpij^honema  finely  ex- 
press the  foundation  of  hope,  on  which  all  the  prayers  of  the  suppliant 
rest,  so  that  we  acquiesce  entirely  in  the  opinion  of  ('alvin,  who  says 
of  the  clause:  '  Tara  aptc  quadrat.  Neque  eniin,'  he  proceeds,  '  ideo 
solum  addita  est,  ut  corda  nostra  ad  expetendam  Dei  gloriam  accendat, 


EXP.  IV.]  NOTES.  303 

et  adraoiieat,  quisnam  esse  debeat  votoriim  nostronim  scopus,  sed  etiam 
ut  doeeat,  preces  nostras,  qufe  hie  nobis  dictatte  sunt,  non  alibi,  qiiam  in 
Deo  solo  fundatas  esse,  ne  propriis  meritis  nitamur.'  Bengcl,  however, 
comes  to  the  aid  of  the  Latin  codices,  which  omit  the  words,  with  the 
observation  drawn  deep  from  the  spirit  of  Christianity :  '  Celebramns 
eum  (patrem  crelestem)  tali  fere  modo,  quo  peregrinantes  et  militantes 
contenti  esse  debemus.  Ubi  ad  metam  pervenerit  nniversitas  filiorum 
Dei,  mera  fiet  in  coelo  doxologia ;  venit  regnum  ejus,  facta  est  voluntas 
ejus,  remisit  nobis  peccata,  &c.  ;  pi'ajsertim  tempori  illi,  quo  Dominus 
hanc  formulara  discipulis  prasscripsit,  convenientior  erat  rogatio,  quam 
hymnus.  Jesus  nondum  erat  glorificatus,'  &c.  But  in  this  observation, 
the  point  is  overlooked  upon  which  most  depends,  viz.,  that  we  have 
here,  according  to  Heumann's  correct  remark,  the  doxology  under  an 
aitiological  form.  It  is  not  a  burst  of  emotion  swelling  over  into  a 
hynni.  It  is  much  more  an  intensified  'i^u^i",  specifying  the  basis  upon 
which  the  suppliant  places  his  confidence.  The  internal  evidences,  ac- 
cordingly, could  not  make  us  at  all  dubious  of  the  authenticity  of  the 
words — barring  the  single  circumstance,  that  the  order  of  the  three  pre- 
dicates paodeiii^  ()viixuig  and  d6$u  would  correspond  better  with  the  three 
triads  of  petitions,  if  the  (K'ntyig  stood  before  the  BnaiUUt.  It  is  evidence 
of  an  external  kind  which  determines  the  point. 

"  The  critical  proofs  of  the  spuriousness  of  the  passage  are  to  be  found 
developed  in  Bengel,  Appar.  crit.  p.  459.  Jac.  Breitinger,  Museum  Helvet. 
XI.  370.  XVI.  591.  XVIII.  719,  in  Wetstein  and  Griesbach's  Comment, 
crit.  d.  68,  sqq.,  from  the  two  last  of  which  Rodiger  has  collected  them, 
enlarged  by  some  remarks,  in  the  third  appendix  to  his  Ed.  of  Griesbach's 
Synopsis.  We  confine  ourselves  here  to  a  statement  of  the  main  results. 
1.  To  be  sure,  a  very  few,  but  these  the  most  eminent  Greek  codices,  as 
the  Cod.  Vat.  and  Cantab.,  omit  them.  The  Cod.  Alex,  is  defective  just 
at  this  place.  The  most  of  these  codices  are  of  western  origin.  That 
the  words  were  wanting  in  them,  is  corroborated  by  the  Latin  translation, 
and  by  the  most  ancient  Latin  fathers.  Neither  Tertullian  nor  Cyprian, 
nor  Jerome  (w^ho  yet  retains  the  Amen),  nor  Augustine  read  this  dox- 
ology. Tertullian  expressly  calls  the  sixth  petition  the  clausula  of  the 
prayer.  2.  The  Alexandrine  codices,  moreover,  did  not  contain  the 
words,  and  they  are  wanting  in  Origen  and  in  the  Coptic  version.  3.  In 
other  authorities  they  are  also  missing,  in  the  Arabic  translation  of  the 
ed.  Rom.  of  the  four  Evangelists,  of  1591,  from  which  the  Paris  and 
London  Polyglott  has  borrowed  them,  and  in  the  Persic  translation,  edited 
by  Whelock  from  three  Persic  codices  in  1652,  in  Cyrill  of  Jerusalem, 
Gregory  of  Nyssa,  Maximus  and  Csesarius.  Euthymius  reproaches  the 
Bogomilians  with  rejecting  the  imcpwt-i/uu  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  appended 
by  the  fathers  of  the  clmrch :  to  .iuqu  lOw  deiwi'  cfwarriQuiv  aal  ttjj  ixulijolug 
xiidtjyrjH)v  nooaitdif  (jutooifXeviiov  snicfibi'ijiju — ?o  on  oov  ioiiv  ?j  ^uoii-i-iu 
xui  ^i  do^tt  100  naiQug  y.ul  tov  vtov  xul  lov  dj't'oi;  r.iivfjuiog,  ovdi  (jixovaui 
(jcyixoi'Tui.  4.  As  the  practice  gradually  crept  in  of  supplementing  the 
less,  from  the  more  complete,  reports  of  Christ's  sayings,  what  Matthew 
contains  over  and  above  what  is  given  by  Luke,  was  likewise  added  to 
the  text  of  the  Lord's  prayer  in  the  latter  evangelist.  Nevertheless,  the 
doxology  is  wanting  in  it,  according  to  all  the  codices.  5.  It  is,  moreover, 
easy  to  make  it  appear  how  the  addition  could  have  arisen.  Even  among 
the  Jews  responses  were  customary.  In  the  public  recitation  of  prayers, 
the  people  pronounced  either  an  amen,  or  a  doxology  similar  to  that 
which  we  find,  1  Chron.  xxix.  11,     This  practice  of  antiphonies  was  trans- 


304  NOTES.  [EXP.  IV. 

lated  into  the  Christian  church,  and,  what  is  very  remarkable,  wc  are  even 
able  to  point  out  the  progressive  steps  by  which  the  epilogue  attained  its 
present  form.  In  one  passage  of  the  Constit.  Apost.  1.  VII.  c.  24,  we  find 
the  Lord's  prayer  with  the  shorter  doxology,  (in  aov  ianv  rj  (inat\f.la  eig 
TOv;  ulwutg'  din^v,  whereas  in  another,  1.  Ill,  c.  18,  the  formula  is  com- 
plete. Thus  the  Sahidic,  or  Upper  Egyptian  version,  reads  the  aT)brevi- 
ated  formula  y)  dviKuig  xkI  to  xquwc.  See  Cramer's  'Beitrage  zur  Befor- 
derang,'  &c.  Th.  III.  p.  60.  The  doxology  underwent  a  still  greater 
enlargement,  after  the  fifth  century,  at  which  time,  the  allusion  to  the 
Trinity  that  became  ever  more  and  more  frequent  in  liturgical  formulas, 
appears.  Thus  cod.  157  and  225,  in  Griesbach  have,  after  S6^u,  the  ad- 
dition ToO  nuTQug  xul  tou  vlou  Hal  lov  uylov  nvevumoq,  and  it  is  tO  this  that 
Lucian's  Philopatris,  c,  27,  seems  to  allude,  where  it  says,  tt,»'  f.'/>,r  ^716 
ToD  nuiQog  uo^u/uerog,  Hitl  li^v  TtoXvdvv/uot'  adijv  elg  tc'Aoc  tntdalg.  Hence 
the  ed.  Complut.  in  its  day,  and  afterwards  Erasmus  and  Beza,  express 
the  conjecture,  that  the  formula  has  passed  over  into  the  text  of  the  New 
Test.,  from  the  usage  of  the  liturgies.  In  the  same  way,  in  the  '  Ave 
Maria,'  the  '  quia  perperisti  servatorem  animarum  nostrarum,'  was  ap- 
pended to  the  '  benedicta  tu  in  mulieribus.'  In  the  same  way,  too,  do  our 
ministers  extend,  in  a  variety  of  modes,  the  Mosaic  benediction ;  and 
thus,  in  the  Romish  church, '  per  lesum  Christum  dominum  nostrum,'  was 
frequently  annexed  to  the  '  libera  nos  a  malo'  of  the  Lord's  prayer  itself. 
Besides  those  we  have  already  specified  at  p.  303,  the  following  older 
authors  have  regarded  the  words  as  spurious : — Zwinglius  (not  Calvin), 
fficolampadius,  Pellicanus,  Bucer,  Melancthon,  Camerarius,  Drusius, 
Schultetus,  Walton,  Grotius,  Mill,  Grabe,  M.  Pfaff,  whom  almost  all 
follow.  Luther,  too,  has  passed  over  the  doxology  in  both  of  his  Cate- 
chisms. 

"  Among  the  advocates  for  the  authenticity  of  the  formula,  we  have  to 
name  Wolf,  Olearius,  Witsius,  Heumann,  S.  J.  Baumgarten,  '  de  auth. 
doxol.'  Halce,  1753,  Ileinr.  Benzenberg  in  the  'Symboloe  Duisb.'  1784, 
T.  II.  P.  1,  p.  97,  Matthai  in  the  Anni.  zu  s.  N.  T.,'  Weber,  in  the  disser- 
tation already  referred  to.  All  that  they  produce  in  fiivor  of  their  opin- 
ion, however,  can  never  be  brought  into  comparison  with  the  fivcts  already 
stated.  Benzenberg  enters  most  minutely  into  the  subject ;  but  the  shifts 
to  which  he  has  recourse,  some  of  them  of  a  very  violent  character,  have 
already  found  an  opponent  in  the  editor  of  the  '  Symb.,'  the  learned  P. 
Berg.  The  witness  of  greatest  weight  in  favor  of  the  authenticity,  is 
doubtless  the  Peschito.  The  three  Syrian  translations,  viz.,  the  Pcschito, 
the  Philoxenian,  and  the  Jerusalem,  contain  the  doxology.  The  two  last 
as  belonging  to  a  later  date,  cannot  here  be  taken  into  consideration. 
With  regard  to  the  authority  of  the  Peschito,  however,  even  it  is  not 
above  the  suspicion  of  certain  interpolations  or  additions  by  the  Lcctiona- 
ries.  The  passages  in  it,  by  which  this  is  evinced,  have  been  collected  by 
Griesbach,  'Meleteinata  de  vetustis  textus  N,  T.  recensionibus,'  p.  li. 
The  -^llthiopic,  Armenian,  and  Gothic  versions,  along  with  the  Arab.  Erp. 
and  the  Persic  in  the  London  Polyglott,  did  not  take  their  origin  prior  to 
the  fourth  century,  and  hence  possess  no  t()rce  as  evidence.  Matthai  in- 
sists that  it  was  Origen  who  first  introduced  the  depravation  into  the  text, 
for  which  assumption,  however,  there  is  a  total  want  of  plausible  proof; 
and  he  fancies  he  can  annihilate!  the  autiiority  of  the  Vulgate  by  1  John 
v.  7.  For  just  as  at  that  j)assage,  the  Latins  have,  for  doctrinal  reasons, 
made  an  addition,  so,  on  grounds  liturgical,  did  they  proprio  Marie  banish 
the  words  in  question  from  the  Greek  Text.     '  Nov.  Test.  Gra;co,'  T.  I. 


EXP.  IV.]  NOTES.  305 

p.  23,  II.  p.  297.  Whereas,  on  the  contrary,  Bengel  found  in  our  passaf^-o 
no  slender  confirmation  of  the  partial  opinion  he  entertained  of  the  Latin 
version,  in  order  the  more  powerfully  to  justify  his  fivorite  text,  1  John 
V,  7.  But  even  were  Matthai  successful  in  setting  aside  the  authority  cif 
the  Vulgate,  that  is  Ly  no  means  the  sole  evidence  for  the  omission  of 
the  passage.  Benzenberg  goes  still  more  arbitrarily  to  work,  endeavor- 
ing to  raise  a  suspicion  that  all  the  ecclesiastical  fathers  who  omit  the 
words  have  been  corrupted  by  the  Paris  editors  into  conformity  with  the 
Vulgate. 

"  Now,  even  although  we  should,  on  the  grounds  advanced,  discard 
this  doxology  from  the  text,  it  will  still  maintain  its  jjlace  undisputed  in 
the  use  of  the  church.  For,  if  we  only  have  not,  as  above  shown,  to 
restrict  ourselves  scrupulously  to  the  precise  words  of  the  prayer,  as  if  it 
were  a  magical  formula,  we  are  at  liberty,  to  extend  it.  Now,  that  the 
extension  here  presented  to  us  in  the  doxology,  has  been  made  entirely 
in  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  is  what  can  in  nowise  be  called  in  question." 
— Tholuck. 

Note  I,  p.  263. 

"  Augustine  observes  how  those  who  are  addressed  here  as  '  being 
evil,'  are  the  very  same  into  whose  mouths  but  just  now  the  Lord  has 
put  that  word,  '  Our  Father ;'  to  whom  he  has  made  the  promise,  '  Ask 
and  it  shall  be  given  you ;'  so  that  every  faithfid,  i.  e.,  believing  man, 
has  a  double  aspect,  he  is  '  evil'  through  his  old  nature,  he  is  good 
through  participation  with  him  who  is  the  highest  good,  who  is  in  some 
sense  the  alone  good  (Matth.  xix.  17),  the  good  in  himself,  and  altogether 
good,  while  others  are  good  through  him,  and  only  as  they  are  sharers 
of  his  life.  So  that  we  m.ay  perceive  here,  that  he  has  seized  the 
right  interpretation  of  the  '  being  evil,'  which  they  fail  to  catch  who 
take  the  epithet  '  evil,'  not  as  the  designation  of  all  men,  of  human 
nature  in  general  (Gen.  viii.  21),  as  it  is  opposed  to  the  goodness 
and  holiness  of  God,  but  of  some  particular  men  deeper  sunk  in  cor- 
ruption than  the  rest ;  as  if  Christ  would  say,  even  the  worst  among 
you  (even  the  norrjoo',)^  do  not  extend  their  malignity  to  their  children, 
but  in  their  relations  to  them  show  themselves  bountiful  and  good. 
But  the  other  is  the  truer  and  deeper  explanation,  embracing  the 
whole  race  of  man  under  this  charge  of  evil,  who,  being  such,  have 
yet  natural  affections,  the  yearnings  of  a  parent's  heart  towards  their 
children,  and,  according  to  their  ability  and  knowledge,  impart  unto 
them  good  gifts,  which,  if  not  in  the  highest  degree  deserving  the 
title  of  'good,'  are  yet  good  for  the  necessities  of  the  present  life. 
How  much  more  certainly  will  the  heavenly  Father  impart  the  true 
goods  of  his  kingdom,  for  it  is  those  that  the  Lord  has  prominently 
in  his  eye,,  as  is  plainly  shown  by  a  comparison  with  the  parallel 
passage  in  St.  Luke  (xi.  13),  where,  instead  of  'good  things,'  it  is  his 
'  Holy  Spirit,'  which  is  promised  to  them  who  ask.  This  view  of  the 
reference  and  meani\ig  of  tioi'tjuoI  will  come  clearly  out,  if  we  note  how 
Tig  £^  vfiCr.p  di'dfjumo;  is  not  pleonastic,  as  we  make  it,  '  What  man  of 
you ;'  but  there  is  a  silent  opposition  between  the  civd^ujuog  hert^  and 
the  nujri(i  u  if  lolg  ovfjitroiQ  of  versc  11  ;  "Who  of  you,  though  he  be 
but  a  man,  &c. ;  and  the  being  but  a  man  will  plainly  appear  equal  to 
noprj(ju;  fi*-." — TrencH. 

VOL.  I.  20 


EXPOSITION    V. 

FAITHFUL    DENUNCIATIONS. 
Luke  xi.  37-54. 

Mildness  of  disposition  and  gentleness  of  demeanor  were  strik- 
ing features  in  the  character  and  conduct  of  Jesus  Christ.  No 
malignant  passion  disturbed  the  tranquillity  of  his  bosom,  no 
intemperate  rudeness  ruffled  the  even  tenor  of  his  behavior. 
Affectionate  to  his  friends,  forgiving  to  his  enemies,  condescend- 
ing to  the  poor,  compassionate  to  the  miserable,  courteous  to  all 
men,  he  exhibited  a  perfect  pattern  of  those  amiable  virtues, 
which,  if  generally  cultivated  and  exemplified,  would  produce  so 
happy  a  transformation  on  the  state  of  human  society.  He  did 
"  not  strive  nor  cr}^,  neither  was  his  voice  heard  in  the  streets. 
A  bruised  reed  he  did  not  break,  and  the  smoking  flax  he  did 
not  quench."  To  instruct  the  ignorant,  to  warn  the  unwary,  to 
comfort  the  sorrowful,  to.  relieve  the  afflicted,  were  the  employ- 
ments most  congenial  to  his  dispositions  ;  and  in  these  and  simi- 
lar exercises  did  he  spend  the  period  of  his  residence  among 
mortals.  Malignity  was  a  feeling  to  which  he  was  entirely  a 
stranger.  The  unparalleled  sufferings  to  which  he  was  exposed 
excited  in  liim  no  desire  of  revenge.  Instead  of  hating  his  ene- 
mies, he  pitied  them ;  and  their  grossest  insults,  and  most  out- 
rageous cruelties,  but  drew  forth  from  him  sighs  for  their  folly 
and  wickedness,  and  prayers  for  their  pardon  and  salvation. 

The  gentleness  of  the  Saviour's  character  was,  however,  no 
way  akin  to  that  weak  undistinguishing  good  nature,  which 
seems  to  survey  all  mankind  with  an  equal  and  inactive  good- 
will, without  reference  to  their  moral  quahties.  It  was  associated 
witli  an  unconquerable  detestation  of  moral  evil  in  all  its  various 
forms,  and  an  unquenchable  zeal  to  promote  the  cause  of  holi- 
ness and  of  God.  Accordingly,  we  find  him  unfolding,  not 
merely  the  consolations,  but  the  terrors  of  religious  truth ;  we 
find  him  speaking  in  alarming,  as  well  as  in  sootliing  accents ; 
we  find  him  not  only  promising  peace,  and  pardon,  and  salvation, 
to  him  who  will  gladly  and  gratefully  receive  what  is  "  freely 
given  him  of  God,"  but  declaring  that  a  miserable  eternity 
must  be  the  portion  ol' the  finally  impenitent,  unbelieving,  and 
disobedient. 


EXP.  v.]  FAITHFUL   DENUNCIATIONS.  307 

It  is  one  of  the  peculiarities  of  our  Lord,  that  he  unites  in 
himself  qualifications,  not  only  different,  but  apparently  opposite. 
The  man,  the  leading  feature  of  whose  character  is  gentleness,  is 
generally  deficient  in  the  sterner  virtues;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  he  who  is  remarkably  endowed  with  unbending  integrity, 
not  unfrequently  seems  a  stranger  to  the  softer  feelings  of  our 
nature,  and  is  distinguished  by  a  severity  of  deportment  which 
goes  far  to  make  his  undoubted  excellencies  unamiable  and  use- 
less. But  in  the  character  of  the  Saviour,  the  amiable  and 
estimable  qualities,  the  lovely  and  the  venerable  virtues,  so  sup- 
ported and  softened  each  other,  that  liis  gentleness  never  degen- 
erated into  weakness,  nor  did  his  integrity  ever  assume  the  ap- 
pearance of  repulsive  severity.  While  he  pitied  men's  miseries, 
he  condemned  their  sins  ;  while  he  reproved  their  faults,  he  com- 
miserated their  sorrows. 

Of  the  compassionate  kindness  of  our  Lord,  both  in  word  and 
deed,  there  are  recorded,  by  the  evangelists,  many  beautiful  ex- 
amples. In  the  passage  which  now  lies  before  us,  we  have  a 
striking  display  of  that  holiness  which  "cannot  bear  them  that 
are  evil'" — that  integrity  which  knows  not  how  to  palliate  sin, 
or  flatter  the  sinner.  The  severe  reproof,  and  indignant  repro- 
bation, of  men  distinguished  for  their  wealth,  their  rank,  their 
learning,  and  their  reputation  for  sanctity,  which  these  words 
breathe,  may,  on  a  cursory  view,  appear  scarcely  compatible  with 
the  declaration  of  our  Lord,  that  he  was  "  meek,  and  lowly  in 
heart."  The  incongruity  is,  however,  merely  apparent.  These 
words  are  not  the  ebullition  of  mortified  pride,  or  disappointed 
ambition,  cloaking  personal  malignity  under  the  pretence  of  zeal 
for  truth  and  holiness.  They  are  the  expression  of  the  loathing, 
which  the  contemplation  of  moral  evil,  in  some  of  its  vilest  forms, 
excited  in  a  perfectly  holy  mind  ;  and  a  declaration,  by  a  divinely- 
authorized  revealer  of  the  purposes  of  God,  of  the  signal  punish- 
ment which  is  awaiting  such  as  habitually  and  wilfully  oppose 
truth,  from  unworthy  motives,  and  for  unworthy  ends. 

The  Pharisees  were  a  numerous  and  influential  body  among 
the  Jews.  Their  rulers  or  leading  men,  to  whom  our  Lord's 
remarks  have  a  primary  and  principal  reference,  were  jjossessed 
of  a  large  portion  of  the  learning  of  their  age  and  nation.  They 
were  characterized  by  a  remarkabl}^  strict  attention  to  the  ritual 
of  the  Mosaic  religion,  as  explained  and  enlarged  by  the  tradi- 
tions of  the  elders,  and  by  a  high  degree  of  external  decorum, 
and  apparent  sanctity  of  deportment  and  rfianners  ;  and  the}'- 
occupied  many  of  the  most  important  and  dignified  ofiices  con- 
nected with  the  teaching  of  the  laws  of  their  nation,  and  the  ad- 
ministering them  both  in  the  supreme  and  municipal  judicatories. 
Owing  to  these  circumstances,  they  possessed  an  exteusive  and 
powerful  influence  over  the  public  mind ;  and,  generally  indig- 
nant at  the  subjugation  of  the  holy  people  to  a  foreign,  a"^Geutilo 
yoke,  they  were  disposed  to  use  that  iullucuce  in  procuring  ibr 

'  Rev.  ii.  2. 


308  FAITHFUL  DENUNCIATIONS.  [eXP.  V. 

them  emancipation  from  that  yoke,  in  tlie  hope  of  bringing  them 
more  completely  and  securely  under  their  own  dominion. 

These  men  seem  to  have  hoped  wheu  John  the  Baptist,  and 
Jesus  appeared,  that  they  might  be  converted  into  instruments 
for  promoting  these  objects.  With  the  fervid  eloquence,  and 
overawing  severity  of  the  former,  and  with  the  winning  man- 
ners, and  miraculous  powers,  of  the  latter,  what  might  not  be 
expected  in  rousing  the  prostrate  energies  of  the  nation,  and  in 
realizing  the  long  fondly-cherished  dream  of  the  sovereignty  of 
the  holy  people  over  the  Gentile  nations,  under  the  Messiah, 
while  the  existing  rulers  secured  a  large  share  of  the  power  and 
dignity  connected  with  the  administration  of  this  new  and  better 
order  of  things  ? 

But  when  John  repelled  all  their  advances,  addressed  them  as 
"  a  generation  of  vipers,"*  and,  with  unsparing  fidelity,  exjDOsed 
their  hypocrisy,  and  denounced  their  doom ;  when  Jesus  de- 
clared that,  "  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see,"  or 
enter  into  "the  kingdom  of  God ;"  when  he  proclaimed  that 
that  kingdom  "  came  not  with  observation,"  and  that  "  except 
men's  righteousness  exceeded  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  they  could  not  enter  it,'"  they  were  not  only  con- 
strained to  relinquish  all  hopes  of  turning  such  men  into  tools 
for  accomplishing  their  object,  but,  perceiving  that  the  prevalence 
of  such  sentiments  must  be  the  annihilation  of  their  own  influence, 
and  the  disappointment  of  their  own  hopes,  they  regarded  them 
with  the  most  inveterate  dislike,  and,  without  being  at  all 
scrupulous  as  to  the  means  employed,  labored  to  accomplish 
their  destruction.  John  had  already  fallen  a  victim  to  the 
malignity  of  a  profligate  woman,  practising  on  the  easy  temper  of 
her  princel}^  paramour  ;  and  all  danger  from  him  was,  of  course, 
at  an  end.  But,  from  the  commencement  of  his  ministry,  these 
crafty  men  seem  to  have  discovered  that  Jesus  was  a  still  more 
formidable  opponent  than  John  ;  and,  believing  it  impracticable 
to  bend  him  to  their  purposes,  they  determined,  if  possible,  to 
effectuate  his  ruin,  by  making  him  the  object  of  odium  to  the 
Jewish  people,  or  of  suspicion  to  their  Roman  rulers,  that  so,  by 
popular  tumult,  or  by  public  execution,  they  might  free  them- 
selves from  one,  who  would  not  co-operate  with  them,  and  whose 
growing  influence  could  only  be  established  on  the  destruction  of 
theirs.  In  consequence  of  this,  we  find  the  agents  of  this  power- 
ful body  dogging  our  Lord  wherever  he  went.  Whoever  may 
be  absent  from  Jiis  discourses  and  miracles,  some  of  the  Pharisees 
are  sure  to  be  there,  and  there  with  the  intention  to  cavil  and 
entrap,  to  throw  suspicion  upon  his  objects,  and  to  misrepresent 
his  doctrines — "  Urging  him  vehemently,  and  jn'ovoking  him  to 
apeak  of  many  things,  laying  wait  for  him,  and  seeking  to  catch 
something  out  of  his  mouth,  that  they  might  accuse  him." 

In  prosecution,  it  would  seem,  of  this  systematic  endeavor  to 
ruin  him,  after  a  vain  attempt  to  raise  a  prejudice  against  him, 

2  Matt.  iii.  7.  *  John  iii.  3,  o.     Luke  xvii.  liO.     Matt.  v.  20. 


EXP.  v.]  FAITHFUL   DENUNCIATIONS.  809 

as  a  degraded  instrument  of  infernal  power  in  the  miraculous 
works  which  he  performed,  one  of  these  Pharisees,  pretending 
respect  for  him,  invited  him  to  partake  of  the  hospitality  of 
his  table;  but  with  the  design  that,  alone  in  the  midst  of 
his  crafty  opponents,  he  might  be  the  more  readily  entangled 
in  their  toils;  or  if,  as  lately,  he  should  tear  to  pieces  their 
cunningly  woven  nets,  they  might,  at  least,  be  saved  from  the 
infamy  of  a  public  exposure.  With  a  thorough*  knowledge  of 
their  intentions,  our  Lord  accepted  the  invitation ;  and  it  was  in 
these  circumstances  that  he  uttered  the  striking  words  which  lie 
before  us  for  consideration.  Let  us  recollect  they  are  the  words 
of  one  who  knew  the  heart — of  one  immaculately  holy — of  one 
who  clearly  saw  all  the  guilt  these  miserable  men  were  incurring, 
and  all  the  danger  in  which  the}^  were  involving  themselves. 
Let  us  not  forget  the  numerous  and  varied  methods  he  had 
employed  to  bring  them  to  a  better  mind — "  How  often  he  would 
have  gathered  them,  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her 
wings."  Let  us  recollect  all  these  things,  and  any  appearance 
of  an  undue  severity,  little  according  with  the  general  mildness 
of  his  disposition,  and  gentleness  of  his  demeanor,  will  entirely 
evanish. 

How  far  vre  are  to  consider  our  Lord's  conduct  as  an  example, 
in  thus  going  into  the  company  of  the  wicked  and  worldly,  is  a 
question  of  considerable  interest.  It  is  quite  certain  he  did  right 
in  whatever  he  did ;  but  it  is  not  quite  so  certain  that  we  would 
do  right,  were  we  in  every  case  to  imitate,  to  the  letter,  his  con- 
duct. He  knew  that,  whether  these  men  were  or  were  not  the 
better  for  his  company,  he  could  not  be  the  worse  for  theirs. 
That  is  more  than,  in  similar  circumstances,  we  can  usually  be 
sure  of.  There  is  more  probability  of  a  Christian  getting  harm 
than  doing  good,  when,  without  a  very  plain  call  in  providence, 
he  mingles  in  convivial  intercourse  with  the  decidedly  worldly 
and  wicked.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  a  Christian 
may  have  such  a  plain  providential  call ;  and,  when  it  is  so,  it  is 
his  duty  to  obey  it,  trusting  that  He  who  brings  him  into  trying 
circumstances,  will  enable  him  to  act  such  a  part  as  will  secure 
him  from  damage,  and  religion  from  reproach,  and  as  may  be 
useful  to  those  with  whom  he  is  called  on  occasionally  to  associate : 
"  If  any  of  them  that  believe  not  bid"  a  Christian  "  to  a  feast, 
and"  he  be  "disposed,"  for  sufficient  reasons,  "to  go,"  let  him 
go,  only  let  him  take  care  that  he  conduct  himself  there  like  a 
Christian.''  *  Generally  speaking,  however,  familiar  association 
with  the  worldly  and  the  wicked  is  to  be  avoided  by  Christians : 
"  Enter  not  in  the  path  of  the  wicked,  and  go  not  in  the  way  of 
evil  men."  If  we  would  not  "  practise  wicked  works  with  them 
A\dio  work  iniquity,"  it  will  be  wise  in  us  not  to  "  eat  of  their 
dainties."' 

It  was  an  ordinary  custom  among  the  Jews  to  wash  the  hands 
before  meals: — "For  the  Pharisees,   and  all  the  Jews,  except 

*  1  Cor.  X.  27-3;!.     •  See  Note  A.  s  Prov.  iv.  14.     Psal.  cxli.  4. 


310  FAITHFUL   DENUNCIATIONS.  [EXP.  V. 

tliey  wa^h  their  liands  oft,  eat  not,  holding  the  tradition  of  the 
elders.  And  when  they  come  from  the  market,  except  they 
wash,  they  eat  not."°  This,  as  a  matter  of  convenience  and 
cleanliness,  was  unobjectionable  and  proper  ;  but  they,  following 
the  traditions  of  the  elders,  seem  to  have  considered  it  as  a  re- 
ligious rite.  They  thought  well  of  themselves  for  observing  it, 
as  if  they  had  performed  a  duty  ;  and  they  found  fault  with  those 
who  did  not  observe  it,  as  if  they  had  committed  a  sin. 

Our  Lord  never  manifested  a  diseased  scrupulosity  of  mind' — 
he  never  affected  an  unnecessary  singularity  of  manners.  But 
when  he  saw  men  elevating  what  is  indifferent  into  a  matter  of 
duty,  he  would  not,  by  his  conduct,  give  countenance  to  any 
such  unwarranted  addition  to  God's  law ;  and,  accordingly,  when 
the  other  guests  were  all  performing  their  ablutions,  according 
to  the  tradition  of  the  elders,  he,  without  going  through  any 
such  ceremony,  took  his  place  at  the  table.  His  host,  the  Phari- 
see, observed  this  with  surprise  and  displeasure,  and  probably 
manifested  this  by  looks,  or  by  words.  Our  Lord  seized  the 
opportunity  of  attacking  the  principle  which  lay  at  the  foundation 
of  this  over-estimate  of  the  importance  of  washing  the  hands  be- 
fore meat. 

THE   PHARISEES   CONDEMNED. 

The  Pharisees  were  characterized  by  their  attaching  the 
greatest  importance  to  observances,  which  were  either  altogether 
unsanctioned  by  Divine  authority,  or,  though  commanded  of 
God,  were  obviously  of  a  secondary  or  subordinate  kind,  while 
they  altogether  omitted,  or  very  negligently  performed,  the  most 
essential  duties  of  religion  and  morality.  They  preferred  the 
Uttle  to  the  great,  the  external  to  the  internal,  the  extrinsic  to 
the  essential ;  and  worse  than  all  this,  they  substituted  the  one 
for  the  other,  and  considered  their  sedulous  attention  to  uncora- 
manded  usages,  and  mere  instrumental  duties,  as  giving  them  a 
dispensation  from  the  most  sacred  obligations  of  religion  and 
morality. 

Our  Lord's  illustrations  of  truth  and  duty,  were  generally  dis- 
tinguished by  a  character  of  great  familiarity ;  and  were  frequently 
borrowed  from,  and,  as  it  were,  suggested  by,  the  objects  which 
were  before  him  at  the  time.  Looking  at  the  nicely  clean  vessels 
which  covered  the  dinner-table,  he  said,  "  Now  do  ye  Pharisees 
make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the  platter ;  but  your  in- 
ward part  is  full  of  ravening  and  wickedness.'" 

The  meaning  of  the  whole  passage  depends  on  the  manner  in 
which  you  explain  the  ])hrase,  rendered  "  your  inward  part."" 

6  Mark  vii.  3,  4.  "  Luke  xi.  39. 

^  Td  taudev  vfiCw.  "By  InuOrv,  we  arc  to  understand  the  contents  of  the  dish 
as  acquired  by  acts  of  wickedness." — Olsiiaumkn.  'Vd  tnuihv  vijluv.  "Otiines  quos 
vidi  interpretes  exponunt  hiec  verba  quod  intra  vox  est,  i.  c,  animus  vestcr;  verum 
id,  si  quid  video,  cum  scopo  Domini,  oratitmisquu  structura,  omnino  minus  con- 
venit.'  — Seoaab. 


PART  I.]  THE   PHARISEES   CONDEMNED.  311 

Most  interpreters  have  supposed  it  to  mean,  the  '  inward  part  of 
the  Pharisees,' — that  is,  their  minds  and  hearts,  their  thoughts  and 
their  desires ;  as  if  our  Lord  had  said,  '  Ye  are  very  careful  of 
your  outside,  but  very  careless  of  your  inside.  Your  bodies  are 
very  clean,  but  your  souls  are  very  impure  ;  or,  in  appearance  you 
are  very  good,  but  in  reality  you  are  very  bad.'  This  was  truth  ; 
and  truth  which,  at  other  times,  our  Lord  very  plainly  told  them, 
— as,  when  he  termed  them,  "  whited  sepulchres,  which  indeed  ap- 
pear beautiful  outward,  but  are  within  full  of  dead  men's  bones, 
and  of  all  uncleanness.'"  But  it  seems  c^uite  plain,  that  the  con- 
trast here,  is  between  the  outside  and  the  inside  of  the  vessels  now 
on  the  dinner -table ;  on  the  physical  purity  which  characterized 
their  outside,  and  the  moral  turpitude  which  was  connected  with 
what  was  in  them.  This  is  obvious  from  the  parallel  passage  in 
Matthew.  "  Wo  unto  jou,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for 
ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  platter,  but  within 
they -are  full  of  extortion  and  excess.  Thou  blind  Pharisee, 
cleanse  first  that  which  is  within  the  cup  and  platter,  that  the  out- 
side of  them  may  be  clean  also.'""  "  Your  inward  part,"  here,  is 
either  equivalent  to  "the  inside  of  your  cup  and  platter,"  or  the 
word  "your,"  may  be  joined  with  the  following  clause,  thus,  "the 
inside  is  full  of  your  ravening  and  wickedness."" 

The  meaning  of  our  Lord  seems  to  be,  '  You  are  very  attentive 
to  external  cleanliness,  but  very  careless  of  moral  purity.  These 
vessels  are  very  carefully  cleaned,  but  what  is  in  these  vessels  ? 
abominable  pollution.  They  are  full  of  "  your  ravening  and 
wickedness  ;"  '  that  is,  'the  lorovisions  which  fill  these  vessels  have 
been  procured  by  improper  means.  Our  Lord  accuses  the  Phari- 
sees, generally,  of  "  devouring  widows'  houses  ;'"^  of  getting  gain 
by  dishonest  means.  '  You  are  very  scruj^ulous  about  the  clean- 
ness of  your  vessels,  but  you  are  not  so  scrupulous  about  the 
means  of  having  these  vessels  filled.' 

The  absurdity  of  their  conduct  in  being  so  superstitiously  scru- 
pulous about  the  physical  purity  of  their  vessels,  while  they  were 
so  careless  as  to  the  moral  purity  of  the  means  by  which  they 
were  filled,  is  strongly  asserted  by  our  Lord  in  the  words  that  fol- 
low, "  Ye  fools,  did  not  he  that  made  that  which  is  without,  make 
that  which  is  within  also  ?'"' 

From  misapprehending  the  object  of  our  Lord,  these  words  have 
generally  been  misinterpreted.  They  have  been  considered  as 
equivalent  to,  '  God  made  both  the  body  and  the  soul ;  and  if  it 
be  right  to  keep  the  body  physically  clean,  it  is  still  more  obliga- 
tory to  keep  the  soul  morally  pure.  Both  the  body  and  the  soul 
are  God's  work,  and  they  ought,  according  to  their  respective  na- 
tures, to  be  kept  in  good  order.'     But  it  seems  obvious,  that  what 

»  Matt,  xxiii.  27.  '"  Matt,  xxiii.  25,  26. 

u  "Prononem  v/xuv  referri  debet  ad  upnaytjc  et  novijpiac,  cvijus  geueria  trajec- 
tiones  scriptoribus  sacris  pariter  atque  profanis  baud  inusitatse  sunt.  Matt.  v. 
16;  X.  30;  xiii.  16.      Vide  Kypke  ad  h.  1." — Kuinoel.     Markland  ap.  Bowjrer. 

'i  Matt.  xxii.  14.     Mark  xiii.  40.     Luke  xx.  47.  '^  Luke  xi.  23. 


812  FAITHFUL   DEXUNCIATIONS.  [EXP.  V. 

is  witliout,  and  what  is  witliin,  in  tlie  40tli  verse,  refer  to  the  same 
thing,  as  the  outside,  and  the  inward  part,  of  the  39th  verse.  In- 
deed, in  the  original,  they  are  precisely  the  same  words;  and  we 
have  seen  that,  in  the  39th  verse,  the  outside,  is  the  outside  of  the 
dinner  vessel,  and  the  inside,  their  contents. 

The  true  interpretation  appears  to  depend  on  the  somewhat  pe- 
culiar sense  which  the  word  "make"  has  here.  It  is  equivalent 
to  '  put  in  proper  order ;'  that  is,  in  the  case  before  us,  '  to  make 
clean.'  We  find  the  word  used  in  this  way  in  the  Septuagint. 
Mephibosheth  is  said  not  to  have  "  trimmed"— literally  "  made," 
— his  beard  from  the  time  David  left  Jerusalem.""  We  use  the 
word  make  in  a  somewhat  similar  way, — to  make  a  bed  is  to  put 
it  in  proper  order  for  sleeping  iu.'^ 

The  meaning  seems  to  be,  '  How  foolishly  do  you  act  in  being 
so  much  taken  up  about  the  cleanliness  of  material  things,  and  so 
little  about  the  propriety  of  moral  actions !  Does  not  he  who 
makes  clean  the  outside,  make  clean  the  inside  also  ?  Is  not  a  man 
of  ordinary  sense  fully  as  careful  about  the  cleanness  of  what  is 
put  into  the  vessel,  as  about  tlie  cleanness  of  the  vessel  itself? 
It  is  to  little  purpose  that  the  vessel  is  clean,  if  the  provision  be 
polluted.  If  you  would  act  consistently,  and  like  men  possessed 
of  reason,  you  would  be  much  more  concerned  that  what  fills  your 
vessels  should  be  free  from  the  contamination  of  injustice,  than 
that  the  vessels  themselves  should  be  free  from  physical  im- 
purity.' 

The  words  that  follow  in  the  41st  verse,  "  But  ratlier  give  alms 
of  such  things  as  ye  have  ;  and,  behold,  all  things  are  clean  unto 
you,""^  are,  perhaps,  still  more  difficult  of  interpretation  than  those 
in  either  of  the  verses  which  precede  it.  It  is  necessar}'  to  remark, 
that  the  phrase  rendered  "  such  things  as  ye  have,""  literally  sig- 
nifies, "the  things  which  are  within;"  and,  Avhen  looked  at  in  its 
connection,  is  obviously  descriptive  of  that  which  is  in  the  cup 
and  platter,  that  which  our  Lord  pronounces  unclean,  because 
procured  by  "  ravening,"  that  is,  rapine  and  wickedness.  It  is 
the  difficulty  of  making  satisfactory  sense  out  of  the  passage, 
which  has  led  our  translators  to  give  what  is,  at  any  rate,  a  very 
unusual  meaning  to  the  phrase.  Some  have  supposed  our  Lord  to 
say,  '  You  may  ask  me,  how  are  the  things  witliin  the  cup  and 
platter  to  be  made  clean  ?  I  answer,  give  your  ill-gotten  gains  in 
alms,  and  then  Avhat  remains  of  your  property,  will  enable  you  to 

n  2  Sam.  xix.  24. 

''  This  is  a  common  classical  use  of  the  word,  as  Eisner,  Kypke,  Micliaslis,  and 
Eichorn  have  shown.  Tlie  Hebrew  word,  of  whicli  tzocu.)  is  the  representative, 
nxp,  is  used  in  a  similar  way.  Gen.  .wiii.  7;  xix.  3;  xxi.  8.  Judges  xiii.  15. 
1  .Sam.  XXV.  18.  2  Sam.  xii.  4;  xiii.  10.  Esther  v.  12.  Deut.  xxi.  12.  Vide 
Gesenii  Thesaur. — 2  d. 

"'  Luke  xi.  41. 

''  Til  Lviii'Ta.  "Pleriquc  inter  ijuos  ct  cl.  L.  Bos,  n),  ivi'ivra  explicunt,  quantum 
rcH,  »ive  facullalen  ferunt,  pro  facuUalibiis.  Ego  cum  Belgis,  aliisque  malo,  qucc  in 
poculis  patinixfjue  nimt,  i.  c,  potum  cibumque.  Tarn  solido  hoc  mihi  probasse 
videtur  Kapiielius  ut  extra  controvorsia".  aleam  posituin  sit." — Skgaar.  llaphelius' 
note  (vol.  I.,  p.  HVl-W'))  is  well  worth  reading. 


PART  I.]  THE   PHARISEES  CONDEMNED.  318 

fill  your  vessels  with  food  free  from  pollution,'  It  is  not,  however, 
at  all  probable  that  our  Lord  would  have  expressed  such  a  senti- 
ment. He  would  rather  have  said,  '  Grive  back  to  their  proper 
owners  what  you  have  obtained  by  dishonest  means,'  than,  '  give 
it  in  alms.'  He  would  certainly  never  have  bidden  men  give  wtat 
was  not  their  own  to  give.  He  hates  robbery  for  alms,  as  Avell  as 
lor  burnt-offering. 

I  apprehend  the  word  sare  spoken  in  grave  irony  by  our  Lord." 
It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  But  you  have  an  easy  way  of  purifying 
what  is  in  your  vessels,  however  polluted  it  may  be  by  the  way 
in  which  it  has  been  acquired.  Give  a  portion  of  it  to  the  poor, 
and  "  to  you" — that  is,  in  your  estimation, — "  all  will  be  pure." 
You  will  sit  down  with  an  easy  conscience  then  to  the  enjoyment 
of  your  ill-gotten  property.' 

The  Pharisees  had  the  most  extravagant  notions  as  to  the  merit 
of  alms.  One  Talmudical  writer  says,  "  Alms  preserve  from  sud- 
den death,  and  deliver  froin  the  condemnation  of  hell ;"  and  an- 
other says,  "  If  an  impious  man  object  to  you,  '  If  Grod  loves  the 
poor,  why  does  he  not  feed  them  ?'  answer  him,  '  That  by  giving 
alms,  we  may  bo  delivered  from  the  condemnation  of  hell." ' 

The  Pharisees  have  not  been  alone  in  supposing,  that  ill-gotten 
wealth  may  be  purified  b}'  giving  to  religious,  falsely  so  called, 
and  charitable  purposes.  How  many  churches  and  hospitals,  in 
the  dark  ages,  were  endowed  on  this  principle ;  and  is  there  not 
reason  to  fear,  that  there  are  still  not  unfrequent  instances  of 
men's  attempting  thus  to  bribe  their  conscience  to  silence,  that 
they  be   enabled  to  enjoy  their  morally  polluted  possessions  in 


peace 


Such  seems  to  me  the  meaning  of  this  somewhat  obscure  pas- 
sage. The  train  of  thought  appears  to  be  this,  '  You  are  very 
careful  about  the  external  cleanliness  of  your  vessels,  but  ye  little 
consider  that  your  daily  food,  which  fills  these  vessels,  is  polluted, 
in  consequence  of  its  being  procured  b}^  unworthy  means — rapine 
and  wickedness.  You  are  fools ;  making  clean  the  outside  will 
not  make  clean  the  inside,  which  is  the  principal  matter ;  and  when 
you  do  set  about  purifying  what  is  within,  you  foolishly  suppose 
that  giving  a  part  of  your  ill-gotten  property  to  the  poor,  \vill 
sanctify  the  rest.' 

Our  Lord  proceeds  to  expose,  still  farther,  the  wretched  incon- 
sistency of  the  Pharisees  by  another  instance.  "  But  wo  unto  you, 
Pharisees !  for  ye  tithe  mint  and  rue,  and  all  manner  of  herbs,  and 
pass  over  judgment  and  the  love  of  God :  these  ought  ye  to  have 
done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone."" 

In  the  article  of  paying  tithes,  they  were  minutely  exact. 
They  not  only  paid  tithes  of  corn,  and  Avine,  and  oil,  but  of 
"  mint  and  rue,  and  all  manner  of  herbs."  It  is  worthy  of  re- 
mark in  passing,  that  this  is   one   of  a  number  of  passages  in 

'^  This  is  the  view  taken  by  Drusius,  Erasmus,  Lightfoot,  and  others.     "  Verse 
41  is  evidently  only  to  be  understood  ironically." — Sohleiekmacher. 
»9  Luke  xi.  42. 


314  FAITHFUL   DENUNCIATIONS.  [EXP.  V. 

Scripture,  which  ^o  to  prove,  that  the  payment  of  tithes,  though 
obligatory  by  a  divine  law,  was  yet  not  compulsory,  but  volun- 
tary.^" But  whilst  so  strict  in  these  little  matters,  they  were 
very  loose  in  great  matters.  They  "  passed  over,"  they  neglected, 
thfij  transgressed,  the  great  laws  of  religion  and  morality. 
"Judgment,"  is  just  equivalent  to  'righteousness'  or  'justice.' 
*  You  are  guilty  of  fraud  and  dishonesty,  you  do  not  render  to 
every  man  his  due.  You  are  strangers  to  the  love  of  God, 
"with  the  heart  and  the  mind,  the  soul  and  the  strength." 
"  These," — that  is,  the  great  duties  of  religion  and  morality, — 
"  ye  ought  to  have  done ;" — they  ought  to  have  been  first  at- 
tended to ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  others,  the  j^aying  tithes 
of  "  mint  and  rue,  and  all  manner  of  herbs,"  "  ye  ought  not  to 
have  left  undone  "^' — they  are  duties  too,  though  duties  of  a  far 
inferior  order.' 

The  elements  of  human  charater  are  in  all  ages  the  same,  and 
the  more  striking  combinations  of  these  elements  are  the  same 
also.  How  often  do  we  still  find  men  admitting,  generally,  the 
obligation  of  God's  law,  yet  habitually  strict  in  some  points,  and 
habitually  loose  in  others,  and  apparently  cherishing  the  hope, 
that  their  attention  to  one  set  of  duties  will  compensate  for  their 
neglect  of  others  Wo,  everlasting  wo,  will  be  to  all  such  per- 
sons. The  whole  law  has  the  same  authority, — the  authority  of 
the  "  one  Lawgiver,  who  is  able  to  save  and  to  destroy.""  What 
he  has  not  commanded  has  no  authority  at  all,  and  obedience  in 
such  a  case  is  not  duty;  but  whatever  he  has  commanded  is 
equally  obligatory ;  and  he  who  trifles  with  such  obligation,  in 
any  case,  docs  it  at  his  everlasting  laazard.  His  partial  obedience 
is  an  acknowledgment  of  the  authority  of  the  law  and  the  Law- 
giver, and  will  be  adduced  in  evidence  against  him  in  judgment 
The  partial  payment  will  be  employed  as  proof  of  the  whole 
dobt.  Out  of  his  own  mouth  he  will  be  judged.  Why  did  he 
pay  tithe  of  mint,  anise,  and  cummin  ?  The  answer  is,  God  com- 
manded it ; — well  then,  why  did  he  neglect  judgment  and  the  love 
of  God  ?  Did  God  not  command  these  also  ?  Men  attend  pub- 
lic ordinances,  and  say  it  is  because  they  are  of  Divine  appoint- 
ment; but  why  do  they  live  in  the  neglect  of  secret  prayer? 
Has  he  not  cormnanded  that  also  ?  This  they  ought  to  have  done, 
and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone. 

Want  of  consistency  is  the  fatal  fault  of  the  rehgion  of  vast 
multitudes  besides  the  Pliarisees.  Happy  is  that  man  who  can, 
with  an  enlightened  mind  and  a  safe  conscience,  say,  "  I  esteem 
all  thy  precepts  concerning  all  things  to  be  right ;  and  I  hate 
every  false  way."  Let  this  be  the  sincere  and  fervent  prayer  of 
us  all.  "  Let  ray  heart  be  sound  in  tiiy  statutes,  tliat  I  be  not 
ashamed."" 

2"  "  It  seems  that  the  people  were  left  to  thoir  own  consciences  in  regard  to  the 
just  payment  of  these  tithes." — Kitto's  "Cyclopajiliii." 

2'  "This  admonition  was  given,  while  yet  tlie  Mosaical  laws  were  not  all  ex- 
pired by  the  '  Consummatum  est.' " — Selden.      Fi(/e  Matt.  v.   18. 

22  James  iv.  IZ  ■^■>  Psal.  cxix.  128,  8a 


PART  I.]  THE   PHARISEES   CONDEMNED.  315 

Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  reprove  tlie  Pharisees,  and  to  de- 
clare, that  a  wo  rests  on  them  for  their  extreme  desire  for 
worldly  distinction  and  honor.  "Woe  unto  you,  Pharisees! 
for  ye  love  the  uppermost  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  greetings 
in  the  markets.""  The  idea  is  more  fully  brought  out  in  the 
parallel  passage  in  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  the  gospel  by 
Matthew,  where  a  discourse  of  similar  import,  but  delivered  at 
another  time,  is  recorded.  "  They  love  the  uppermost  rooms  at 
feasts,  and  the  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the 
markets,  and  to  be  called  of  men,  Eabbi,  Eabbi."'" 

The  uppermost  seats  in  the  synagogue  were  appropriated  to 
the  rulers,  so  that  "to  love  the  uppermost  scats  in  the  syna- 
gogue," may  be  equivalent  to — '  to  have  an  eager  desire  to  pos- 
sess spiritual  power,  honor,  and  authority.' .  The  synagogues  were 
fashioned  in  imitation  of  the  temple,  with  a  central  erection  sup- 
ported by  pillars,  and  a  space  surrounding  it.  In  the  centre  of 
this,  a  place  was  prepared  for  reading  the  law  and  the  prophets 
— an  elevated  platform,  next  to  which  were  the  seats  for  tKe 
rulers,  which  were  raised  above  the  other  seats.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  words,  thus  understood,  were  very  descriptive 
of  the  Pharisees.  But  as  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  Pharisees 
our  Lord  was  addressing,  were  all  rulers,  perhaps  "the  upper- 
most scats"  here  may  refer  to  the  highest  of  the  seats  appropri- 
ated to  the  rulers — the  highest  of  the  uppermost  scats.  For 
those  who  were  rulers  to  occupy  the  saats  set  apart  for  them  was 
in  no  degree  wrong,  but  to  be  eager  to  get  the  most  honorable 
of  these  seats  showed  a  vain-glorious  mind.  This  is  self-idolatry, 
which,  as  Mr.  Henry  says,  is  "  bad  anywhere,  but  especially  in 
the  synagogues.  There  to  seek  honor  to  ourselves,  where  we 
come  to  give  glory  to  God,  is  to  mock  (jod,  instead  of  to  serve 
him.  It  savors  much  of  pride  and  hypocrisy,  when  people  do 
not  care  to  go  to  church  unless  they  can  look  fine,  and  make  a 
figui'c  there." 

"  By  greetings  or  salutations  in  the  streets  or  market-places," 
we  are  to  understand  the  tokens  of  respect  generally  given  to 
men  of  rank  and  reputation  by  the  great  body  of  the  people. 
In  receiving  these  there  was  nothing  wrong ;  but  to  "  love" 
them,  to  court  them,  to  put  a  person's  self  in  the  way  of  receiv- 
ing them,  to  be  mortified  if  they  are  withheld,  and  to  be  elevated 
by  their  being  bestowed, — all  this  showed  a  mind  which  unduly 
estimated  the  value  of  human  approbation  or  applause.  Such  a 
temper  is  not  only  contemptible,  as  the  token  of  a  weak,  ill- 
judging  mind,  but  it  is,  in  a  moral  point  of  view,  condemnable. 
It  is  a  radical  defect  and  fault  in  a  character,  and,  in  a  high  de- 
gree, is  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  very  elementary  principle  of 
a  truly  good  character — supreme  regard  to  what  is  true  and 
right,  whether  it  pleases  men  or  not.  Accordingly,  our  Lord 
traces  to  this,  as  to  one  of  its  causes,  his  rejection  by  the  Jewish 
rulers.     "  How  can  ye  believe,"  says  he,  "  which  receive  honor 

2"  Luke  xi.  43.  '"  Matt,  xxiii.  6,  7. 


316  FAITHFUL   DENUNCIATIONS.  [EXP.  V. 

one  of  another,  and  seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from  God 
only?"" 

The  ruhng  disposition  of  the  mind  may  be  manifested  in 
trifling  actions;  and  actions,  in  themselves  very  insignificant, 
become  important  when  they  indicate  character.  The  general 
truth  intended  to  be  conveyed  in  these  words  is  of  general  and 
everlasting  importance.  The  man  who  makes  the  approbation 
of  his  fellow-men  his  great  object,  and  who  subordinates  every- 
thing else  to  the  attainment  of  this,  acts  not  onty  a  very  con- 
temptible, but  a  very  criminal  part, — is  an  object  of  the  JDivine 
disapprobation, — and,  if  he  does  not  repent,  will  assuredly  be  an 
object  of  the  Divine  vengeance. 

In  the  next  verse,  "Woe  unto  you.  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
hypocrites !  for  ye  are  as  graves  which  appear  not,  and  the  men 
that  walk  over  them  are  not  aware  of  them.""  Our  Lord 
charges  those  whom  he  was  addressing  with  at  once  great  moral 
depravity  and  great  hypocrisy,  and  represents  them,  on  account 
of  the  union  of  these  two  qualities,  as  peculiarly  dangerous  mem- 
bers of  society.  We  are  not  to  think  of  the  Scribes  and  the 
Pharisees  as  two  distinct  classes  of  men.  "  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees" is  just  equivalent  to  pharisaic  Scribes — Scribes  who  are 
Pharisees.  Pharisee  is  the  name  of  the  sect,' — Scribe,  of  the 
profession.  A  scribe,"'  a  lettered  man,  was  the  distinctive  apel- 
lation  of  those  whose  employment  it  was  to  interpret  and  adinin- 
ister  Jewish  law ;  and  many  of  this  profession  belonged  to  the 
sect  of  the  Pharisees. 

Our  Lord  represents  these  pharisaic  Scribes  as  "  like  graves," 
receptacles  of  coiTuption  and  loathsomeness.  The  words  are 
equivalent  to — '  You  are  as  morally  abominable  and  polluting  in 
a  moral  sense,  as  the  putrifying  remains  of  a  dead  carcass  are  in 
a  physical  sense.' 

But  he  represents  them,  farther,  as  "like  graves  that  arc  not 
seen."  Walking  over,  or  touching  a  grave,  was  considered  by 
the  Jewish  doctors  as  equivalent  to  touching  a  dead  body  ;  and, 
therefore,  as  inferring  ceremonial  pollution.  To  prevent  persons 
from  incautiously  incurring  this,  which  exposed  them  to  many 
inconveniences,  the  stones  which  marked  graves  were  generally 
whitened.  When  this  was  not  the  case,  a  person  might  incur 
ceremonial  pollution,  and  tlie  inconveniences  connected  with  it, 
without  being  aware."  Now,  says  our  Lord.  '  you  resemble  such 
uawhitcd,  and  tliorefuro  unseen,  graves.  With  all  your  inward 
depravity,  you  make  tli(>  profession,  and  wear  tlic  appearance,  of 
sanctity ;  you  are  not  openly  profligate,  you  conceal  your  true 
character,  so  that  men  are  in  peculiar  danger  from  you.  The 
poor  widows,  wliose  houses  you  spoil,  are  deluded  by  your  pre- 
tensions to  wisdom  and  worth.  Many,  deceived  by  your  assumed 
sanctity,  resign  themselves  to  your  guidance,  and  are  led  by  you 

2«  John  V.  44.  27  Luke  xi.  44. 

2«  yfja/ifiaTEVf.  **  Numb.  xix.  16. 


PART  II.]  THE   LAWYERS   CONDEMNED.  317 

into  error  and  ruin,  who,  if  they  knew  your  real  character,  would 
choose  safer  guides.' 

The  same,  or  at  least  a  very  similar  truth,  is  Olustrated  by 
another,  and  in  some  measure  an  opposite  figure,  in  the  gospel 
by  Matthew : — "  Woe  unto  you.  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
crites !  for  ye  are  like  unto  whited  sepulclires,  which  indeed 
appear  beautiful  outward,  but  are  within  full  of  dead  men's  bones, 
and  of  all  uncleanness.  Even  so  ye  also  outwardly  appear 
righteous  unto  men,  but  within  ye  are  full  of  hypocrisy  and 
iniquity.'""  The  general  sentiment  is,  that  those"  persons  are 
peculiarly  criminal  and  dangerous,  who,  while  they  are  under  the 
influence  of  the  most  depraved  principles,  yet  maintain  a  decent 
exterior,  and  that,  however  they  may  impose  on  their  fellow- 
men,  they  are  regarded  with  disapprobation,  and  will,  if  they 
repent  not,  be  visited  with  punishment  by  Him  who  "  requires 
truth  in  the  inward  parts,"  and  who,  as  he  "  searches  the  heart 
and  tries  the  reigns  of  the  children  of  men,"  "  all  things  beino- 
naked  and  open  before  him," — cannot  be  deceived,  and  will  not 
be  mocked. 

It  also  follows,  from  what  is  said  here,  that  he  who,  in^doing 
his  duty,  is  the  means  of  unmasking  the  hypocrite,  and  niaking 
him  appear  in  his  true  colors,  performs  an  important  service  to 
society.  By  making  the  seat  of  moral  pollution  apparent,  he 
diminishes  the  risk  of  extending  moral  contamination. 


II. — THE  LAWYERS  CONDEMNED. 

On  hearing  these  remarks  by  our  Lord,  one  of  the  Pharisee's 
guests,  who  is  denominated  a  '-lawyer,"  addressed  our  Lord. 
*'  Then  answered  one  of  the  lavyyers,  and  .said  unto  him,  Master, 
thus  saying  thou  reproachest  us  also.""  These  words  may  be 
understood  either  as  a  question,  or  as  an  assertion.  To  under- 
stand them  aright,  we  must  first  endeavor  to  discover  to  what 
class  the  speaker  belonged.  It  has  been  the  opinion  of  some 
learned  men  that  the  "  Scribes  "  were  public  expounders  of  the 
law,  and  that  "lawyers,"  or  "doctors  of  the  law,"  were  private 
expounders  of  the  law.  Others  have  supposed  that  the  Scribes 
were  teachers  of  the  law  belonging  to  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees, 
and  lawyers,  or  doctors  of  the  law,  teachers  of  the  law  belonging 
to  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees.  But  such  a  distinction  is  unsup- 
ported by  any  satisfactory  evidence;  nor  is  it  at  all  probable, 
from  the  inveterate  dislike  existing  between  the  sects,  that  a 
Sadducee  should  be  found  at  a  Pharisee's  table.  The  terms 
"scribe"  and  "lawyer"  seem  to  have  been  synonymous,  or,  at 
any  rate,  to  have  been  given  to  the  same  class.  The  person 
who,  in  Matt.  xxii.  3,  is  termed  a  "  lawyer,"  is,  in  Mark  xii.  28, 
termed  a  "scribe;"  the  persons  who  are  called,  at  Luke  v.  17, 

3"  Matt,  xxiii,  27,  28.  3'  Luke  xi.  45. 


318  FAITHFUL   DENUNCIATIONS.  [EXP.  V. 

"  doctors  of  the  law  and  Pliarisees,"  are,  at  the  21st  verse,  called 
"  Scribes  and  Pharisees.'"' 

The  facts  seem  to  have  been  these: — One  of  the  compan}", 
who  had  in  silence  heard  our  Lord  censure  the  manners  of  the 
Pharisees  generally,  lost  his  temper  when  he  brought  home  his 
accusation  to  the  doctors  of  the  law,  to  which  class  he  belonged, 
and  exclaimed,  '  In  making  that  statement,  you  cast  a  reproach- 
ful stigma  on  the  order  to  which  I  belong;'  or,  as  a  question, 
'  Do  you  mean,  by  this  statement,  to  cast  a  reflection  on  our 
order  ?'  The  appellation,  "  Master,"  or  Teacher,  was  used,  prob- 
ably, sarcastically.  The  man  seems  astonished  that  he  should 
be  so  daring  as  to  throw  out  a  reflection  against  an  order  so 
venerable  as  the  clergy — ^if  I  may  use  the  phrase — of  the  domi- 
nant sect. 

Jesus  had  spoken  only  the  truth,  and  he  was  not  the  person 
to  eat  his  own  words.  He  immediately  replied,  "  Woe  unto  you 
also,  ye  lawyers !  for  je  lade  men  with  burdens  grievous  to  be 
borne,  and  ye  yourselves  touch  not  the  burdens  with  one  of  your 
fingers ;'"'  as  if  he  had  said,  '  My  remarks  do  apply  to  your 
order  -vvith  peculiar  force.'  To  "  lade  men  with  burdens  grievous 
to  be  borne,"  signifies,  that  in  their  interpretations  of  the  law, 
which,  as  the  apostle  says,  was  "  a  yoke  "  which  neither  his  con- 
temporaries nor  their  fathers  were  able  to  bear,'*  they  were  very 
rigorous ;  and,  in  addition  to  what  was  enjoined  in  the  law,  they 
required  that  all  the  traditions  of  the  elders  should  be  strictly 
complied  with.  But  while  they  were  strict  in  enjoining,  they 
were  lax  in  performing.  They  said,  but  did  not.  Perhaps  the 
words  refer  to  their  rigor  in  those  impositions  which  were  of 
mere  human  authority.  Ilowever  they  made  void  God's  laws, 
they  insisted  that  their  traditions  should  be  attended  to.  How 
different  from  the  conduct  of  our  Lord  !  The  burden  he  laid  on 
his  followers  was  light,  and  his  apostles  followed  his  example.'^ 

How  these  men  excused  themselves  from  many  of  the  onerous 
observances  they  exacted  from  others,  our  imperfect  acquaintance 
with  the  history  of  the  times  puts  it  out  of  our  power  to  give  a 
definite  explication  by  well-authenticated  examples.  Perhaps 
the  best  illustration  we  can  give  of  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  second 
chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Komans: — "Behold,  thou  art 
called  a  Jew,  and  restcst  in  the  law,  and  makest  thy  boast  of 
God,  and  knowest  his  will,  and  approvest  the  things  that  are 
more  excellent,  being  instructed  out  of  the  law  ;  and  art  confi- 
dent that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide  of  tlie  blind,  a  light  of  them 
which  are  in  darkness,  an  instructor  of  the  foolish,  a  teacher  of 
babes,  which  hast  the  form  of  knowledge  and  of  the  truth  in  the 
law,  Thou  therefore  which  teachest  another,  teachest  thou  not 
thyself?  thou  that  preachest  a  man  should  not  steal,  dost  thou 

'*'<i  Camero,  Trigland,  and  HoflFmanii  in  his  Notes  to  I'ritius,  may  be  consulted  as 
to  tlie  meaning  of  the  term  i'ii/iik6<:.  It  ia  rem.irka^>le  that  i^uke  alone,  of  all  the 
evangelists,  connects  voiukdl  with  i^npLo'ioi.     Ch.  vii.  ;50 ;  xiv.  3. 

33  Luke  xi.   10.  ^i  Acts  xv.   10.  ^i  Acts  xv.  28;  1  (Jor.  vii.  28. 


PART  II.]  THE   LAWYERS   CONDEMNED.  319 

steal  ?  thou  that  sajest  a  man  should  not  commit  adultery,  dost 
thou  commit  adultery  ?  thou  that  abhorrest  idols,  dost  thou  com- 
mit sacrilege  ?  thou  that  makest  thy  boast  of  the  law,  through 
breaking  the  law  dishonorest  thou  God?  For  the  name  of 
God  is  blasphemed  among  the  Gentiles  through  you,  as  it  is 
written.'"' 

An  inconsistent  public  teacher  of  religion,  whose  practice  does 
not  correspond  with  his  teaching,  is  one  of  the  most  contemptible 
and  criminal  of  men.  "  What  greater  hypocrisy  can  there  be 
than  to  press  that  upon  others,  to  be  believed  and  done,  which 
they  themselves  live  in  unbelief  of,  or  disobedience  to  ?  who  pull 
down  in  their  practice,  what  they  build  up  in  their  preaching ; 
who,  when. they  are  in  the  pulpit,  preach  so  well  that  it  is  a  pity 
they  should  ever  come  out ;  but  when  they  are  out  of  the  pulpit, 
live  so  ill  that  it  is  a  pity  that  they  should  ever  come  in ;  like 
bells  that  call  others  to  church,  but  hang  out  of  it  themselves ; 
or  like  direction  posts  that  point  the  way  to  others,  but  stand 
still  themselves?""  To  him  the  words  of  our  Lord  apply  with 
awful  emphasis.  "  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee, 
thou  wicked  servant."  What  will  such  a  one  say  when  God 
punishes  him  ?     Ah,  he  must  be  speechless ! 

What  follows  is  rather  of  difficult  interpretation : — "  Woe 
unto  you !  for  3^e  build  the  sepulchres  of  the  prophets,  and  your 
fathers  killed  them.  Truly  ye  bear  witness  that  ye  allow  the 
deeds  of  your  fathers  :  for  they  indeed  killed  them,  and  ye  build 
their  sepulchres.'"'  The  difficulty  does  not  originate  in  the 
obscurity  of  particular  words  or  phrases,  for  in  this  respect  all  is 
easy  enough,  but  in  the  apparent  want  of  consecutiveness  and 
coherence,  in  the  thoughts  and  argument. 

On  a  cursory  reading  of  the  words,  it  would  seem  tha!  our 
Lord  pronounces  a  woe  on  the  Pharisees,  because  they  erected 
splendid  monuments  to  those  prophets  who  had  in  former  ages 
died  martyrs  to  the  truth,  and  victims  of  the  irreligion  of  their 
contemporaries  ;  and  that  he  adduces  the  fact  of  their  thus  build- 
ing magnificent  tombs  for  these  prophets,  as  evidence  of  their  ap- 
probation of  the  conduct  of  those  who  put  them  to  death. 

Now,  though  building  monuments  to  the  prophets  was  by  no 
means  so  meritorious  a  work  as  the  Pharisees  seem  to  have  con- 
sidered it,  yet,  in  itself,  it  does  not  appear  to  deserve  so  severe  rep- 
robation ;  and  instead  of  proving  that  they  thought  their  ances- 
tors right  in  putting  the  prophets  to  death,  it  seems  a  very  decided 
proof  that  they  thought  them  wrong.  It  looked  like  an  endeavor 
on  their  part  to  compensate  the  wrong  done  to  the  persons  of  these 
martyred  saints,  by  doing  justice  to  their  memories.  Their  fa- 
thers put  them  to  a  disgraceful  death,  and  they  place  them  in  an 
honorable  tomb.  We  should  not  think  of  accusing  Joseph  of 
Arimathea,  of  allowing  the  deeds  of  the  Jews  in  crucifying 
Jesus,  and  adducing  as  evidence  of  this,  tliat  he  gave  him  an 
honorable  burial  in  his  own  sepulchre. 

as  Rom.  ii.  17-2 k  a-  Henry.  ^  Luke  xi.,47,  48. 


320  FAITHFUL  DENUNCIATIONS.  [EXP.  V. 

Various  plans  have  been  fallen  on  by  interpreters,  to  get  rid 
of  these  difficulties.  One  of  tlie  most  ingenious  of  these"  is 
grounded  on  the  supposition,  that  '  to  build  sapulchres,'  is  equi- 
valejit  to  the  expression,  '  to  dig  graves,'  in  the  sense  of  plotting 
the  death  of  the  persons  referred  to.  '  Woe  to  j^ou,  for  you  are 
preparing  graves  for  the  prophets,  the  divinely-inspired  and  com- 
missioned teachers,  such  as  John  and  myself,  and  my  apostles 
who  are  sent  to  you,  just  as  your  fathers  killed  the  j^rophets,  the 
rlivinely-inspired  and  commissioned  teachers  who  were  sent  to 
them.  You  give  very  satisfactory  evidence,  that  you  are  of  the 
same  opinion  Avith  your  fathers,  and  approve  of  their  conduct. 
They  killed  the  prophets  of  their  age,  and  you  dig  the  graves, 
you  prepare  the  tombs,  of  the  prophets  of  your  age— you  are, 
both  literally  and  figuratively,  the  children  of  the  murderers  of 
the  prophets — ^^)'ou  are  prosecuting  the  same  course — 3'ou  are 
filling  up  the  measure  of  their  iniquity — ^you  are  completing  the 
work  they  began.' 

This  is  no  doubt  ingenious,  but,  like  many  such  interpreta- 
tions, it  is  too  ingenious.  Had  this  been  the  onlv  place  where 
our  Lord  expressed  the  sentiment  uttered  here,  we  might  have 
been  less  indisposed  to  admit  this  interpretation  ;  but  in  the  dis- 
course recorded  by  Matthew,  in  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  his 
gospel,  wo  find  our  Lord  using  the  following  language,  and  we 
can  have  no  doubt  that  his  object  was  to  express  the  same  idea  as 
the  words  before  us  are  intended  to  convey  : — "  Woe  unto  you, 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  because  ve  build  the  tombs 
of  the  proplicts,  and  garnish  the  sepulchres  of  the  righteous,  and 
say,  if  we  had  been  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we  would  not 
liave  been  partakers  with  them  in  the  blood  of  the  prophets. 
Wherefore  ye  be  witnesses  unto  yourselves,  that  ye  are  the  chil- 
dren of  them  which  killed  the  prophets.  Fill  ye  up  then  the 
measure  of  your  fathers.""  Now  it  is  quite  plain  that  in  the 
phrases,  "building  the  tombs,"  and  "garnishing  the  sepulchres," 
the  reference  is  to  the  ancient  prophets,  whom  their  fathers 
wickedly  put  to  death,  and  that  the  erecting  and  embellishing 
these  structures  were  intended  as  tokens  of  respect  for  them,  and 
of  disapprobation  of  their  murderers. 

I  apprehend  the  difficulty  has  originated  ])rincipalW  in  over- 
looking the  great  object  of  our  Lord  in  the  whole  paragraph, 
which  is  to  expose  and  denounce  the  hypocrisy  of  the  pharisaic 
Scribes.  It  is  on  account  of  their  impious  hypocrisy,  that  he 
pronounces  a  wo  on  them  ;  and  the  particulars  referred  to  are 
not  so  much  the  crimes  that  exposed  them  to  this  wo,  as  the 
evidence  proving  that  hypocrisy,  which  made  them  the  objects 
of  the  peculiar  abhorrence  of  that  God  who  "  desireth  truth  in 
the  inward  parts,"  and  which,  if  repentance  intervened  not,  would 
certainly  draw  down  on  them  the  most  fearful  proofs  of  his  dis- 
pleasure. Of  their  hypocrisy  he  had  already  given  striking 
proofs.     '  You  are  very  careful  about  the  physical  purity  of  your 

39  Storr.  *'■'  Matt,  xxiii.  29-32. 


PART  II.]  THE   LAWYERS   CONDEMNED.  321 

vessels,  while  you  care  not  for  the  poisonous  taint  of  God's  curse 
whicli  defiles  their  contents,  from  the  unlawful  means  by  which 
they  have  been  filled.  You  tithe  mint  and  rue,  and  all  manner 
of  herbs,  but  pass  over  judgment  and  the  love  of  God.  You  are 
very  strict  in  enjoining  duties  on  other  men,  and  very  lax  in  per- 
forming them  yourselves.'  He  now  adduces  an  additional  evi- 
dence of  their" hypocrisy — 'You  profess  great  respect  for  the 
memory  of  the  rnartyred  prophets,  and  great  disapprobation  of' 
your  ancestors  who  put  them  to  death,  and  yet  you  cherish  the 
same  malignant  dispositions,  and  are  about  to  imitate  the  very 
conduct  which  you  so  loudly  condemn.  How  does  your  conduct 
contradict  your  professions?  Here  is  another  proof  of  your 
hypocrisy.  Ye  build  the  sepulchres  of  the  prophets,  and  your 
fathers  killed  them ;'  that  is,  as  if  he  had  said, — '  You  build  the 
sepulchres  of  the  prophets  whom  your  fathers  killed — ^you  pro- 
fess a  great  reverence  for  their  characters  and  doctrines,  and 
high  disapprobation  of  their  persecutors  and  murderers.  That 
is  the  natural  meaning  of  building  and  adorning  their  tombs,  and 
that  is  the  meaning  you  wish  to  put  on  these  actions.  For  ye 
say, — "If  we  had  been  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we  would  not 
have  been  partakers  with  them  in  the  blood  of  the  prophets.'" 
Yet,  notwithstanding  this,  ye  truly  bear  witness  that  ye  approve 
of  the  deeds  of  your  fathers.' 

This  witness  does  not  refer  to  their  building  and  adorning  the 
tombs  of  the  prophets,  but  to  the  manner  in  whicli  they  had 
treated  John,  and  were  treating  himself,  and  were  to  treat  both 
him  and  his  inspired  messengers.  '  You  persecute,  and  ere  long 
will  imbrue  your  hands  in  the  blood  of  men  possessed  of  the 
same  characters,  invested  with  the  same  authority,  and  teaching 
the  same  doctrines,  as  those  on  whom  you  heap  posthumous 
honors,  and  of  whose  murder  and  murderers  you  profess  so 
strongly  an  abhorrence,' 

The  only  difficulty  connected  with  this  mode  of  interpretation, 
is  the  connective  particle  "for,""  which  joins  the  two  clauses  in 
the  48th  verse  together.  The  building  the  sepulchres  of  the 
prophets  whom  their  fathers  had  killed,  appears  to  be  adduced  as 
the  evidence  that  they  allowed  the  deeds  of  their  fathers,  when 
in  reahty  it  seems  in  its  own  nature,  as  well  as  in  their  intention, 
evidence  of  the  very  reverse.  The  true  way  of  getting  rid  of  this 
difficulty  is  by  adverting  to  the  fact — that  the  particle  rendered 
for  not  unfrequently,  like  the  Hebrew  particle  which  it  repre- 
sents," is  equal  to  although.  I  shall  give  a  few  examples  of  this  ; 
"And  this  is  the  condemation,  tliat^'"  although,  "light  is  come 
into  the  world,  and,"  yet  "  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light, 
because  their  deeds  were  evU.""  "  And  the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet 
savor;  and  the  Lord  said  in  his  heart,  I  will  not  again  curse 
the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake ; /or,"  although,  "the  im- 
agination of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth :  neither  will  i 
again  smite   any   more   everything   living,    as    1   have  done."** 

1'  brt.  «  -.2.  <3  John  iii.    19  *'  Gen.  viii.  21- 

VOL.    I.  "il 


322  FAITHFUL  DENUNCIATIONS.  [EXP.  V. 

■'  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Pharaoh  had  let  the  people  go,  that 
God  led  them  not  through  the  way  of  the  land  of  the  Philistines, 
although  that  was  near ;  for  God  said,  Lest  peradventurc  the 
people  repent  when  they  see  war,  and  they  return  to  Egypt."" 
"  Lest  there  should  be  amoi;ig  you  man,  or  woman,  or  family,  or 
tribe,  whose  heart  turneth  away  this  day  from  the  Lord  our  God, 
to  go  and  serve  the  gods  of  these  nations ;  lest  there  should  be 
among  you  a  root  that  beareth  gall  and  wormwood  ;  and  it  come 
to  pass,  when  he  heareth  the  words  of  this  curse,  that  he  bless 
Iiimself  in  his  heart,  saying,  I  shall  have  peace  though  I  walk  in 
the  imagination  of  mine  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thnst."'"' 
"And  Vi^hen  thou  art  spoiled,  what  wilt  thou  do?  Though 
thou  clothest  thyself  v/ith  crimson,  though  thou  deckest  thee 
with  ornaments  of  gold,  though  thou  rentest  thy  face  with  paint- 
ing, in  vain  shalt  thou  make  thyself  fair ;  thy  lovers  will  despise 
thee,  they  will  seek  thy  life.""  The  meaning,  then,  seems  to  be 
this,  '  Although  you  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets  whom  your 
fathers  put  to  death,  yet  do  you,  by  your  conduct,  witness  that 
you  allow,  that  yon  approve  of,  their  conduct ;'  as  if  he  had  said, 
•  Your  conduct  to  me,  in  devising  my  death  as  you  are  doing 
just  now,  can  be  vindicated  only  on  principles  which  would  vin- 
dicate the  conduct  of  the  opposers,  and  persecutors,  and  murder- 
•ers,  of  the  ancient  prophets.' 

In  following  up  tliis  charge,  our  Lord  proceeds  to  say: — 
"  Therefore  also  said  the  wisdom  of  God,  I  will  send  them  proph- 
ets and  apostles,^*  and  some  of  them  they  shall  slay  and  persecute, 
that  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets,  which  was  shed  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world,  may  be  required  of  this  generation ;  from  the 
blood  of  Abel,  unto  the  blood  of  Zacharias,  which  perished  be- 
tween the  altar  and  the  temple :  verily  I  say  unto  you.  It  shall 
1)6  required  of  this  generation.""  To  the  satisfactory  exposition 
of  this  passage,  the  first  question  that  must  be  answered  is,  'Are 
these  our  Lord's  words,  or  are  they  a  quotation?'  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  words  do  not  resemble  our  Lord's  ordinary  style, 
and  that  they  do  very  much  resemble  the  style  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment prophets.  The  only  word  that  does  not  suit  them  is  "apos- 
tles," but  we  know  that  that  word  is  just  equivalent  to  '  messen- 
gers,' and  might  have  been  so  translated.  The  prefatory  clause, 
too,  "  Wherefore  also  said  the  wisdom  of  God,"  looks  very  like 
the  introduction  of  a  quotation. 

Indeed,  had  it  not  been  for  the  want  of  some  corresponding 
phrase,  such  as,  "  Said  the  Lord,"  or,  "  Said  the  Lord  by  the 
prophet,"  in  the  parallel  passage  in  Matthew,  and  the  difficulty  of 
saying  whence  the  quotation  is  taken,  I  rather  think  there  would 
never  have  been  any  doubt  on  the  subject.     To  suppose  that  our 

I'  Exod.  xiii.  17.  '"  Dent.  xxix.  18,  I'J.  "  Jcr.  iv.  30. 

<'  •'  It  .appears  remarkable  that,  acconliiifj;  to  Mattliew,  the  lledeeiner  designates 
Borae  of  th'^se  to  bo  sent  ypa/i/inrtir  =•  the  Hebrew  f-iD"i3.  The  expression  is 
used  in  contrast  with  the  pharisaic  Scribes,  q.  d,  'I  will  send  you  meu  truly  ac- 
quainted with  the  word  of  God.'  " — Olsuauskn. 

«  Luke  xi.  4a-51. 


PART  II.]  THE  LAWYERS  CONDEMNED.  323 

Lord  here  speaks  of  himself  as  "  tlie  \visdom  of  God,"  and  that 
the  words,  "  Wherefore,  the  wisdom  of  Grod  said  to  you,"  are 
equal  to,  '  Wherefore,  I  say  to  you,'  seems  to  me  a  very  harsh  and 
unsatisfactor}'-  way  of  getting;  over  tlie  difficulty.  I  think  it  far 
more  likely,  that  the  usual  formula  of  citation,  "saith  the  Lord," 
has  been  omitted  in  the  corresponding  passage  in  Matthew.  Such 
omissions  occasionally  occur  in  Scripture  : — Mai.  iii.  1  (where  the 
phrase,  "  saith  the  Lord,"  is  obviously  to  be  supplied,  as  it  is  ex- 
pressed in  chap.  i.  2,  13) ;  Matt.  xvii.  11 ;  and  xviii.  16.  I  am, 
therefore,  disposed  to  consider  the  words  before  us  as  a  quo- 
tation. 

But  the  question  naturally  occurs,  '  A  quotation  from  whom, 
or  from  what  ?""  Some  have  supposed  that  "  the  wisdom  of  God" 
is  the  name  of  a  book,  now  lost,  from  which  the  quotation  is 
made.  I  think  it  more  likely,  that  "  the  wisdom  of  God"  is  used 
here  for  the  wise  God.  We  say  of  a  wonderful  event,  "  That 
was  the  work  of  the  power  of  God — nothing  but  the  j)ower  of 
God  could  have  done  that ;"  when  the  meaning  obviously  is,  "The 
jiowerfid  God  has  effected  it."  We  say  of  a  valuable  blessing, 
"  It  is  the  gift  of  the  goodness  of  God,"  when  we  mean,  "  The  be- 
nignant God  has  given  it ;"  and  here  "  the  wisdom  of  God  said," 
is  just  '  the  all-wise  God  had  said' — ^he  who  knows  the  end  from 
the  beginning. 

Calvin,  who  was  a  judicious  interpreter,  as  well  as  a  profound 
theologian,  considers  the  phrase  as  equivalent  to,  "  Long  ago  God, 
by  the  prophetic  spirit,  declared  the  truth  with  regard  to  your 
character  and  doom."  He  adds,  "I  acknowledge  that  you  will 
not  find  this  sentence,  in  so  many  words,  in  any  of  the  ancient 
l)rophets;  but  everywhere,  in  the'^Old  Testament  Scriptures,  God 
declares  the  contumacy  of  his  rebellious  people,  and  our  Lord 
collects,  in  one  short  sentence,  as  it  were,  an  epitome  of  what 
God,  by  his  prophets,  had  said  of  the  wickedness  of  that  incurable 
I^eople." 

There  is  a  passage  in  one  of  the  Apocryphal  books,  somewhat 
like  that  now  before  us : — "  I  sent  unto  you  my  servants,  the 
prophets,  whom  ye  have  taken  and  slain,  and  torn  their  bodies 
m  pieces,  whose  blood  I  will  require  at  your  hand.""  But  there 
is  no  reason  to  think  that  book  so  ancient  as  the  days  of  our  Lord. 
It  seems  plainly  the  forgery  of  a  later  age  ;  and  the  passage  I  have 
quoted,  as  well  as  others — especially  the  beautiful  passage  about 
gathering  the  Jews  together,  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  im- 
der  her  wings,''' — appears  to  have  been  borrowed  from  the  New 

'"  These  words  are  not  to  be  fouud,  either  in  tlie  Ohl  Testament  or  in  any 
Apocryphal  book.  There  are,  however,  some  very  kindred  passages :  for  exam- 
ple, 2  Ohron.  xxiv.  19.  The  similarity  between  our  ]^ord's  words,  and  the  version 
of  the  LXX.,  is  striking.  Olshauseu  remarks  that,  "As  the  account  of  Zacharias 
immediately  follows  '2,  Chron.  xxiv.  20,  it  is  still  a  question  whether  our  Lord  had 
not  the  citation  of  the  Old  Testament  in  view,  and  merely  expanded  it  a  little." 
The  strongest  objection  to  this  is,  that  the  passage  in  Chronicles  is  history.  That 
quoted  here  is  prophecy. 

5'  2  Esdras  i.  S2.  s^  2  Esdras  i.  30. 


324  FAITHFUL   DENUNCIATIONS.  [EXP,  V. 

Testament.  We  must,  then,  acquiesce  in  Calvin's  view,  or  con- 
sider it  as  like  Enoch's  prophecy,  in  the  epistle  of  Jude,  either  as 
an  unwritten  prophetic  oracle,  or  an  oracle  contained  in  some 
book  no  longer  extant,  but  of  undoubted,  and,  at  the  time,  gen- 
erally admitted,  authority. 

Let  us  now  inquire  into  the  meaning  of  this  prediction,  and  its 
bearing  on  our  Lord's  object.  The  connective  particle,  "  there- 
lore,"^''  does  not  seem  intended  to  intimate  that  this  is  an  niference 
from  what  had  been  stated  before,  for,  on  looking  carefully  at  it, 
it  does  not  appear  to  be  this.  It  is  equivalent  to,  '  With  relerence 
to  this  thing.'  This  is  not  an  uncommon  meaning  of  the  term." 
'  In  reference  to  this  thing,  the  all- wise  God  has  made  a  declara- 
tion— I  will  send  them  piophets  and  apostles,  or  messengers,  and 
some  of  them  they  shall  slay  and  persecute.' 

The  50th  verse  describes,  not  the  purpose  for  which  God  was  to 
send  these  prophets  and  messengers,  but  the  consequence  of  the 
Jews  slaying  and  persecuting  them.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  So 
that"  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets,  that  has  been  shed  from  the 
toundation  of  the  world,  shall  be  required  of  this  generation,  from 
the  blood  of  Abel  to  the  blood  of  Zacharias,  who  perished  between 
the  altar  and  the  temple.'" 

Interpreters  are  divided  as  to  who  this  Zacharias  is,  of  whom 
the  ancient  oracle  spoke.  The  most  probable  account  of  the  mat- 
ter is,  that  it  is  the  Zechariah  of  whose  death  we  have  an  account 
m  2  Chroii.  xxiv.  17-22.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  Zechariah's  father 
had  two  names, — •Jehoiada,'and  Barachiah, — as  to  have  two  names 
does  not  seem  to  have  been  an  uncommon  thing  among  the  Jews; 
or  he  might  be  the  grandson  of  Jchoiada,  by  a  son  called  Bara- 
chiah." The  reason  why  he  is  mentioned  as  the  last  of  the  proph- 
ets that  had  been  killed  probably  is,  that  the  oracle  quoted  was 
pubiiahed  soon  alter  this  event.  The  general  meaning  is,  that  the 
Jewish  nation,  by  persitsting  m  disobeying  God,  and  in  maltreating 
his  inspired  messengers,  would,  ut  last,  draw  down  upon  them- 
selves a  punishment  so  awfully  severe,  that  it  might  be  considered 
as  the  concentrated  vengeance  due  for  all  the  murders  of  martyred 
prophets  and  holy  men  in  all  ages. 

The  concluding  words  of  the  51st  verse  seem  to  be  spoken  by 
our  Lord  in  his  own  person.  They  are  an  emphatic  conlirma- 
tion  of  the  awful  oracle:  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be 
required  of  this  generation."  The  accumulated  guilt  of  ages 
was,  as  it  were,  to  become  theirs,  by  the  murder  of  the  Messiah 
and  his  apostles;  and  awful  was  the  retribution  which  awaited 
them.     How  accurately  the  event  corresponded  with  the  predic- 

'•'^  dui  TovTo.  ■'<  Matt.   xiii.   13,  52;  xviii.  23;  xxi.  43.     John  xix.  11. 

■^j  "The  Ecbatic  sense  of  tra  has  been  called  iii  (question  by  Fritzsche  and  others, 
but  has  been  abundantly  established  byTitmann,  in  his  admirable  work,  'De  usu 
I'articularum  in  N.  T.'  ileruiann's  note  to  Vigerus,  and  Winer's  Grammar,  may 
be  consulted." — Robinson,  in  verb. 

■"•  Zechariah  was  stoned  at  the  command  of  King  Joasli  tv  av'/Jj  oIkov  Kvpiov. 
The  UuniaaTi'/pidv  referred  to  is  the  great  altar  of  burnt-olfering,  that  stood  in  th« 
Open  air,  at  the  entrance  of  the  buildings  (iroperly  called  the  Temple — o  vaof. 

■>''  Vide  Wetstein  and  Kuinoel. 


PART  II.]  THE   LAWYERS  CONDEMNED.  325 

tiou,  who  does  not  know?  Never  was  there  a  generation  so 
guilty,  and  never  was  there  a  generation  so  punished,  Kead  the 
history  of  the  last  days  of  the  Jewish  republic,  as  recorded  by 
their  own  unbelieving  historian,  Josephus,  and  then  say,  if  the 
judgments  executed  on  the  Jewish  nation  were  not  such  as  to 
fill,  to  the  full,  human  nature's  capacities  of  suffering,  and  if  our 
Lord's  own  emphatic  words  were  not  literally  fulfilled: — "For 
in  those  days  shall  be  affliction,  such  as  was  not  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  creation,  which  God  created,  unto  this  time,  neither 
shall  be  ?^^ 

The  best  illustration  of  these  words  is  to  be  found  in  the  para- 
ble of  the  vineyard  and  husbandmen,  and  in  the  words  of  the 
apostle  Paul  to  the  Thessalonians : — "  A  certain  man  planted  a 
vineyard,  and  set  an  hedge  about  it,  and  digged  a  place  for  the 
wine-fat,  and  built  a  tower,  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and 
went  into  a  far  country.  And  at  the  season  he  sent  to  the 
husbandman  a  servant,  that  he  miglit  receive  from  the  husband- 
men of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard.  And  they  caught  him,  and 
beat  him,  and  sent  him  away  empty.  And  again  he  sent  unto 
them  another  servant ;  and  at  him  they  cast  stones,  and  wounded 
him  in  the  head,  and  sent  him  away  shamefully  handled.  And 
again  he  sent  another ;  and  him  they  killed,  and  many  others ; 
beating  some,  and  killing  some.  Having  yet  therefore  one  son, 
his  well-beloved,  he  sent  him  also  last  unto  them,  saying.  They 
Avill  reverence  my  son.  But  those  husbandmen  said  among 
themselves,  This  is  the  heir ;  come,  let  us  kill  liim,  and  the  in- 
heritance shall  be  ours.  And  they  took  him,  and  killed  him,  and 
cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard.  What  shall  therefore  the  Lord  of 
the  vineyard  do  ?  he  will  come  and  destroy  the  husbandmen,  and 
will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others.^*  The  Jews  "  both  killed 
the  Lord  Jesus  and  their  own  prophets,  and  have  persecuted  us  ; 
and  they  please  not  God,  and  are  contrary  to  all  men :  forbid- 
ding us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles,  that  the}^  might  be  saved,  to  fill 
up  their  sins  alway :  for  the  wrath  is  come  upon  them  to  the 
uttermost.""" 

Our  Lord  brings  still  another  charge  against  the  pharisaic 
Scribes : — "  Woe  unto  you,  lawyers  !  for  ye  have  taken  away  the 
key  of  knowledge :  ye  enter  not  in  yourselves,  and  them  that 
were  entering  in  ye  hindered.""'  He  charges  them  with  taking 
away  "  the  key  of  knowledge" — that  is,  knowledge,  which  is  the 
key.  "  The  key"  here  is  the  key  of  the  kingdom  ;  this  is  plain 
from  the  parallel  passage  in  the  gospel  by  Matthew,  where  they 
are  said  to  "shut  up  the  kingdom  of  God  against  men,'""  and 
from  what  is  said  to  follow  from  their  taking  away  the  key. 
They  locked  the  gates  of  the  kingdom,  so  that  there  was  no  en- 
trance. The  key  of  the  kingdom  is  knowledge — ^knowledge  of 
the  truth  in  reference  to  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  advent,  and 
the  nature  of  his  kingdom.     Tliat  knowledge  was  to  be  got  in 

5^  Mark  xiii.  19.  =9  Mark  xii.  1-9.  «"  1  Tliess.  ii.   15,  16. 

61  Luke  xi.  52.  »"  Matt,  xxiii.  18. 


326  NOTES.  [EXP.  Y. 

the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  But  the  pliarisaic  Scribes  misin- 
terpreted these  Scriptures,  and  tauglit  their  countrymen  to  expect 
in  the  Messiah  a  temporal  prince,  and  worldly  honor,  power, 
and  pleasure,  as  the  blessings  of  his  reign.  Bv  their  false  views, 
they  excluded  themselves  from  the  blessings  of  the  new  and 
better  economy ;  and,  so  far  as  these  views  prevailed,  they  pre- 
vented others  from  participating  in  these  blessings.  They  thus 
became  the  authors  of  destruction,  both  to  themselves  and  to 
others. 

These  faithful  statements,  instead  of  reclaiming,  irritated  our 
Lord's  opponents: — "They  began  to  urge  him  vehemently,  and 
to  provoke  him  to  speak  of  many  things ;  laying  wait  for  him, 
and  seeking  to  catch  something  out  of  his  mouth,  that  they 
might  accuse  him.""  But  their  insidious  art^  were  vain.  He 
opened  his  mouth  in  wisdom  ;  and,  while  he  fearlessly  spoke  the 
most  unpalatable  truth,  he  carefull}^  avoided  everything  which 
might  give  them  an  advantage  over  him,  b}'  affording  them  the 
means  either  of  exciting  the  multitude  to  destroy  him  by  violence, 
or  of  drawing  down  on  him  the  vengeance  of  the  Eoman  govern- 
ment, as  a  seditious  disturber  of  the  public  peace. 

I  conclude,  in  the  words  of  a  respected  elder  brother  :"*  "Let 
us  not  turn  awa}^  from  this  benevolent  severity  unprofited.  Let 
us  shun  that  pharisaic  religion,  which  was,  and  still  is,  the  ruin 
of  the  Jews.  Let  us  view  the  law  of  God  as  the  rule  for  the 
heart,  as  well  as  for  the  life  ;  and  as  it  is  too  broad,  and  strict,  and 
spiritual  to  give  justification  or  life  for  our  imperfect  obedience, 
let  us  learn  by  it  to  flee  to  Christ,  v  ho  '  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth.'  At  Christ's  bidding, 
let  us  beware  of  lofty  pretenders  to  sanctity,  who  arrogantly 
assume  authority  over  the  souls  of  men.  Meekness,  modesty, 
mercy,  and  active  benevolence,  are  the  characteristics  of  genuine 
religion,  in  every  age,  and  under  every  dispensation.  Let  us 
counteract  the  cruelty  of  those  who  would  shut  the  kingdom  of 
God  against  such  as  are  desirous  of  entering ;  promote  the  free 
circulation  and  use  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  ;  and  unfold  the  grace 
of  the  Gospel,  in  opposition  to  the  insufferable  law  of  works  ;  and 
having  well  improved  the  key  of  knowledge  for  ourselves,  let  us 
act  in  the  spirit  of  the  purest  and  loftiest  zeal  for  the  universal 
diffusion  of  the  word  of  God.'"' 


Note  A,  p.  310 

The  remarks  of  Alexander  Knox  oh  the  subject  appear  to  me  singu- 
larly just.     Speakhig  of  a  Christian  of  a  higher  order  of  spiritual  at- 

"  Luke  xi.  53,  o4. 

**  Dr.  Beniiet,  the  frion-l  aiul  biogriipher  of  the  venerable  Bogue. 

"^  Lectures  o:i  (.  luist'g  I'rtMcliing,  p.  231. 


EXP.  v.]  NOTES.  327 

tainment,  ho  says,  "  The  man  I  speak  of  has  separated  himself  from  tho 
pollutions  of  the  world,  Avithout  withdrawing  from  its  common  inter- 
course. This,  however,  requires  much  discriminative  wisdom,  and  un- 
remitting watchfulness,  as  well  as  tenderness  of  conscience  :  but  when 
the  habit  is  gained  it  is  invaluable.  He  will  not  go  into  worldly  com- 
pany for  pleasure,  because  his  taste  is  of  another  kind ;  but  he  Avill  not 
shrink  from  calls  of  duty  or  propriety,  because  ho  scarcely  fears  tho 
world  more  than  he  loves  it.  He  fears  it  enough  to  make  him  ever  watch- 
ful against  its  seductions,  and  ever  solicitous  to  take  to  himself  'the 
whole  armor  of  God.'  But  with  this  safeguard,  he  has  no  d^ead  of  any 
of  its  scenes ;  except  when  he  should  be,  in  any  respect,  a  partaker  '  in 
the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness.'  When,  therefore,  such  a  person  does 
mingle  with  the  people  of  the  world,  he  knows  why  he  does  so.  It  is  no 
stealthy  advance  beyond  the  limit  of  his  conscience,  no  widening  of  the 
circle  which  he  once  prescribed  to  himself.  It  is,  as  concurring  circum- 
stances have  fully  shoAvn  him,  an  actual  part  of  his  duty.  'In  the 
calling,'  merely,  '  wherein  he  was  called,  therein  he  abides  with  God.' 
Acting  in  this  simplicity,  he  finds  frequent  opportunities  for  useful  con- 
versation, of  which  he  avails  himself  with  the  wisest  Tuanagement  he  can 
use.  Being  accustomed  to  view  religion  itself  as  in  the  most  harmo- 
nious agreement  with  nature,  providence,  and  all  the  higher  tastes  of  man, 
he  can  graft  wise  and  pious  observations  on  subjects  that  would  leave 
no  opening  whatever  to  the  theological  dogmatist;  and,  not  having 
caught  religion  by  the  means  of  any  party,  he  speaks  of  it  solely  in  the 
language  of  plain  sense,  without  danger  of  exciting  their  risibility  or 
disgust,  by  any  uncouthness  of  phraseology.  But  if  he  should  find  it  ex- 
pedient even  to  be  wholly  silent  on  religious  subjects  (in  which  case  he 
will  make  his  stay  as  short  as  decorum  or  duty  will  allow),  he  will  still 
have  comfort  in  reflecting  that  he  has  shown  by  his  behavior,  that 
what  the,  world  deems  over-strictness,  does  not  necessarily  contract  the 
brow,  or  damp  the  spirits,  or  cramp  the  intellect,  or  blunt  the  mental 
taste,  or  make  a  man  less  capable  of  holding  his  place  among  man- 
kind (as  far  as  he  himself  judges  it  proper),  with  ease,  with  respecta- 
bility, with  courtesy,  and  yet  with  an  independence  of  mind  which  no 
mere  man  of  the  world  ever  did  or  could  exemplify." — Remains,  Vol.  I., 
pp.  152,  153. 


EXPOSITION    VI. 


THE    CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY ;  AND   THE    CHARACTER   AND   DESTINY 
OF  ITS  OCCUPANTS— WORTHY  AND  UNWORTHY. 


LtJKE  xii.  35-37,  41-47. — "Let  youi-  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights 
burning ;  and  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their  lord,  "when  he  will 
return  from  the  wedding;  that,  when  he  cometli  and  knocketh,  they  may  open 
unto  him  immediately.  Blessed  are  those  servants,  whom  the  Lord,  when  he 
cometh,  shall  find  watching:  verily  I  say  unto  you.  That  he  shall  gird  himself, 
and  make  them  to  sit  down  to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  serve  them."  * 
*  *  *  *  "Then  Peter  said  unto  him.  Lord,  speakest  thou  this 
parable  unto  us,  or  even  to  all  ?  And  the  Lord  said,  Who  then  is  that  faithful 
and  wise  steward,  whom  his  lord  shall  make  ruler  over  his  household,  to  give 
them  their  portion  of  meat  in  due  season  ?  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his 
lord,  when  lie  cometh,  shall  find  so  doing.  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  Tiiat  he 
will  make  him  rnler  over  all  that  he  hath.  But  and  if  that  servant  say  in  his 
heart,  My  lord  delay eth  his  coming;  and  shall  begin  to  beat  the  men-servants 
and  maideus,  and  to  eat  and  drink,  and  to  be  drunken  ;  the  lord  of  that  servant 
will  come  in  a  day  when  he  looketh  not  for  him,  and  at  an  hour  when  he  is  not 
aware,  and  will  cut  him  in  sunder,  and  will  apj)oint  him  his  portion  with  the 
unbelievers.  And  that  servant,  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and  prepared  not 
liimself,  neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes." 

xV  DISTINCT  apprehension,  and  a  deep  impression  of  the  varied 
jind  awful  responsibilities  of  the  christian  ministry,  in  all  who 
;u'C  aspiring  to  that  office,  and  in  all  who  fill  it,  are  of  the  great- 
est importance  to  the  general  interests  of  Christianity,  as  well  as 
to  those  individuals  themselves,  and  to  those  portions  of  the 
I'lnistian  church  with  which  they  are  more  immediately  con- 
nected. 

The  want  of,  or  the  deficiency  in,  such  apprehensions  and  im- 
pressions, in  ministers  and  candidates  for  the  ministry,  may  be 
justly  considered  as  one  cause,  and  a  powerful  one,  of  the  low 
state  of  religion  in  our  own  country  and  in  the  christian  world  at 
large,  and  the  general  prevalence  of  an  opposite  state  oi'  thought 
and  feeling  would  be  at  once  a  symptom  of  begun,  and  a  security 
for  continued,  revival.  At  all  events,  just  views  and  corre- 
sponding feelings  on  these  subjects  would  prevent  men  from  enter- 
ing into  the  christian  ministry  with  inadequate  preparation,  or 
from  worldly  or  selfish  motives,  and  would  also  i)revcnt  those 
who  have  entered  it,  from  disgracing  their  high  and  holy  call- 
ing, and  bringing  on  themselves  "  a  double  destruction"  by  their 
error  or  immorality,  their  indolence  or  unfuithfulno^^s. 

A  most  impressive  view  of  the  responsibilities  of  the  christian 


EXP,  VI.]  THE  CHKISTIAN   MINISTRY.  329 

minister,  in  an  account  of  the  nature  and  design  of  his  office, 
and  of  the  character  and  destiny  of  its  occupants,  worthy  and 
unworthy,  is  presented  to  our  minds  in  the  words  of  our  Lord, 
which  I  have  just  read.  That  tliese  words  have  a  direct  refer- 
ence to  christian  ministers,  seems  obvious  from  an  attentive  ex- 
amination of  the  context.  They  were  spoken  in  the  presence  of 
a  promiscuous  crowd,  but  they  were  plainly  addressed  to  a  very 
small  and  a  completely  distinct  section  of  that  crowd.  When 
our  Lord  had  come  out  of  the  Pharisee's  house  where  he  had 
dined,  "there  was  gathered  together  an  innumerable  multitude 
of  people,"  but  he  did  not  begin  to  address  fJiem ;  he  began  to 
speak  "to  his  disciples"  (ver,  1);  and  from  the  nature  of  the 
statements  made  to  them,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  term 
disciples  is  to  be  understood  in  its  restricted  sense,  as  equivalent 
to  his  apostles,  or  as  at  farthest  including  along  with  thcra  ' '  the 
other  seventy  whom  he  had  appointed  to  go  before  his  face  into 
every  city  and  place  whither  lie  himself  would  come."  On 
"  one  of  the  company"  (ver.  13)  interrupting  him  by  a  very  un- 
seasonable request  to  act  the  part  of  a  civil  judge,  in  a  dispute 
about  property,  he  seized  tlic  opportunity  thus  presented  of  ad- 
dressing the  whole  midtitude  (ver,  15)  on  the  extreme  folly  of 
expecting  real  hnppiness  from  the  possession  of  wealth,  however 
abundant;  and  then  turning  himself  again  to  his  disciples  (ver. 
22),  he  gave  them  a  variety  of  exhortations,  including  those  which 
form  the  first  part  of  our  subject  of  discourse.  As  some  of  these 
exhortations  seemed  to  be  of  a  general  character,  Peter  put  the 
question  to  our  Lord  (ver,  41),  whether  they  were  to  be  consid- 
ered as  addressed  to  him  and  his  brother  disciples,  or  to  all  the 
multitude,  and  received  an  answer  which  distinctly  enough  inti- 
mated that  they  directly  referred  to  those  who  stood  to  him  in 
the  relation  of  confidential  servants.  We  conceive  ourselves 
then  not  merely  warranted,  but  obliged  to  consider  the  whole 
passage  before  us  as  referring  to  the  cliristian  ministry. 

The  officials  of  the  church  of  Christ  are  represented  as  the 
confidential  servants  of  a  prince  or  nobleman,  who  having  gone 
from  home,  without  informing  them  of  the  period  of  his  return, 
has  entrusted  to  them  the  management  of  his  household  during 
his  absence.  One  class  of  these  servants  are  "  faithful  and  wise:" 
they  regularly  perform  their  duty  to  the  household,  giving  to 
them  their  portion  of  meat  in  due  season,  and  are  constantly 
employed  as  persons  expecting  and  preparing  for  their  master's 
return.  Such  servants  shall  receive  from  their  returned  master 
the  most  substantial  proofs  of  his  approbation.  Another  class  of 
these  servants  are  unfaithful  and  unwise:  they  become  during 
their  Lord's  absence  careless  of  his  will,  and  destroyers  of  that 
peace  and  good  order  of  the  family  of  which  they  were  constituted 
guardians,  smiting  their  fellow-servants,  and  eating  and  drinking 
with  the  drunken.  Such  persons  shall  be  by  their  indignant 
master,  ignominiously  discarded  from  his  service,  and  severely 
punished  for    their  self-indulgence,   oppression,   and   breach  oi 


830  THE  CHRISTIAK  MINISTRY.  [EXP.  VI. 

trust.  It  is  not  my  intention  to  give  a  minute  exposition  of  the 
interesting  paragrapli  I  liave  read,  nor  to  illustrate  all  the  im- 
portant principles  which  are  contained  in,  or  may  be  deduced 
from  it,  but  merely  to  take  a  cursory  glance  of  the  great  truths 
thus  figuratively  taught  us  respecting  the  Christian  Ministry, 
and  the  character  and  destiny  of  its  occupants — worthy  and  un- 
worthy. 

I. — THE   CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

With  regard  to  the  Christian  Ministry  as  un  order  in  Christ's 
church,  they  are  represented  under  the  figure  of  a  set  of  servants, 
constituted  by  the  master,  stewards,  and  rulers  over  his  house- 
hold, during  his  absence. 

They  are  "  servants,"  not  lords.  "  We  preach,"  says  the 
apostle,  '•  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and  ourselves 
your  servants  for  Jesus'  sake.'"  '  We  do  not  announce  ourselves 
to  you  as  your  masters.  We  proclaim  Christ  Jesus  to  be  the 
Master,  and  mindful  of  his  words,  "  One  is  your  Master,  even 
Christ,"^  we  announce  ourselves  to  you  not  your  masters,  but 
your  servants  for  his  sake.  We  seek  not  to  make  you  our  prop- 
erty that  we  may  rule  over  you,  by  dictating  to  your  faith,  and 
controlling  your  conduct ;  but  considering  you  as  his  unalienable 
property,  which  he  "purchased  with  his  own  blood,"^  and  which 
having  so  dearly  bought  he  highly  values,  we  wish  to  serve  Him 
by  ministering  to  your  improvement.'  This  is  a  view  of  the 
sacred  office  with  which  they  who  fill  it  cannot  be  too  deeply  im- 
pressed. They  are  Christ's  servants.  They  have  no  au.thority,  • 
separate  from  his  authority.  To  promulgate  and  administer  his 
laws,  not  to  make  and  execute  laws  of  their  own,  is  their  legiti- 
mate province. 

But  while  they  are,  in  all  the  extent  and  cmpliasis  which  can 
belong  to  the  term,  Christ's  servants,  and  also  in  a  limited  and 
important  sense  of  the  word,  the  church's  servants,  for  his  sake, 
yet  they  are  here  represented  as  servants  who,  by  the  Lord  of  the 
household,  have  been  made  "rulers"  in  the  family.  They  are 
entrusted  by  him  v/ith  the  subordinate  management  of  the  church. 
They  arc  not  piinces,  but  they  are  "  stewards ;"  they  are  not 
"  lords,"  but  they  arc  guides  ;  they  must  not  prescribe  new  ways, 
but  they  are  to  direct  to  and  in  "  the  old  ])ath,  and  the  good 
way  ;"  they  are  not  to  appoint  the  work,  but  they  are  to  instruct, 
as  they  have  been  instructed,  in  the  right  performance  of  the  task 
which  the  Master  has  prescribed. 

This  subordinate  rule  is  all  derived  from  Christ.  It  is  the 
Lord  who  makes  them  rulers  in  his  household.  In  that  family 
none  has  authority  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term  but  He,  No 
king,  no  parliament,  no  man,  no  body  of  men,  has  any  right  to 
constitute  men  stewards  over  the  family  of  God.  That  belongs 
to  Him  who  is  by  Jehovah  "  set  as  his  King  on  the  holy  hill  of 
'  2  Cor.  iv.  :>.  -  Matt,  xxiii.  y.  ^  Acts  xx.  28. 


PART  II.]  CHARACTER   OF   ITS   OCCUPANTS.  331 

Zion,"*  to  Him  who  is  set  as  "  a  Son  over  his  own  house."*  All 
church  power  comes  forth  from  Him.  He  directly  appointed  the 
first  office-bearers  in  the  spiritual  society  which  he  established,  and 
none  are  rio-htly  constituted  but  those  who  are  so  in  accordance 
with  the  principles  laid  down  in  the  apostolical  epistles,  and  ex- 
emplified in  the  practice  of  the  apostolical  churches. 

It  is  of  importance,  however,  to  remark,  that  though  called  to 
office  by  the  instrumentality  of  their  brethren,  their  authority  is 
derived,  not  from  them,  but  from  their  master :  by  him,  not  by 
thevi,  are  they  to  be  directed  in  the  performance  of  their  duties, 
and  to  him,  not  to  them,  are  they  accountable  for  the  manner  in 
which  they  discharge  them.  It  is  his  doctrine  they  are  to  teach 
— ^his  laws  they  are  to  administer.  The  steward  or  overseer, 
though  chosen,  if  such  be  the  appointment  of  the  Master,  by  his 
fellow-servants,  is  to  be  guided  in  managing  the  household,  not 
by  their  will,  but  by  the  will  of  their  common  Lord.  The  min- 
ister of  Christ  who  forgets  this,  and  seeks  in  his  official  proceed- 
ings primarily  to  please  those  who  have  been  committed  to  his 
charge,  has  lost  sight  of  his  high  character  as  a  servant  of  Christ. 
A.  fitter  object  of  mingled  l:»lame,  contempt,  and  pity,  does  not 
exist,  than  a  man,  bearing  the  name  of  a  christian  minister,  who 
instead  of  fearlessly  proclaiming  and  impartially  administering 
the  laws  of  Christ," is  the  slave  and  the  executioner  of  the  preju- 
dices of  his  people. 

But  though  the  christian  minister  is  not  to  be  ruled  by  those 
whom  he  is  appointed  to  rule — is  not  to  take  laws  from  those  to 
whom  he  is  appointed  to  declare  the  law,  he  is  never  to  forget — 
what  the  very  names  of  his  office  are  all  intended  and  fitted  to 
keep  constantly  before  his  mind — that  he  holds  office  in  the 
church,  not  for  his  own  aggrandisement  and  selfish  interests,  but 
for  the  benefit  of  his  brethren — not  to  gratify  his  own  ambition 
or  love  of  ease,  but  to  promote  their  spiritual  improvement,  to 
secure  their  ultimate  salvation ;  and  under  the  influence  of  this 
conviction,  like  the  steward  who  finds  that  in  promoting  his 
master's  interest,  and  the  happiness  of  his  fellow-servants,  in  the 
good  order  of  the  household,  it  is  of  great  importance  to  be  on 
good  terms  with  those  under  his  care,  he  will  endeavor  to 
"  please  his  brethren  to  edification  ;"  nay,  he  will  seek  to  "  please 
all  men  in  all  things,  not  seeking  his  own  profit,  but  the  profit  of 
many,  that  they  may  be  saved."'  Such  is  the  view  here  given  us 
of  the  general  nature  and  design  of  the  christian  ministry. 

II. — ^THE  CHARACTER  OF  THE  OCCUPANTS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 
MINISTRY. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  view  -which  the  text  gives 
us  of  the  character  of  the  occupants  of  tlie  christian  ministry — 
worthy  and  unworthy.  The  two  characters  are  placed  in  contrast. 
They  have  one  thing  in  common :    They  "  know  their  Lord's 

<  Psal.  ii.  6  ■'  Ileb.  iii.  G.  ^  i  Cor.  x.  33. 


332  THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  [eXP.  VI. 

will."  They  have  the  means  of  ascertaining  what  he  requires  of 
them.  In  everything  else,  the  one  is  just  the  reverse  of  the  other. 
The  characters  are  so  drawn  in  the  passage  before  us,  as  that  to 
have  a  full  view  of  either  we  must  look  at  both.  What  the  one 
wants  the  other  has— what  the  one  has  the  other  wants.  The 
negative  assertions  respecting  the  one  must  be  converted  into 
positive  assertions  respecting  the  other,  and  the  positive  assertions 
respecting  the  one  must  be  converted  into  negative  assertions  re- 
specting the  other.  The  two  characters  then  stand  thus :  The 
worthy  occupant  of  the  christian  ministry,  "  knowing  his  Lord's 
will,  prepares  himself,  and  does  according  to  his  will."  So  far  as 
the  household  is  concerned,  he  does  not  "  smite  his  fellow- 
servants,  beating  the  men-servants  and  the  maidens,"  but  he 
"gives  them  their  meat  in  due  season."  In  reference  to  his  Lord, 
he  does  not  "  eat  and  drink  with  the  drunken,"  but  with  "  loins 
girded  about  and  lamp  burning,  he  watches  for  his  return,"  he 
continues  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  till  the  appointed  period 
of  his  official  service — in  all  this  approving  himself  "  a  faithful 
and  wise  "  servant.  On  the  other  hand,  the  unworthy  occupant 
of  the  christian  ministry,  though  "knowing  his  Lord's  will," does 
not  "  prepare  himself,"  neither  "  does  according  to  his  will,"  but 
instead  of  "  giving  to  the  household  their  meat  in  duo  season," 
"  beats  his  fellow-servants,"  and  instead  of  standing  "  with  loins 
girded  about  and  lamp  burning,"  waiting  his  Lord's  return,  hav- 
ing "  said  in  his  heart  my  Lord  delayeth  his  coming,"  "  eats  and 
drinks  with  the  drunken,"  thus  showing  himself  as  a  servant  to 
be  both  unfaithful  and  unwise.  These  are  the  outlines  of  the 
two  contrasted  portraits.  Let  us  attempt  in  some  measure  to 
fill  them  up. 

§  1.    Worthy. 

The  worthy  occupant  of  the  christian  ministry  "  knows  his 
Lord's  will."  Though  the  Master  of  the  household  is  absent,  he 
has  left  full  and  particular  directions  for  the  conduct  of  all  his 
servants,  and  especially  of  his  stewards.  These  are  not  to  be 
found  in  "  the  traditions  of  the  elders,"  in  the  canons  of  councils, 
or  in  the  decretals  of  popes.  They  are  to  be  found  in  "  the  Scrip- 
tures of  truth," — "  the  word  of  Christ."  "  All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for 
reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness,  that  the 
man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thorouglily  furnished  unto  all  good 
works.'"  Possessing  this  repository  of  the  doctrine  and  law  of 
his  Lord,  the  good  minister  endeavors  to  make  himself  master  of 
all  its  stores.  He  "  searches  the  Scriptures,"  and  becomes  "  a 
scribe  instructed  unto  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'"  This  is  requi- 
site to  his  being  "  like  unto  a  man  who  is  a  householder,  which 
bringeth  out  of  his  treasure  things  new  and  old." 

Thus  knowing  the  will  ol'  his  Master,  tlie  faithful  servant 
"  prepares  himself"     These  words  may  cither  mean  '  gets  ready 

7  2  Tim.  iii.   10.  «  Matt.  xiii.  52. 


PART  II.]  CHARACTER   OF   ITS   OCCUPANTS.  331? 

# 

to  meet  his  Lord,'  or,  '  makes  preparation  for  doing  the  Avill  of 
his  Lord.'  We  apprehend  the  last  of  these  phrases  brings  out 
our  Lord's  meaning.  The  will  of  the  Lord  is  the  good  order 
and  happiness  of  his' household,  and,  in  order  to  secure  this,  the 
stewards  must  "  prepare  themselves."  The  minister  who  would 
be  useful  must  prepare  himself  for  usefulness.  He  must  not  act 
extempore,  trusting  that  the  circumstances  of  the  case  will  sug- 
gest the  proper  mode  of  conduct  on  anv  particular  occasion. 
The  good  minister  is  a  devoted  student.  He  "  gives  himself  to 
reading,  meditation,  and  prayer,"  thus  making  himself  acquainted 
thoroughly  with  the  great  truths  he  is  to  teach  his  people,  the 
great  principles  which  are  to  regulate  him  in  his  conduct  towards 
them,  and  the  specific  laws  of  his  Master,  so  that  when  a  crisis 
occurs  he  knows  what  is  to  be  done.  To  borrow  the  language  of 
the  wise  son  of  Sirach,  "  he  gives  his  mind  to  the  laws  of  the 
Lord,  and  he  is  occupied  in  tlie  meditation  thereof;  he  seeks  out 
the  wisdom  of  all  the  ancients,  and  he  is  occupied  with  prophe- 
cies ;  he  seeks  out  the  secrets  of  grave  sentences,  and  is  conver- 
sant in  dark  parables ;  he  gives  his  heart  to  resort  early  to  the 
Lord  who  made  him,  and  prays  before  the  Most  High."^ 

And  thus  preparing  himself,  "  he  does  according  to  his  Lord's 
will."  He  is  not  a  mere  student.  His  lamp  trimmed  and  fed 
with  the  pure  oil  of  the  sanctuary,  carefully  prepared  in  the 
recesses  of  his  closet,  burns  brightly,  and  is  not  "  put  under  a 
bushel,"  but  "placed  on  a  candlestick."  He  turns  to  account 
his  secret  acquisitions  in  the  conscientious  discharge  of  the  pri- 
vate and  public  duties  of  his  function,  his  duties  to  the  house- 
hold, his  duties  to  the  Master  of  the  household. 

With  respect  to  his  duties  to  the  household,  he  does  not  "  beat 
his  fellow-servants."  He  does  not  usurp  an  authority  over  them 
which  he  does  not  possess.  He  does  not  attempt  to  impose  on 
them  his  private  opinions  as  law,  and,  on  their  refusing  to  pro- 
nounce his  "shibboleth,"  apply  to  them  "the  scourge  of  the 
tongue,"  or  beat  them  with  the  rod  of  a  tyrannical  discipline. 
On  the  contrary,  he  devotes  himself  to  the  humble  duty  ap- 
pointed him  by  his  Lord,  "  he  gives  to  the  household  their  meat 
in  due  season."  The  direct  reference  here  seems  to  be  to  the 
communication  of  christian  truth  to  the  members  of  the  church. 
That  is  the  proper  nutriment  of  the  immortal  mind.  It  is  by 
"  the  words  of  faith  and  sound  doctrine"  that  Christians  are 
"  nourished  up"  and  "  strengthened  to  every  good  work."  The 
good  christian  minister  endeavors  to  bring  before  the  mind  of 
his  people  pure  christian  truth,  and  all  christian  truth  so  far  as 
he  knows  it ;  "  not  the  poison  of  false  doctrine,  not  the  stones  of 
unprofitable  doctrine,  but  the  wholesome  nourishing  food  of 
sound  doctrine."  And  he  endeavors  to  bring  this  before  their 
mind  in  as  clear  and  impressive  a  manner  as  possible, — desirous 
that  the  food  may  be  palatable  as  well  as  nourishing, — presenting 
the  "  dainties"  of  divine  doctrine,  if  not  "  in  a  lordly  dish,"  "  in 

9  Ecclu.4.  xxxix.  1,  <fec. 


334  THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  [EXP.  VI. 

a  clean  vessel,"  and,  like  the  ancient  "  Preacher"  while  teaching 
the  people  knoAvledge,  ''  seeking  to  find  out  acceptable  words.'"* 
Farther,  he  tnkes  care  that  the  food  shall  not  only  be  wholesome 
but  seasonable. — He  "  gives  them  their  meat  in  season  ;"  clear 
exposition  for  the  ignorant,  satisfactory  e^^dence  for  the  doubt- 
ing, cogent  persuasion  or  strong  stimulus  for  the  indolent,  abun- 
dant consolation  for  the  afflicted.  He  "preaches  the  word,  is 
instant  in  season  and  out  of  season,'"'  and,  though  he  will  not 
"  beat  his  fellow-servants,"  yet  does  he  not  spare  "  to  reprove  and 
rebuke,"  to  "  warn  them  that  are  unruly,"  as  well  as  to  "  comfort 
the  feeble-minded  and  support  the  weak.'"' 

While  the  direct  reference  is  to  instruction,  I  have  no  doubt 
that  is  mentioned  as  the  leading  duty  to  the  household,  to  intimate 
that  the  good  steward  attends  to  all  his  duties,  that  he  looks  to 
the  order  and  peace  of  the  household  as  well  as  to  their  comfort- 
able maintenance.  And  indeed  the  most  effectual  way  in  which 
a  christian  minister  can  promote  these,  is  by  endeavoring  to 
bring  his  people  under  the  sanctifying,  pacific  iYifluence  of  ''  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 

With  respect  to  his  duties  to  his  Master,  the  christian  minister 
is  like  a  servant  who  does  not  "  eat  and  drink  Vvdth  the  drunken," 
but  who  stands  "  with  loins  girded  about  and  lamp  burning," 
wr.iting  the  return  of  his  Master.  His  spirit  is  not  the  spirit  of 
self-indulgence,  which  leads  a  man  "  to  please  himself;"  it  is  his 
Masters  spirit — a  self-sacrificing  spirit.  He  is  a  true  disciple,  and 
has  well  learned  the  first  lesson  of  disclpleship,  "to  renounce  him- 
self.'"'' It  is  not  a  worldly  spirit,  leading  hiin  to  find  liis  happiness 
in  secular  pursuits,  pleasures,  and  associations ;  on  the  contrary, 
doing  violence  to  the  natural  desire  of  ease,  "  mortifying  his  mem- 
bers which  are  on  the  earth,""  and  3-iclding  himself  up  to  the 
"powers  of  the  world  to  come," — the  influence  not  of  "the  things 
that  are  seen  and  temporal,  but  of  the  things  that  are  unseen  and 
eternal,"  he  stands  in  an  attitude  of  expectation  and  prc|iaration. 
He  believes  that  his  Lord  is  coming,  and  that  "  his  reward  is  with 
him ;"  and  he  performs  all  his  duties  with  a  reference  to  his  com- 
ing. The  Judge  is  in  his  estimation  "before  the  door;"  the  Re- 
deemer is  "  on  hLs  way,"  and  though  his  arrival  may  be  at  the 
distance  of  many  an  age.  Faith's  piercing  eye  beholds  the  prepared 
triumphal  procession  already  marshalled,  and  proclaims  incessantly 
in  his  heart,  "Behold,  he  coineth."  He  knows  that  if  he  be  a 
steward,  then  -will  be  his  reckoning ;  if  he  be  a  husbandman,  then 
will  be  liis  harvest ;  if  he  be  a  soldier,  then  is  he  to  receive  his 
crown.  Whoever  then  may  doubt  "  as  to  the  coming  of  the 
Lord,"  and  ask,  "  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  ?  for,  since 
the  fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things  remain  even  to  this  day,"""  he  re- 
sists the  suggestions  of  "  the  evil  heart  of  unbelief,"  and,  under 
the  power  of  that  principle  which  makes  future  things  present, 
and  unseen  things  visible,  he  "  holds  fixst  the  confidence  and  re- 

'"  Eccles.  xii.  10.  "  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  '^  1  Tliess.  v.  14. 

'3  Matt.  xvi.  24.  '*  CoL  iii.  5.  ''  2  Pet.  iii.  4. 


PAKT.  II.]  CHARACTER   OF   ITS   OCCUPANTS.  335 

joicing  of  his  faitli,"  tliat  "He  who  should  come  will  come,  and 
will  not  tarr3^""' 

And  this  expectation  of  the  Lord  leads  to  preparation  for  the 
Lord.  He  faithfully  delivers  his  Master's  message,  and  performs 
all  the  duties  assigned  him,  for  he  knows  that  when  the  Lord 
comes,  fidelity  will  be  abundantly  rewarded,  and  unfaithfulness 
severely  punished.  He  is  diligent  as  well  as  faithful,  knowing  that 
when  He  cometh  "he  will  give  to  every  man  according  to  his 
work ;"" — that  "  he  who  hath  sowed  sparingly  shall  reap  sparingly ; 
and  he  who  hath  sowed  bountifully  shall  reap  bountifLdly.'"*  He 
is  not  "  weary  in  well  doing,"  but  is  "  stedfast  and  unmovable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord  ;"  knowing  that  when 
the  Lord  comes,  "  his  labor"  shall  be  found  not  to  have  been  "in 
vain."'"  He  is  not  moved  from  his  duty  either  by  the  fear  of  hu- 
man censure,  or  the  hope  of  human  applause,  for  ho  feels  that  "it 
is  a  very  little  thing  for  him  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment: 
there  is  one  that  judgeth  him,  that  is  the  Lord."^"  He  cherishes 
a  cordial  regard  for  all  his  brethren  in  Christ.  He  dares  not 
"  grudge"  against  any  of  them.  "  The  Judge  standeth  before  the 
door.""'  He  is  not  impatient  amid  the  trials  and  afflictions — some 
of  them,  it  may  be,  very  annoying — to  vv'-hich  he  is  exposed  ;  but 
"  as  the  husbandman  waiteth  for  the  precious  fruits  of  the  earth, 
and  hath  long  patience  for  it,  till  he  receives  the  early  and  latter 
rain" — so  he  also  is  "patient  and  stablishes  his  heart,  for  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh.'"^ 

Such  was  the  conduct  of  Paiil  and  his  apostolic  brethren. 
"  We  labor,"  says  he,  "  that  whether  present  or  absent  we  may  be 
accepted  of  Him,  for  we  must  all  appear" — we  must  all  be  mani- 
fested^' "  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may 
receive  the  things  done  in  the  body,  according  to  what  he  hath 
done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad."'*  It  was  this  wliich  gave  so 
deep  a  pathos  to  their  exhortations  to  perishing  sinners,  "  Know- 
ing tlie  terrors  of  the  Lord,"  "when  he  shall  come  in  flaming 
fire,"  "they  persuaded  men.""  It  Avas  this  which  made  them  so 
indefatigable  in  their  labors  for  the  salvation  of  the  elect  of  God. 
"  Knowing  that  He  which  raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus,  shall  raise  up 
us  also  by  Jesus,  and  shall  present  us  with  you ;"  "  for  which 
cause  we  faint  not."'°  With  the  coming  of  the  Lord  constantly 
before  the  mind,  they  "  renounced  the  hidden  things  of  dishon- 
esty, not  walking  in  craftiness,  not  handling  the  word  of  the  Lord 
deceitfully,""  but  cheerfully  "  spending  and  being  spent"  in  their 
Master's  service,  desirous  above  all  things  that  they  might  be 
"found  of  him  in  peace  at  his  coming,"  and  receive  his  approving 
smile  and  cordial  welcome — "well  done  good  and  faithful  servant, 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

The  good  minister  continues  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  till 

'8  Heb.  X.  37.  '7  Rev.  ii.  23.  '^  2  Cor.  ix.  6. 

'9  1  Cor.  XV.  58.  2"  1  Cor.  iv.  3.  2'  James  v.  9. 

22  James  v.  7.  23  (pavepuOnvau  2J  2  Cor.  v.  10. 

25  2  Cor.  V.  11.  29  2  Cor.  iv.  14,  16.  27  2  Cor.  iv.  2. 


336  THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  [KXP,  VI. 

the  appointed  period  for  the  termination  of  his  service.  "When 
the  Lord  comes,  he  finds  tlin  faithful  servant  working  and  watch- 
ing "  with  liis  loins  girded  and  his  lamp  burning."  The  good  min- 
ister docs  not  abandon  his  post,  nor  relinquish  his  work,  nor  in- 
termit his  watching.  He  not  only  "  gives  himself  wholly""  to  his 
duties,  but  he  "  continues  in  them."  "  He  endures  to  the  end." 
His  spirit  is  finely  expressed  in  the  reply  of  the  great  reformer  of 
Geneva,  when  urged  by  his  friends  to  remit  somewhat  of  his 
ministerial  labors — "  What.  Avould  vou  have  my  Master  find 
me  idle?" 

In  all  this  the  good  minister  of  Christ  acts  the  part  of  "a 
faithful  and  wise  steward."  The  word  "  faithful"  is  used  in  two 
senses  in  the  New  Testament — "  full  of  faith,"  and  "  distinguished 
by  fidelity."  In  both  senses  it  is  applicable  to  the  good  minister. 
He  "  believes,  and  therefore  speaks :"  and  he  is  not  only  a  be- 
liever, but  "  full  of  faith  ;"  he  has  clear  extended  views  of  divine 
truth,  and  its  evidence.  His  mind  is  full  of  the  Gospel — and  his 
heart  penetrated  by  its  influences.  He  is  also  distinguished  by 
his  fidelity.  He  is  "  faithful"  like  his  Lord,  "  to  Him  who  ap- 
pointed him"""' — "  He  keeps  the  faith."'"  The  two  things  are 
closely  connected ;  the  first  produces  the  second,  and  both  are 
strongly  manifested  in  the  consistent  conduct  of  the  good  minis- 
ter of  Christ,  for  in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  both  faith  and 
faithfulness  are  strongly  and  variously  tried.  "  It  is  required  of 
stewards  that  they  be  found  faithful,""  and  the  worthy  occupant 
of  the  christian  ministry  is  faithful.  In  the  well-chosen  words 
of  an  old  divine,  "  He  seriously  designs  the  honor  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  not  his  own — delivers  '  the  whole  counsel  of  God,' 
and  not  his  own  fancies  and  conceits,  follows  Christ's  institutions 
and  adheres  to  them  ;  regards  the  meanest,  reproves  the  highest, 
and  is  no  respecter  of  persons."** 

But  he  is  not  only  faithful,  but  also  wise.  He  manifests  much 
wisdom  in  the  manner  in  which  he  performs  his  duties.  There 
are  very  few  situations  in  which  a  higher  degree  of  wisdom  is 
required,  than  in  teaching  the  doctrine  and  law  of  Christ,  and 
discharging  the  various  duties  of  the  pastoral  ofiice ;  and  many 
a  humble'  christian  pastor  shows  a  depth  of  penetration  and  a 
soundness  of  judgment,  which,  exercised  in  other  circumstances, 
might  have  made  him  celebrated  as  a  philosopher,  a  judge,  or  a 
.statesman.  "  In  guiding  the  flock  of  Christ,"  us  Mr.  Henry  says, 
there  is  need  of  "  skilfulness  of  the  hands"  as  well  as  of  "  in- 
tegrity of  heart."  Honesty  and  diligence  may  be  enough  in 
some  situations,  but  wisdom  is  necessary  in  a  good  steward. 
The  good  minister  also  proves  himself  to  be  wise  in  preferring 
the  laborious,  self-denying,  course  which  he  follows.  He  has 
made  a  just  calculation.  The  proverb  is  true  in  reference  to 
him,  "He  that  is  wise  shall  be  wise  for  himself.""  It  often  ap- 
pears even  now,  it  will   be   made  very  evident  hereafter,  that 

w  1  Tim.  iv.  16,  IG.  »  Heb.  iii.  2.  3u  2  Tim.  iv.  7. 

3»  1  Cor.  iv.  2.  *»  Henry.  33  Prov.  ix.  12. 


PART  II.]  CHARACTER   OF  ITS   OCCUPANTS.  387 

ill  preferring  tlie  toils  and  anxieties  of  a  faithful,  to  the  compara- 
tive ease  and  enjoyment  of  an  unfaithful  ministry — he  has  chosen 
the  good  part.  Those  are  "  wise  who  win  souls,""  and  their 
wisdom,  though  often  questioned  in  a  world  of  fools,  shall  be 
universally  acknowledged  in  the  regions  of  perfect  knowledge. 
"  Those  who  are"  thus  "  wise  shall  shine  as  the  firmament" — 
"they  who  have"  proved  theu'  wisdom  by  "turning  many  to 
righteousness,  as  the  stars  in  the  firmament  for  ever  and  ever."*" 

§  2.   Unworthy. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  a  less  inviting,  but  not  less 
interesting  and  important,  subject  of  contemplation, — the  char- 
acter of  the  unworthy  occupant  of  the  christian  ministry.  He, 
too,  "knows  his  Lord's  will."  By  this  expression,  we  are  not  to 
undervStand  that  unfaithful  ministers  are  always,  or  usually,  well 
informed  with  regard  to  the  will  of  Christ  as  revealed  in  his 
word.  The  reverse  is  generally  the  truth.  They  are,  for  the 
most  part,  men  of  very  limited  attainments  in  biblical  and  theo- 
logical knowledge  ;  and  where  it  is  otherwise,  their  views  of  di- 
vine truth  are  generally  dangerously  mistaken.  The}^  are  often, 
usually,  "bhnd  leaders  of  the  blind;""'  though  there  are  not 
wanting  instances  of  men  distinguished  for  their  acquaintance 
both  with  Scripture  and  theology  as  a  science,  maintaining 
orthodox  views,  too,  and  zealous,  even  to  rancor,  in  their  sup- 
port, who  have  exhibited  in  their  temper  and  conduct  an  exact 
counterpart  of  the  description  here  given.  In  every  case  they 
have  the  means  of  knowing  their  Master's  will.  They  have  the 
Bible  in  their  hands.  Their  previous  training  gives  them  pecu- 
liar advantages  for  understanding  it.  They  have  time  for  study- 
ing it,  and,  indeed,  their  leading  duty  is  to  seek  to  know  their 
Master's  will,  that  they  may  teach  it  to  others.  At  any  rate, 
they  all  know  that  this  is  his  will,  that  they  should  "  occupy  till 
he  come,""  "feed  the  flocks  over  which  they  are  made  over- 
seers,^* and  "  make  full  proof  their  ministry."^' 

With  this  knowledge,  which  he  cannot  but  have,  the  unfaith- 
ful minister  "  does  not  prepare  himself."  He  is  generally  negli- 
gent in  his  studies  ;  his  mind  Ls  occupied  with  pursuits  which  do 
not  well  harmonize  with  literary  occupations ;  or,  if  he  be  given 
to  study,  the  objects  of  his  researcli  are  not  such  as  are  fitted  to 
prepare  him  for  doing  his  Master's  will, — they  generally  lead  in 
an  opposite  direction.  And  not  "  preparing  himself,"  ho  does  not 
do  his  Master's  will.  He  neglects  his  public  and  private  duties, 
or  performs  them  in  so  perfunctory,  deficient,  or  positively  im- 
proper a  manner,  as  makes  them  useless,  or  worse  than  useless. 

Instead  of  giving  meat  to  those  of  the  household  under  his 
care,  he  beats  them.  He  assumes  an  authority  to  which  he  has  no 
claim.     Instead  of  administering  the  law  of  their  common  Lord, 

34  Prov.  xi.  30.  i5  Dan.  xii.  3.  ^  Matt  xv.  14. 

^  Lake  xix.  13.  **  1  Pet  v.  2.     Acts  xx.  28.  '^  2  Tim,  iv.  5. 

VOL.    I.  '_"2 


338  THE  CHKISTIAN  MINISTRY.  [EXP.  VI. 

he  insists  on  giving  law  himself;  and  if  his  fellow-servants  will 
not  submit  to  his  dictates,  he  calumniates  them  as  heretics  and 
schismatics ;  applies  to  them  the  scourge  of  the  tongue,  "  even 
sharp  and  bitter  words ;"  prostitutes  the  ordinance  of  Christian 
discipline  by  excommunicating  "  those  who  are  of  the  household 
of  faith ;"  and,  when  circumstances  permit,  calls  in  the  aid  of 
the  civil  power  to  attack  the  property  and  injure  the  persons 
of  those  who  will  not  submit  to  his  usurped  authority.  It  is 
most  humbhng  to  think  that  men  calling  themselves  christian 
ministers  should  have  acted  such  a  part.  But  there  can  be  no 
doubt  of  the  fact.  Witness  the  persecutions  of  the  Waldenses 
and  Albige-nses  by  the  Popish  clergy  ;  witness  the  persecutions  of 
the  Puritans  and  Nonconformists  by  the  prelatic  clergy  in  Eng- 
land ;  witness  the  persecutions  of  our  Covenanting  ancestors  by 
the  same  clergy  in  Scotland.  Alas!  how  exact  a  picture  does 
the  following  passage  in  ancient  prophecy  exhibit  of  what  has 
often  taken  place, — of  what  is  at  this  moment  taking  place  in 
nominally  christian  churches : — "  Wo  to  the  shepherds  that  do 
feed  themselves !  Should  not  the  shepherds  feed  the  flocks  ? 
Ye  eat  the  fat,  and  ye  clothe  you  with  the  wool ;  ye  kill  them 
that  are  fed,  but  ye  feed  not  the  flock.  The  diseased  have  ye  not 
strengthened,  neither  have  ye  healed  that  which  was  sick,  neither 
have  ye  bound  up  that  which  was  broken,  neither  have  ve 
brought  again  that  which  was  driven  away,  neither  have  ye 
sought  that  which  was  lost :  but  with  force  and  with  cruelty  have 
ye  ruled  them.""  The  cases  referred  to  in  the  text  are  extreme 
ones,  but  wherever  there  is  a  heady,  high-minded,  overbearing, 
unforbearing,  persecuting  spirit  breaking  forth  in  malignant  in- 
sinuation, railing  accusation,  and  contemptuous  abuse  against 
brother  ministers  and  fellow-Christians,  there  is  "  beating  the 
fellow-servants ;"  and  this  forms  a  very  common  feature  in  the 
character  of  the  unfaithful  minister. 

As  he  acts  inconsistently  with  the  will  of  his  Master  in  his 
behavior  towards  the  household,  so  he  equally  disregards  those 
duties  of  which  the  Master  himself  is  the  direct  object,  Instead 
of  "  standing  with  girded  loins  and  lamp  burning,"  he  "  eats  and 
drinks  with  the  drunken."  For  self-denial  there  is  self-indulg- 
ence, and  instead  of  subjection  to  "  the  powers  of  the  world  to 
come,"  there  is  entire  subjugation  of  mind  and  heart  to  "the 
present  evil  world."  A  minister  not  under  the  influence  of  the 
rehgion  he  professes,  naturally  seeks  for  associates  among  worldly 
men.  He  is  "of  the  world  ;"  he  "  loves  the  world,"  and  "  the 
world"  loves  him,  f<Jr  it  '.'  loves  its  own."^'  Nothing  more  de- 
cidedly marks  the  character  of  a  minister  as  unfiithiul,  than 
habitual,  exclusive,  clioscn,  association  with  worldly  men. 

But  he  not  only  associates  with  them,  he  goes  along  with  tliem 

in  their   criminal   })ursuits.     "  lie   eats    and    drinks,"    ay,    "  is 

drunken  with  the  drunken."     He  feasts  and  carouses  with  them. 

Thifi  statement  has  often  been  literally  verified.     In  the  worst 

<"  Ezek.  xxxiv.  2,  Ac.  <'  John  xv.  19. 


FART  III.]  DESTINY  OF  ITS   OCCUPANTS.  339 

ages  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  the  intemperance  and  im- 
purity of  the  clergy  were  a  proverb ;  and  it  cannot  be  denied, 
though  it  must  be  spoken  with  sorrow  and  shame,  that  it  is  by 
no  means  impossible,  in  our  own  favored  country,  Great  Britain, 
and  in  churches  calling  themselves  reformed,  to  find  in  the  minis- 
try men  of  whose  character  and  conduct  the  words  before  us 
exhibit  but  too  accurate  a  portrait.  The  character- here  sketched 
in  bold  relief  belongs,  however,  to  many  whose  exterior  deport- 
ment in  no  degree  trespasses  against  decorum.  Every  minister, 
though  neither  persecutor,  nor  glutton,  nor  drunkard,  in  the 
ordinary  sense  of  the  words,  incurs  the  guilt  here  described,  who 
is  overbearing  and  tj-rannical,  who  is  intoxicated  with  the  love 
of  the  world  in  any  of  its  forms,  and  who  spends  that  time  and 
devotes  that  attention  to  the  pursuits  of  worldly  literature,  ambi- 
tion, or  pleasure,  which  ought  to  be  dedicated  to  the  "  feeding 
the  flock  of  Christ,"  and  preparing  for  meeting  with  him  as  "  the 
chief  Shepherd." 

By  acting  in  this  manner,  the  unworthy  occupant  of  the  sacred 
office  makes  it  plain  that  he  is  neither  "  faithful  nor  wise."  He 
is  "  not  full  of  faith ;"  he  is  an  unbeliever,  not  it  maybe  an  infidel, 
in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word,  but  a  man  to  whom  the  reali- 
ties of  the  CT0S})el  have  never  been  anything  else  than  mere 
words  or  abstract  notions,  to  whom  "the  words  of  the  truth  of 
the  Gospel"  has  never  "  come  with  demonstration  of  the  Spirit 
and  with  power.""  He  is  not  faithful.  No,  his  whole  character 
and  conduct  is  a  lie  to  God  and  to  man.  He  is  unfaithful  to 
him  whom  he  acknowledges  as  his  Master,  and  equally  unfaithful 
to  the  solemn  pledges  which  he  has  given  the  Church  and  the 
world  by  assuming  the  sacred  profession.  And  he  is  not  wise. 
Oh  !  it  must  be  fearful  miscalculation  which  can  bring  such  a  man 
into,  or  keep  such  a  man  in,  the  christian  ministry.  Contempt  is 
very  often  the  sentiment  which  his  conduct  draws  forth  even  here, 
to  an  extent  that  he  is  little  aware  of ;  and  of  all  the  victims  of 
everlasting  shame  in  the  regions  of  retribution,  the  most  pitiable, 
and  the  least  pitied,  is  likely  to  be  the  unfaithful  minister  of 
Christianity,  Double  will  be  the  perdition  of  the  false  Christian, 
— tenfold  the  perdition  of  the  false  christian  minister. 

III. — THE  DESTINY  OF  THE   OCCUPANTS   OF  THE   CHRISTIAN 
MINISTRY. 

It  only  remains  now  that  we  shortly  attend  to  the  view  given 
in  the  text  of  the  destiny  of  the  occupants  of  the  christian  min- 
istry, worthy  and  unworthy.  The  faithful  servant  shall  be 
"  blessed  when  his  Lord  comes."  His  Lord  shall  "  gird  himself 
and  make  him  sit  down  to  meat,  and  shall  come  fortli  and  serve 
him."  "  He  will  make  him  ruler  over  all  that  he  hath."  The 
unfaithful   servant   shall  be  "  cut  asunder,"  "  have   his  portion 

«  1  Cor.  ii.  4. 


340  THE   CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  [EXP.  VI. 

appointed  liim  -with  the  hypocrites  and  unbelievers,"  and  be 
beaten  with  many  stripes."  The  reward  and  the  punishment 
here  referred  to  are  represented  in  the  parable  as  conferred  and 
inflicted  at  "the  coming"  of  the  master.  There  can  be  no  rea- 
sonable doubt  that  "the  coming  of  the  master"  represents  "the 
coming  of  our  Lord."  Bv  some,  "  the  coming"  referred  to  has 
been  considered  as  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  polity :  by 
others,  the  death  of  the  individual  minister.  There  are  insuper- 
able objections  to  the  first  mode  of  interpretation,  and  I  do  not 
think  that  the  death  of  individual  saints  is  ever  represented  in 
the  New  Testament  as  "the  coming  of  the  Lori."  They  go  to 
be  with  Him  then.  The  coming  of  the  Lord  here,  as  usually  in 
the  gospels  and  epistles,  is  His  final  coming  to  judge  the  worW, 
and  put  a  solemn  termination  to  the  present  order  of  things. 
At  the  same  time,  as  no  change  of  character  takes  place  in  the 
intermediate  state — as  judgment  finds  men  as  death  leaves  them, 
the  Saviour  is  represented  when  coming,  as  finding  his  servants 
just  in  the  attitude  in  which  they  left  the  world.  The  descrip- 
tions apply  in  all  their  extent  to  the  state  of  things  consequent 
to  the  resurrection  ;  it  is  then  that  the  reward  will  be  fully  con- 
ferred— then  that  the  jDunishment  will  be  fully  inflicted;  but 
immediately  on  death,  the  faithful  servant  is  rewarded,  and  the 
unfaithful  servant  punished ;  and  the  reward  and  the  punishment 
in  the  intermediate  period  between  death  and  the  resurrection, 
and  after  it,  differ  rather  in  degree  than  in  kind.  Keeping  these 
observations  in  view,  let  us  attend  to  these  two  most  impressive 
statements. 

§  1.    Worthy. 

And  first  of  the  destiny  of  the  faithful  minister.  "  He  is 
blessed" — emphatically  "  blessed."  "  Blessed  are"  all  "  who  die 
in  the  Lord ;  yea  saith  the  Spirit"" — but  peculiarly  blessed  is 
the  minister  of  Christ  who  dies  at  his  post — "  with  his  loins  girt" 
as  u  servant — or  with  his  shield  on  his  arm,  and  his  sword  in  his 
hand,  as  a  soldier.  "  Next  to  the  honor,"  as  Mr.  Henry  says, 
"  of  those  who  die  on  the  field  of  battle,  is  the  honor  of  those  who 
die  on  the  field  of  labor."  To  die  for  Christ's  cause  is  the  highest 
glory ;  the  second  is,  to  die  in  Christ's  service.  The  faithful  min- 
ister Ls  blessed,  for  he  shall  not  only  "  rest  from  his  labors,"  but 
\)Q  abundantly  rewarded.  His  reward  is  described  in  a  manner 
suited  to  the  whole  pa?-abolical  representation.  His  Lord  shall 
"  gird  himself  and  make  him  sit  down  to  meat,  and  shall  come 
forth  and  serve  him."  Who  can  read  tiiis,  and  remember  who 
that  Lord  is,  who  acts  so  condescending  and  kind  a  part — "  the 
Only-begotten  of  God,"  "the  brightnessof  the  Divine  glory,"  "the 
King  of  kings,  the  Lord  of  lords,"  "  tiie  great  God  our  Saviour 
Jasus  Christ,""  without  in  devout  astonislimeut  exclaiming,  "  Is 
this  the  manner  of  men,  O  Lord  God  7""     The  general  idea  is 

«  Rev.  xiv.  18.  **  John  i.  18.     Rev.  xvii.  14.     Tit.  ii.  IS. 

«'  2  Sam.  viL  1 9. 


PABT  III.]  DESTINY  OF  ITS   OCCUPAITTS.  341 

plain  enougli,  that  they  shall  be  introduced  into  a  state  of  com- 
plete repose,  high  honor,  and  rich  enjoyment,  that  this  will  be 
the  obvious  work  of  their  divine  Master,  and  that  in  the  manner 
of  doing  it,  he  will  give  the  most  astonishing  manifestations  of 
condescension  and  love.  "  This  promise,"  says  the  learned  and 
pious  Bengel,  "  I  regard  as  the  greatest  of  any  in  the  Bible,  and 
I  take  the  words  in  a  kind  of  literal  meaning,  that  is,  as  a  bride- 
groom on  his  wedding  da^^  scruples  not  to  wait  on  his  guests, 
and  to  converse  in  affectionate  familiarity  with  them  all,  so  will 
Jesus  act  in  the  world  to  come,  '  when  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb 
is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready.'  "" 

Another  figurative  representation  of  the  reward  of  the  good 
minister,  is  that  of  the  faithful  servant  being,  as  a  recompense 
for  his  fidelity,  made  ruler  over  the  whole  of  his  master's  estate. 
"  He  will  make  him  ruler  over  all  that  he  hath,"  Here,  as  in 
the  former  figure,  the  minute  details  are  hid  from  us  by  the 
dazzling  cloud  of  brightness,  which  even  to  the  eye  of  faith, 
covers  the  paradise  of  God ;  but  the  general  meaning  is  not  dif- 
ficult to  apprehend.  The  words  certainly  indicate  that  faithful 
ministers  shall  receive  peculiar  and  appropriate  rewards — rewards 
of  a  kind  which  shall  strongly  mark  the  regard  the  Lord  has  for 
them,  and  the  confidence  he  reposes  in  them — rewards  resembling 
those  bestowed  on  a  faithful  servant  by  a  grateful  master,  when 
he  raises  him  to  a  station  of  higher  responsibility  and  greater 
honor. 

We  are  much  in  the  dark  respecting  the  economy  which  is  to 
•be  introduced  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  "  It  doth  not  yet  ap- 
pear what  we  shall  be  ;"*'  but  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  in 
"  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,"" 
there  will  be  the  most  perfect  order  and  happiness,  and  that  his 
faithfal  servants  may  be  employed  in  a  manner  we  cannot  dis- 
tinctly understand,  as  instruments  in  producing  and  maintaining 
this  harmony  and  felicity. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  part  of  the  subject  without  placing 
before  you  a  finished  picture  of  the  happiness  of  the  rewarded 
faithful  minister,  by  the  hand  of  a  master.  "  Such  is  the 
mysterious  condescension  of  divine  grace,  that  although  it  re- 
serves to  itself  the  exclusive  honor  of  being  the  fountain  of  all, 
yet  by  the  employment  of  human  agency  in  the  completion  of  its 
designs,  it  contrives  to  multiply  its  gifts  and  to  lay  a  foundation 
for  eternal  rewards.  When  the  church,  in  the  perfection  of 
beauty,  shall  be  presented  to  Christ  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her 
husband,  the  faithful  pastor  will  appear  as  the  friend  of  the  bride- 
groom, who  *  greatly  rejoices  because  of  the  bridegroom's  voice.' 
His  joy  will  be  'the  joy  of  his  Lord  ;'  inferior  in  degree,  but  of 
the  same  nature,  and  arising  from  the  same  sources:  while  he 
will  have  the  peculiar  happiness  of  reflecting  that  he  has  con- 
tributed to  it — contributed  as  a  humble  instrument  to  that  glory 
and  felicity  of  which  he  will  be  conscious  he  is  utterly  unworthy 

«  Burk's  Mem.  of  Bengel,  p.  397.  '''<  1  Joliu  iiL  2.  ^^  2  Pet  i.  11. 


342  THE   CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  [EXP.  VI. 

to  partake.  To  "have  been  himself  tlie  object  of  mercy,  to  have 
been  the  means  of  imparting  it  to  others,  and  of  dispensing  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  Avill  produce  a  pleasure  which  can 
never  be  adequately  felt  or  understood,  until  we  '  see  him  as  he 
is.'  From  that  oneness  of  spirit,  from  that  inseparable  conjunc- 
tion of  interests  which  will  then  be  experienced  in  its  utmost 
extent,  will  arise  a  capacity  of  sharing  the  triumph  of  the  Ee- 
deemer,  and  of  participating  in  the  delight  with  which  he  will 
survey  his  finished  work  when  a  new  and  fairer  creation  shall 
rise  out  of  the  ruins  of  the  first.  '  And  is  this  the  end,'  he  will 
exclaim,  '  of  all  my  toils  and  watchings,  my  expostulations  with 
sinners,  and  my  efforts  to  console  the  faithful !  and  is  this  the 
issue  of  that  ministry  under  which  I  was  often  ready  to  sink ! 
and  this  the  glory  of  which  I  heard  so  much,  understood  so  little, 
and  announced  to  my  hearers  with  lisping  accents  and  a  stam- 
mering tongue!'  "Well  may  it  be  styled  'glory  to  he  revealed.'' 
Auspicious  day !  on  which  I  embarked  in  this  undertaking,  on 
which  the  love  of  Christ,  with  a  sweet  and  sacred  violence,  im- 
pelled me  to  '  feed  his  sheep,  and  to  feed  his  lambs.'  With  what 
emotion  shall  they,  who  being  entrusted  with  so  holy  a  ministry, 
shall  find  mercy  to  be  faithful,  hear  that  voice  from  heaven — 
•  Rejoice  and  be  glad,  and  give  honor  to  Him ;  for  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself 
ready  !'  With  what  rapture  shall  they  recognize  amid  an  '  innu- 
merable multitude,'  the  seals  of  their  ministry,  the  persons  whom 
they  have  been  the  means  of  conducting  to  that  glor}'- 1" — "  To 
have  co-operated  in  any  degree  towards  the  '  accomplishment  of 
the  purpose  of  Deity,^  '  to  reconcile  all  things  to  himself,'  by 
reducing  them  to  the  obedience  of  his  Son,  which  is  the  ultimate 
end  of  all  his  works ;  to  be  the  means  of  recovering,  though  it 
were  but  an  inconsiderable  portion  of  a  lapsed  and  degenerate 
race,  to  eternal  happiness,  will  yield  a  satisfaction  exactly  com- 
mensurate to  the  force  of  our  benevolent  sentiments,  and  the 
degree  of  our  loyal  attachment  to  the  Supreme  Potentate.  The 
consequences  involved  in  '  saving  a  soul  from  death,  and  hiding 
a  multitude  of  sins,'  will  be  duly  appreciated  in  that  world,  where 
the  worth  of  souls  and  the  malignity  of  sin  are  fully  understood ; 
while  to  extend  the  triumphs  of  the  Redeemer,  by  forming  him 
in  the  hearts  of  men,  will  produce  a  transport  which  can  only  be 
equalled  by  the  gratitude  and  love  they  shall  feel  towards  the 
source  of  all  their  good."" 

§  2.   Unworthy. 

Let  us  now  for  a  little  turn  our  thoughts  to  the  destiny  of  the 
unworthy  occuj)ant  of  the  christian  ministry.  Deep  has  been 
his  guilt,  and  dreadful  will  be  his  punishment. — He  shall  be 
"cut  asunder."     By  some   interpreters  there  has  been  supposed 

^9  Hull's  Discouiagemeiita  and  Supports  of  the  Christian  Minister.  Works 
vol.  i.,  pp.  263-260. 


PART  ni.]  DESTINY   OF   ITS   OCCUPANTS.  343 

to  be  a  reference  here  to  a  horrible  mode  of  capital  punishment 
occasioning  extreme  suffering, — the  cutting  or  sawing  the  living 
body  into  pieces  f"  others  have  considered  the  phrase  as  equiva- 
lent to  '  he  shall  be  destro)^ed.'  We  are  disposed  to  think  that 
this  figure,  like  all  the  rest,  is  in  keeping  with  the  parable  of 
which  it  forms  a  part.  The  servant  is  spoken  of  as  alive  after 
he  has  undergone  what  is  termed  "  cutting  asunder."  It  consists 
with  the  rule  and  usage  of  the  language  to  interpret  it  of  his 
being  "  cut  off,"  "  dissevered"  from  the  family  in  which  he  has 
acted  so  unworthy  a  part." — He  is  "  cast  out,"  publicly  and  dis- 
gracefully discarded.  His  indignant  Master  says,  "Depart,  I 
know  you  not."  He  now  feels  the  true  import  of  that  "  excom- 
munication" with  which  he  attempted  to  punish  better  men 
than  himself     He  is  "  Anathema  Maranatha."" 

While  cast  out  of  the  family  "  his  portion  is  appointed  him 
with  the  hypocrites,"^'  with  false  pretenders,  a  class  peculiarly 
hateful  to  him  who  "  desires  truth  in  the  inward  part," — "  with 
the  unbelievers,"  rather  with  the  perfidious,"  who  have  broken 
their  engagements  both  to  God  and  to  man.  And  it  is  his  fit 
place ;  for  the  honor  of  God,  the  cause  of  truth,  the  interests  of 
souls,  were  put  into  his  hands ;  he  accepted  these  trusts,  and 
basely  betrayed  them  all.  In  the  prison  of  hell,  classed  with 
"the  basest,  the  lowermost,  the  most  dejected,  most  underfoot 
and  down-trodden  vassals  of  perdition""  must  he  have  his  ever- 
lasting abode.  "  This  pertain  eth  to  him  as  the  portion  of  his 
cup." 

And  there  "he  is  to  be  beaten  with  many  stripes."  His 
damnation  shall  be  no  ordinary  damnation,  and  especially  his 
punishment  shall  be  much  more  severe  than  that  of  those  who, 
through  his  unfaithfulness,  have  "  also  come  into  that  jDlace  of 
torment."  His  conduct  in  the  house  of  his  Master  necessarily 
led  to  disorder  and  disobedience.  Those  whom  he  ought  to  have 
taught  the  will  of  the  Lord  remaining  ignorant  of  it,  or  being 
led  to  form  fatally  incorrect  views  of  it,  have  neglected  to  do  His 
will,  and  have  been  involved  in  the  dreadful  consecpiences  of 
disobedience.  Nor  is  this  at  all  unjust ;  they  ought  to  have 
known  their  Lord's  will ;  they  had  the  means  of  knowing  the 
Lord's  will ;  it  is  therefore  meet  that  they  should  be  beaten. 
But  they  will  be  beaten  with  comparatively  "  few  stripes  ;"  while 
many  and  unabated  shall  be  the  strokes  of  Divine  vengeance  on 
the  man  on  whom  lies  the  foul  guilt  of  the  blood  of  the  souls  of 
unwarned  or  deluded  sinners.  They  must  "  die  in  their  iniquity, 
but  there  blood  will  be  required  at  the  hand"  of  the  faithless 
watchman." — Such  is  the  doom  of  the  unfaithful  minister. 

The  reflections  which  force  themselves  on  the  mind  after  thus 

so  Heb.  xi.  37.     2  Sam.  xii.  31.     Sueton.  Calig.  xxvii. 

51  Suicer,  Beza,  Bonnet.  52  i  Cor.  xvi.  2'2.  "  Matt.  xxiv.  51. 

54  uTricruir.     Rev.  xxl  8.     Xen.  Mem.,  2,  6,  19.  ^^  Milton, 

5"  Ezck.  xxxiii.  8. 


344  THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  [EXP.  VI. 

contemplating  the  christian  ministry,  and  the  conduct  and 
destiny  of  its  occupants,  worthy  and  unworthy,  are  numerous 
and  interesting.  I  shall  content  myself  with  merely  noticing  a 
few  of  them. 

1.  With  wliat  solemn  caution  should  the  holy  ministry  be' 
approached  and  entered  on !  Oli,  how  heavy  are  its  responsibili- 
ties !  how  difficult  are  its  duties  !  how  tremendous  are  its  results  ! 
The  words  of  the  apostle  James  should  be  constantlj^  sounding 
in  the  ears  and  pressing  on  the  hearts  of  all  who  are  preparing 
for  the  sacred  office : — "  Brethren,  be  not  many  masters,  know- 
ing that  we  shall  receive  greater  condemnation.""  In  this  apos- 
tolical injunction  the  word  masters  is  opposed  not  to  servants, 
but  to  scholars  or  disciples;  condemnation  means  judgment,  and 
the  force  of  the  whole  exliortation  may  be  thus  given : — '  Be  not 
many  teachers,  knowing  that  we — we  that  are  teachers — shall  be 
subjected  to  a  stricter  scrutiny,  a  severer  judgment,  tlian  those 
who  occupy  a  })rivate  station  in  the  church.'  The  caution  seems 
to  have  been  drawn  forth  by  certain  novices — 'late  converts  to 
Christianit}-,  more  zealous  than  considerate,  more  forward  than 
wise,  aspiring  to  or  even  assuming  the  office  of  teachers,  when, 
to  say  the  least,  they  were  but  very  imperfectly  qualified  for  dis- 
(ihargiug  its  duties ;  but,  like  all  inspired  exhortations,  though 
lising  out  of,  and  peculiarly  suited  to,  an  existing  conjecture  of 
circumstances,  it  embodies  a  great  general  principle,  applicable 
in  all  countries  and  in  all  ages, — the  j^rinciple  that  the  christian 
ministr}-  has  awful  responsibilities.  And  it  is  meet  that  it  should 
be  so,  "  The  honor  of  the  great  Master,  and  the  interests  of 
eternity — of  the  eternity  of  numerous — innumerable  men,  are 
most  deeply  involved  in  the  right  or  the  wrong  discharge  of  its 
functions. 

The  station  of  a  christian  minister  is  an  honorable  one ;  the 
jiiost  honorable,  likely,  in  the  estimation  of  an  angel,  that  man 
can  be  invested  with;  but  it  is  proportionally  difficult  and 
I  lazardous.  It  is  dangerous  to  undertake  it  rashly,*  as  it  is  ruin- 
oij^  to  occupy  it  unfaithfully.  Ministers,  as  well  as  their  people, 
.must  be  subjected  to  a  solemn  investigation,  to  an  impartial 
judgment.  Both  the  work  and  the  workmen  must  be  tried. 
■'  Every  man's  (i.  e.  plainly  every  minister's)  work  shall  be  made 
manifest;  for  the  day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed 
by  lire  ;  and  the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work,  of  what  sort  it 
is.  If  any  man's  work  abide  he  shall  receive  a  i-eward.  If  any 
man's  work  shall  be  burnt  he  shall  suffijr  loss,  but  he  himself 
shall  be  saved  as  by  fire.""  Thus  even  among  ministers,  on 
the  whole  faithful,  tlicre  will  be  a  difference :  "  Ever\^  man  re- 
ceiving his  own  reward  according  to  his  own  labor.""  Solemn 
as  are  the  leelings  which  the  anticij)ation  of  such  a  trial  of  the 
work,  and  of  its  results,  is  calculated  to  awaken,  still  more  over- 
whelmingly awful  is  the  prospect  of  the  judgment  of  the  work- 
s' Jamea  iii  1.  Erekine's  (Dr.  John)  DiscourBes,  vol.  i.,  p.  1,  <fec. 
5»  1  Cur.  iii.  13-15.  39  i  Cor.  iii.  6. 


PART  III.]  DESTINY   OF   ITS  OCCUPANTS.  345 

man,  and  its  consequences.  The  secrets  of  their  hearts  will  be 
disclosed,  their  principles  of  action  will  be  scrutinized,  and  ac- 
cording as  they  meet  tlie  approbation  or  disapprobation  of  the 
Judge,  shall  they  "  enter  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord,"  to  possess 
"  a  greater  degree  of  glory  than  common  Christians  are  made 
partakers  of;"  or  have  their  •'  place  appointed  with  the  hypo- 
crites "  and  "  the  perfidious,"  the  most  degraded  portion  of  lost 
immortals, 

2.  How  powerful  are  the  motives  and  encouragements  to  dili- 
gence and  fidelity  in  discharging  the  christian  ministry !  No 
ofl&ce,  as  we  have  seen,  can  be  more  dignified.  None  aifords 
opportunities  for  a  higher  kind,  or  for  a  greater  measure,  of  use- 
fulness. In  none  is  failure  more  disgraceful  and  ruinous.  In 
none  does  success  end  in  equal  glory  and  felicity.  Let  the 
minister  be  unfaithful,  and  he  will  ruin  himself,  and  those  who 
hear  him — ruin  them  for  ever.  Let  the  minister  be  faithful,  and 
he  will  "save  himselfj  and  those  who  hear  him," — save  them  for 
ever.  Oh !  the  withering  look  of  disapprobation  and  contempt 
with  which  "  the  Chief  Shepherd,  when'  he  appears,"  will  regard 
the  faithless  pastor.  Oh !  the  fulness  of  esteem  and  affection 
that  will  beam  in  his  countenance  when  he  turns  himself  towards 
those  "whose  hearts  were  honest  in  the  sacred  cause."  How 
awful  to  have  lost  immortals  accusing  and  cursing  us  as  the 
authors  of  their  destruction  for  ever !  How  transporting  to  be 
gratefully  recognized  as  the  instruments  of  conveying  to  our 
fellow-men  blessings,  the  true  nature  of  which  can  be  known 
only  by  enjoyment,  and  the  full  value  of  which  cannot  be  fully 
estimated  by  the  most  enlarged  faculties  throughout  eternal  ages  I 
What  christian  minister,  allowing  these  realities  to  exercise  their 
due  influence  on  his  mind,  does  not  "  rejoice  with  trembling  "  in 
occupying  an  office  so  holy — so  big  with  happiness  or  misery — 
with  glory  or  with  shame  to  himself,  and,  it  may  be,  to  innumer- 
able immortal  beings?  Looking  merely  at  its  difficulties  and 
hazards,  well  might  he  despondingly  say,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for 
these  things?"  and  be  tempted  to  exclaim,  "I  will  not  make 
mention  of  him,  nor  speak  any  more  in  his  name ;"  but  when  he 
looks  at  the  power  and  grace  of  his  Master,  and  at  the  glorious 
results  of  faithful  service,  should  he  not  say,  "  Having  received 
such  a  ministry,  I  faint  not  "  ?  Should  he  not  resolve  to  "  give 
full  proof  of  his  ministry," — ^to  "be  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season," — to  "  count  not  even  his  life  dear  to  him  that  he  may 
finish  his  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  he  has  re- 
ceived from  the  Lord  Jesus  to  fulfil  it," — "  to  keep  under  his 
body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest,  having  preached  to  others, 
he  himself  should  be  a  castaway,""" — ^to  "  be  faithful  to  death, 
that  he  may  obtain  the  crown  of  life  "  ?" 

3.  How  strong  are  the  claims  which  christian  ministers  have 
on  the  prayers  of  their  people  !  The  importance  and  difficulty 
of  the  ministerial  duties,  the  innumerable  immeasurably  good  or 

«<>  1  Cor.  ix.  27.  «'  Rev.  ii.  10 


346  THE  CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  [EXP.  VI. 

bad  consequences  which  must  result  on  earth,  in  heaven,  or  in 
hell — in  time  and  throughout  eternity,  and  the  deep  interest 
which  the  J  and  their  families,  as  individuals,  have  in  the  right 
and  efficient  discharge  of  these  duties  ;  all  call  on  the  members  of 
christian  churches  to  be  frequent  and  fervent  in  prayer  for  their 
ministei-s,  that  they  may  be  preserved  from  every  degree  of — 
every  approach  to — unfaithfulness,  and  that  they  may  be  enabled 
to  act  every  part  of  the  faithful  affectionate  pastor — the  intrepid 
and  skilful  soldier  of  Christ  Jesus.  The  apostles  frequently  re- 
quest the  prayers  of  their  christian  brethren.  Ministers  in  these 
later  ages  surely  stand  as  much  in  need  of  the  prayers  of  their 
people  as  the  apostles  did.  I  present  a  claim  for  myself  and  for 
my  brethren,  of  which  I  am  sure  you  must  feel  the  justice,  and 
which,  I  trust,  you  will  readily  grant — when  I  say,  "  Brethren, 
pray  for  us.  Fruy  for  us,  for  we  trust  we  have  a  good  conscience, 
willing  in  all  things  to  live  honestly.  Pray  for  us  that  utterance 
may  be  given  us,  that  we  may  open  our  mouths  boldly,  to  make 
know  the  mystery  of  the  Gospel  as  we  ought  to  speak."  Nay, 
"  I  beseech  you  brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  and 
for  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  that  ye  strive  together  with  us,  in  your 
prayers  to  God  for  us  " — "  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  may  have 
free  course  and  be  glorified,"  "  and  that  we  may  be  delivered 
from  unreasonable  and  wicked  men,  for  all  men  have  not  faith.""'' 

S2  1  Thess.  V.  25.     Heb.  xiii.  18.     2  Thess.  iii.  1.     Eph.  vi.  19.     Rom.  xv.  30. 


EXPOSITION    VII. 


FIGURATIVE  VIEWS  OF  THE  PURPOSE  OF  OUR  LORD'S  MISSION; 
OF  THE  MEANS  OF  GAINING  IT;  AND  OF  HIS  FEELINGS  IN 
REFERENCE   TO   BOTH. 

Luke  xii.  49,  50. — "  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth ;  and  what  will  I  if  it 
be  already  kindled  ?  But  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with ;  and  how  am  I 
straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  !" 

A  CAREFUL  reader  of  the  New  Testament  cannot  fail  to  observe 
that  many  of  our  Lord's  statements  respecting  future  events, 
especially  in  reference  to  the  design  of  his  mission,  and  the  means 
by  which  thnt  design  was  to  be  accomplished,  could,  at  the  time 
they  were  made,  from  the  figurative,  and  often  enigmatical,  lan- 
guage adopted  by  him,  be  but  very  imperfectly,  if  at  all,  under- 
stood by  those  to  whom  they  were  addressed  ;  while,  at  the  same 
time,  this  very  figurative  and  enigmatic  style  which  occasioned 
the  obscurity,  was  fitted  to  excite  attention  and  secure  recollec- 
tion, so  that,  when  the  events  predicted  actually  occurred,  not 
only  was  the  meaning  of  the  predictions  clearly  unfolded,  but  the 
supernatural  knowledge  and  the  divine  mission  of  him  who  uttered 
them  were  satisfactorily  established.  I  refer  to  such  declarations 
as  the  following : — "  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will 
raise  it  up."  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up."  "  When  the  Son  of 
man  is  lifted  up,  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  he."  "  And  I,  if 
I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  "  Ex- 
cept a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth 
alone:  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit."  "A  little 
while,  and  ye  shall  not  see  me  :  and  again  a  little  while,  and  je 
shall  me."' 

These  things  our  Lord  spoke  "  in  proverbs."  He  knew  that 
those  whom  he  addressed  were  not  at  the  time  able  to  bear  the 
truths  couched  under  these  figurative  expressions,  had  they  been 
stated  in  plain  terms.  He  did  not  mean  such  sayings  to  be  fully 
understood  at  the  period  they  were  spoken ;  but  he  did  mean, 
that,  though  not  understood,  they  should  be  remembered.  He 
meant  that  his  sayings  should  sink  into  the  ears  and  into  the 
hearts  of  his  disciples,  that  when  the  light  of  fulfilment  made  the 
meaning  of  the  prediction  palpably  obvious,  they  might  recollect 

'  John  ii.  19;  iii.  14;   viii.  'jy  ;  xii.  ;i2,  24;  xvi.  19. 


348  FIGURATIVE  VIEWS  OF  OUR  LORIJ'S  MISSION.      [EXP.  VII. 

what  hp  said  to  them,  and,  instead  of  being  stumbled  at  events 
very  different  from,  in  many  cases  directly  opposite  to,  what 
their  national  prejudices,  and  misapprehension  of  Old  Testament 
prophecy,  had  led  them  to  anticipate,  might  find  in  these  events 
a  corroboration  of  his  claims,  and  a  confirmation  of  their  own 
faith.  "  In  this  they  partook  of  what  may  be  considered  as  a 
general  character  of  our  Lord's  teaching, — the  impressing  indelibly, 
by  j)arable,  proverb,  maxim,  or  seeming  paradox,  truths  but  very 
imperfectly  understood,  .but  which  would  grow  clearer  as  the 
divine  life  was  formed  within,  and  become  an  ever-increasing 
source  of  spiritual  light.'"" 

To  this  remarkable  class  of  passages  referred  to,  our  text 
obviously  belongs.  "  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth ;  and 
what  will  I  if  it  be  already  kindled  ?  But  I  have  a  baptism  to  be 
baptized  with  ;  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished !" 
These  words  must  have  excited  eager  attention,  they  must  have 
been  heard  with  deep  interest,  by  those  to  whom  they  were  origin- 
ally spoken ;  but  they  could  convey  to  their  minds  no  very  dis- 
tinct meaning.  The  disciples  must  have  felt  equally  that  they 
could  not  understand  them,  and  that  they  could  not  forget  them. 
It  was  not  long  till  the  mystery  was  unfolded,  the  enigma  solved. 
The  event  explained  the  prediction ;  and  it  then  became  evident 
at  once  Avhy  the  prediction  had  been  given,  and  why  it  had  been 
given  in  so  peculiar  a  form. 

Let  us  endeavor,  in  the  light  of  accomplishment,  to  ascertain 
the  meaning  of  this  very  remarkable  oracle.  It  naturally  divides 
itself  into  two  parts :  the  first  referring  to  the  design  of  our  Lord's 
mission,  and  his  feelings  in  reference  to  that  design, — "  I  am  come 
to  send  fire  on  the  earth ;  and  what  will  I  if  it  be  already  kindled?" 
the  second,  to  the  means  b}^  which  this  end  was  to  be  accomplished, 
and  his  feelings  with  regard  to  these  means, — "  But  I  have  a  bap- 
tism to  be  baptized  with ;  and  how  am  I  straiteucd  till  it  be 
accomplished  !"  I  shall  turn  your  attention  shortly  to  these  two 
parts  of  the  divine  oracle  in  their  order. 


I. — or  THE   DESIGN   OF   OUR  LORD'S   MISSION,  AND   IIIS   FEELINGS 
IN  REFERENCE  TO  IT. 

Let  US  first,  then,  consider  the  view  here  given  us  of  the  design 
of  our  Lord's  mission,  and  of  his  feelings  .with  regard  to  this  de- 
sign. "  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth  f  and  what  will  I  if 
it  be  already  kindled  ?" 

And  first,  here,  of  the  design  of  our  Lord's  mission, — "  I  am 
come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth."  The  design  oCour  Lord's  mission 
is  often  stated  in  plain  terras  by  himself  and  his  disciples.  The 
substance  of  all  these  statements  is,  that  he  came  to  destroy  igno- 
rance and  error,  sin  and  misery — those  works  of  the  Devil,  and 

*  Neander. 

3  "Ignis  ille  non  est  nativus  terrK,     K/f  nou  t'j'  ut  ia  vorau  51." — Bbngeu 


PART  I.]  ITS  PURPOSE.  849 

make  men  wise,  and  good,  and  happy,  by  restoring  them  to  tlie 
knowledge,  and  favor,  and  fellowship  of  God. 

The  description  of  the  design  of  our  Lord's  mission  contained 
in  the  text  is  highly  figurative.  The  first  step  towards  obtaining 
possession  of  any  truth  intended  to  be  conveyed  by  a  figure,  is  a 
distinct  apprehension  of  the  figure  itself.  Let  us  inquire,  then, 
what  is  the  literal  meaning  of  the  words  rendered  "  I  am  come  to 
send  fire  on  the  earth."  It  may  mean — '  I  am  come  to  cast  fire 
on  the  earth,  to  strike  the  earth  with  lightning,  to  call  down  fire 
from  heaven  to  consume  its  guilty  inhabitants ;'  or,  '  I  am  come 
to  kindle  a  fire  on  earth.'  Neither  of  these  senses  seems  to  be 
satisfactory.  The  first  would  naturally  enough  describe  what  shall 
be  one  design  of  our  Lord's  second  coming,  when  he  shall  come 
"  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God, 
and  that  obey  not  his  gospel.'"  But  whatever  misery,  through 
man's  unbelief  and  impenitence,  may  be  occasioned  by  our  Lord's 
first  coming,  its  design  is  wholly  benignant ; — "  God  sent  not  his 
Son  into  the  world  to  condemn"  or  punish  "  the  world  ;  but  that 
the  world  through  him  might  be  saved ;"  "  I  came  not,"  says  our 
Lord,  "  to  judge,"  i.  e.,  to  condemn  and  punish,  "  the  world,  but 
to  save  the  world."^  The  second  sense,  that  of  kindling  a  fire  on 
the  earth — ^.  e.,  somewhere  on  its  surface,  whatever  mystical  mean- 
ing might  be  given  to  the  words — seems  at  once  too  indefinite  and 
too  limited,  to  answer  the  exigencies  of  the  passage. 

I  am  disposed  to  think  that  the  true  literal  meaning  of  the 
words  is,  '  I  am  come  to  set  the  earth  on  fire  ;  I  am  come  to  pro- 
duce a  general  conflagration.'  If  this  be  admitted  to  be  the  literal 
meaning  of  the  terms,  there  can  be  very  little  difficulty  in  fixing 
on  their  spiiitual  signification.  They  indicate  that  his  religion, 
his  doctrine,  accompanied  by  his  Spirit,  should  rapidly,  and  at 
length  universally,  overspread  the  world,  diffuse  itself  among 
mankind,  and  either  thoroughly  impregnate  with  its  own  spirit, 
or  utterly  consume,  all  human  institutions, — ^purifying  whatever 
will  submit  to  purification,  and  destroying  what  is  incapable  of 
purification. 

"  Fire"  is,  in  Scripture,  the  emblem  both  of  the  word  and  of  the 
Spirit  of  God.  "  Is  not  my  word  a  fire  and  a  hammer,  breaking 
the  rock  in  pieces?"  The  cloven  tongues  of  fire,  the  forked  light- 
ning flames,  whicli  sat  on  the  heads  of  the  apostles  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  were  appropriate  representations  of  the  rapid  dissem- 
ination of  the  doctrines  they  were  to  propagate,  and  the  powerful 
destructive  energy,  with  which  they  were  instinct,  against  all  the 
varied  forms  of  evil.°  In  an  Old  Testament  oracle,  giving  an  ac- 
count of  the  Father  "  bringing  in  his  first-begotten  into  the  world," 
— in  other  words,  of  Jesus  Christ  establishing,  by  divine  power, 
his  kingdom  among  men, — it  is  said,  "  Fire  goeth  before  him." 
"  His  lightnings  enlighten  the  world."'  And  in  the  Apocalypse^ 
fire  is  said  to  proceed*  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  mystic  witnesses, 

<  2  Thess.  i.  8.  5  John  iii.  17  ;  xii.  47. 

«  Acts  ii.  3.  '  Psal.  xcvii.  3,  4. 


350  FIGURATIVE  VIEWS  OF  OUR  LORD'S  MISSION.      [eXP.  VII. 

who  speak  his  trutli  under  the  influence  of  liis  Spirit,  and  to  con- 
sume their  and  his  enemies."  The  words  before  us,  then,  seem 
just  equivalent  to,  '  My  religion  shall  rapidly  and  irresistibly  dif- 
fuse itself  among  mankind  ;  and  wherever  it  does  so,  it  shall,  like 
a  consuming  fire,  destroy  ignorance  and  error,  depravity  and 
miser}' — those  ^vorks  of  the  devil — and  utterly  annihilate  every- 
thing which  counteracts  its  influence  and  opposes  its  progress.' 

How  remarkably  has  our  Lord's  declaration  been  accom- 
plished !  How  striking  is  the  fulfilment  which  even  now  is  tak- 
ing place  !  How  rapidly  did  the  sacred  fire  diffuse  itself  in  the 
])rimitive  ages !  how  did  it  purify  !  how  did  it  consume  !  AVhere 
is  "  over-dated  Judaism,"  and  its  magnificent  temple  ?  Where 
is  pagan  philosophy,  with  its  groves  and  porticoes?  Where  is 
idolatry,  with  its  innumerable  shrines,  and  altars,  and  temples? 
Where  is  imperial  Rome,  with  her  invincible  armies,  and  all  but 
unbounded  empire  ?  They  have  been  burnt  up  by  this  fire  of 
the  Lord, — they  have  been  "  consumed  by  the  brightness  of  his 
coming." 

For  a  season — long,  as  we  count  duration,  but  short  with  Him 
Avith  whom  "  a  thousand  years  are  as  one  day,"' — the  holy  fire 
seemed  arrested  in  its  progress,  and  even  in  hazard  of  being  ex- 
tinguished. But  the  dark,  bleak  middle  ages  passed  awa}',  and 
at  the  period  of  the  glorious  Reformation,  blown  on  by  the 
breath  of  God,  it  burst  forth  with  new  vigor,  and  in  an  in- 
credibly short  period,  throughout  the  best  portion  of  Europe, 
consumed  the  errors  and  superstitions  of  Papal  Rome. 

In  our  own  age  we  have  seen,  with  delight,  the  progress  and 
the  power  of  this  heaven-lit  conflagration.  We  see  it  kindled 
up  in  numerous  widely-scattered  regions  of  our  earth,  and  every- 
where manifesting  its  energy  in  destroying  what  is  evil.  And 
its  fire  must  be  lighted  up  in, — ay,  it  must  be  diffused  over — 
every  land,  trying,  purifying,  destroying, — and  it  must  glow  with 
intenser  ardor,  till  every  human  institution,  civil,  literary,  or 
ecclesiastical,  which  embodies  false  principle  and  cherishes  de- 
praved feeling, — which  in  its  character  and  tendency  opposes  the 
truth,  the  purity,  and  the  benignity  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  be- 
come fuel  to  its  flames.  This  conflagration  must  become  uni- 
versal. This  deluge  of  holy  lustral  fire  must  cover  the  whole 
(;arth ;  and  all  human  systems  of  government,  philosophy,  and 
religion,  must,  by  it,  be  cither  purified  or  consumed. 

The  same  great  and  glorious  event  is  predicted  by  the  proph- 
ets Daniel  and  John,  uu«ler  ditfcrcnt  sets  of  emblems.  The 
stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands  strikes  the  stately 
image  on  the  feet ;  and  the  iron  and  the  clay,  the  brass,  the  sil- 
ver, and  the  gold,  are  broken  in  pieces,  and  become  like  the  chaf!" 
of  the  summer  threshing-floor,  and  the  wind  carries  them  away, 
and  no  place  is  found  for  them ;  while  the  stone  which  smote  the 
image  becomes  a  great  mountain,  and  fills. the  whole  earth.  The 
kingdom  set  up  by  God  in  the  days  of  the  Ibiu'th  great  Gentile 

"  Rev.  xL  6. 


PART  I.]  ITS  PURPOSE.  351 

kingdom  sliall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these  kingdoms, 
and  sliall  stand  for  ever.'  "I  saw,"  says  JoHn,  "  heaven  opened, 
and  behold  a  white  horse  ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called 
Faithful  and  True ;  and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and 
make  war.  His  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  on  his  head 
were  many  crowns ;  and  he  had  a  name  written,  that  no  man 
knew  but  he  himself:  and  he  was  clothed  with  a  vesture 
dipped  in  blood :  and  his  name  is  called  The  Word  of  God. 
And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed  him  upon  white 
horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  And  out  of  his 
mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite  the 
nations ;  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and  he 
treadeth  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty 
God.  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name 
written.  King  of  Kings,  and  Lord  of  Lords,"  And  what 
shall  be  the  result  of  this  celestial  war  against  the  powers  of  evil  ? 
"  Voices  in  heaven"  shall  ere  long  proclaim  it:  "The  kingdom 
of  this  world  is  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his 
Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever."" 

So  much  for  the  illustration  of  the  view  here  given  us  of  the 
design  of  our  Lord's  mission, — to  kindle  a  conflagration  which 
shall  pervade  the  earth,  assimilating  all  things  to  itself — purify- 
ing or  destroying  them. 

The  feelings  of  our  Lord  in  reference  to  this  design,  are  ex- 
pressed in  the  words,  "what  will  I  if  it  be  already  kindled ?"" 

Some  consider  these  words  as  expressive  of  a  feeling  of  exulta- 
tion. They  consider  our  Lord  as  exulting  in  the  hold  which  his 
word  had  already  got  of  some  human  hearts ;  he  saw  in  the  faith 
of  the  little  flock,  that  the  heavenly  flame  in  his  bosom  had 
caught  on  kindred  material,  and  though  it  was  but  a  little  spark, 
he  knew  that  it  was  inextinguishable,  and  that  that  smoking  flax 
would  yet  kindle  a  blaze  which  would  Avrap  the  whole  earth  in 
flames.  He  sees  the  unquenchable  element,  as  it  were,  bursthig 
forth,  and  exclaims,  '  What  will  I  more?  the  object  of  my  minis- 
try on  earth  is  so  far  accomplished.'"  Just  as  when  the  Greeks 
were  introduced  to  him,  seeing  in  them  the  first  fruits  of  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Gentile  nations,  he  exclaimed,  "  The  hour  is  come, 
that  the  Son  of  man  should  be  glorified."" 

Others,  with  whom  we  are  disposed  to  agree,  consider  the 
words  as  expressive  of  desire,  ratlier  than  of  exultation.  "  What 
will  I  ?" — or  '  what  do  I  wish  ?  but  that  it  were  already  kindled' 
— or  '  what  do  I  wish  ?  0,  that  it  were  already  kindled.'  The 
word  rendered  "  if,"  is  sometimes  used  to  express  desire ;  thus 
Balaam  says,  "I  would  there  were  a  sword  in  mine  hand,"'* — 
literally,  '  if  there  were  a  sword  in  my  hand.'  In  Isaiah,  the  word 
very  properly  rendered  by  our  translators,  "  O,  tliat  thou  hadst 
hearkened  to  my  commandments,""  is  literally,  '  If  thou  hadst 

9  "Dan.  ii.  31,  35,  44,  45.  "  Rev.  xix.  11-16 ;  xi.  16. 

"  "  Volo  pro  vellem." — Bengkl.  ''^  Neander. 

'3  John  xii.  20-23.       'i  Numb.  xxii.  29.        i'  Isa.  xlviii.  18. 


352  FIGURATIVE  VIEWS  OF  OUR  LORD'S  MISSION.      [EXP.  VII. 

hearkened.'  And  our  Lord's  words,  "If  thou  hadst  known,  at 
least  in  this  thy  da}^,  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace  1"" 
are  obviously  equivalent  to,  '  O,  that  thou  hadst  known,  at  least 
in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace.'  The 
ineaning  "then  seems  to  be,  '  I  am  come  to  set  the  earth  on  fire — 
O,  that  the  conflagration  were  begun.'  When  we  consider  how 
clearly  this  was  connected  with  the  glory  of  God,  and  with  the 
happiness  of  man,  we  cannot  wonder  that  it  should  be  an  object 
of  intense  desire  to  him  of  whom  it  is  said,  "  The  zeal  of  thy 
house  hath  even  consumed  me  ;"  and  who  so  loved  men,  as  not 
to  love  his  own  life  to  the  death,  in  order  to  obtain  their  salvation. 
The  intensity  of  his  desire  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  great 
design  of  his  mission,  is  strikingly  expressed  in  the  manner  in 
which  he  speaks  in  reference  to  the  means  by  which  it  was  to  be 
accomplished  ;  means  which  involved  an  amount  of  exertion  and 
suffering  to  him,  which  no  created  mind  can  estimate.  "  But," 
in  order  to  that  fire  being  kindled,  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  bap- 
tized with  ;  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  ?"" 
'  I  so  intensely  desire  it,  that  I  am  willing  to  undergo  all  that 
suffering,  which  I  know  must  be  endured,  in  order  to  the  kin- 
dling this  salutary  purifying  fire.  I  am  indeed  restless  till  I  have 
sustained  it' 


IL—OF  THE  MEANS  OF  GAINING  THE  DESIGN  OF   OUR   LORD'S   MIS- 
SION, AND  HIS  FEELINGS  IN  REFERENCE  TO  THESE. 

This  brings  us  to  the  second  part  of  our  subject :  the  view 
given  us,  in  the  oracle,  of  the  means  by  which  the  design  of  our 
Lord's  mission  was  to  be  accomplished,  and  of  his  feelings  in  ref- 
erence to  these  means.  The  means  are  described  in  th'ese  Avords, 
— "I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with ;'"'  the  feelings  are 
described  in  these  words, — "  How  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  ac- 
complished !" 

And  first,  of  the  means  by  which  the  design  of  our  Lord's 
mission  was  to  be  accomplished.  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  bap- 
tized witli."  "  But" — the  force  of  this  particle  plainly  is,  '  These 
intense  desires  cannot  immediately  be  gratified.  In  order  to  my 
doing  what  I  am  come  to  do,  I  must  suffer,  severely  suffer.' 
Tliat  the  baptism  or  submersion  that  our  Loril  speaks  of  refers  to 
his  sufferings,  there  can  be  no  doubt.  His  own  words  to  James 
and  John  explain  it,  when  they  through  their  mother  requested 
to  be  allowed  to  sit,  the  one  on  his  right  hand  and  the  other  on 
his  left,  in  his  kingdom.  "  Can  ye  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  drink 
of?  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with  ?"" 
i.  e.,  '  Can  ye  endure  the  sulfcrings  I  must  endure,  in  order  to 
my  entering  on  my  kingdom '/'     There  are  two  things  we  must 

'*  Luke  xix.  42. 

'T  "  Acceimioncm  praecesait  lucta.     Accensua  eat  Act  ii." — Benqel. 

"  Luke  xii.  50.  "  Mark  x.  88. 


PART  II,]  MEANS   OF   GAINING   ITS   PURPOSE.  853 

do  here.  "We  must  show  what  truths  with  regard  to  our  Lord's 
suiferings,  are  indicated  by  their  being  termed  his  baptism,  and 
we  must  show  how  this  baptism  of  sufferings  was  necessary  in 
order  to  his  kindhng  that  conflagration  ;  which  was  the  object  of 
his  intense  desire. 

In  calHng  his  sufferings  a  "baptism,"  our  Lord  may  refer 
either  to  the  origin,  to  the  nature,  or  to  the  degree  of  his 
sufferings. 

He  may  refer  to  their  origin.  The  baptisms  under  the  hiw, 
to  which  no  doubt  there  is  a  reference,  were  Divine  appoint- 
ments. In  this  respect  our  Lord's  sufferings  were  a  "baptism," 
"  Truly,"  said  our  Lord,  "  the  Son  of  man  goeth  as  it  was  de- 
termined." He  "  was  fore-ordained,"  says  the  apostle  Peter  in 
his  Epistle,  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  "  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world." — "  When,"  said  the  apostles  in  their  solemn  song  of 
thanksgiving  and  triumph,  "When  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate, 
with  the  Gentiles  and  the  people  of  Israel,  were  gathered  to- 
gether" against  "  God's  holy  child  Jesus,"  it  was  "  to  do  whatsoever 
His  hand  and  His  counsel  had  determined  before  to  be  done."^" 

In  using  the  word  baptism  as  descriptive  of  his  sufferings,  our 
Lord  may  refer  to  their  nature.  Baptism  marked  the  person 
and  thing  baptized  as  sacred,  devoted  to  God.  Our  Lord's  suf- 
ferings marked  him  out  as  the  "  elect,  righteous  servant  of  God," 
employed  by  him  in  the  great  work  of  man's  redemption.  When 
we  contemplate  him  as  the  absolutely  innocent,  all-righteous  one, 
treated  as  if  he  had  been  a  sinner,  the  chief  of  sinners,  we,  as  it 
were,  hear  Jehovah  proclaiming — "  Behold  my  servant  whom  I 
uphold,  my  beloved  in  whom  my  soul  delights."  "  Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world."*' 

Finally,  in  using  the  word  baptism  in  reference  to  his  suffer- 
ings, our  Lord  may  intend  to  indicate  their  severity.  Some, 
though  not  all,  the  legal  baptisms,  were  immersions,  submersions. 
When  we  consider  the  nature,  the  number,  the  variety,  the  sever- 
ity, the  early  commencement,  the  close  succession,  the  strange 
complication,  the  long  continuance,  of  his  sufferings,  we  may 
well  say,  he  was  plunged  into  an  abyss  of  sufferings.  He  "  came 
into  deep  waters,  where  the  floods  overflowed  him."**  You  see, 
then,  what  are  the  qualities  of  our  Lord's  sufferings,  indicated 
by  their  being  termed  "  a  baptism ;" — they  were  divinely  ap- 
pointed ; — the  sufferings  of  a  sacred  person — severe  sufferings. 

But  how  were  these  sufferings  necessary  as  means  to  our 
Lord's  effecting  the  design  of  his  mission,  which  was  the  object 
of  such  intense  desire  to  him  ?  This  a  wide  field,  but  I  must 
content  myself  with  a  few  hints.  Without  any  suffering  on  the 
part  of  the  Son  of  God,  he  might  have  "  kindled  a  fire  in  his 
anger,  which  would  have  burned  unto  the  lowest  hell,  which 
would  have  consumed  the  earth  with  her  increase,  and  set  on 
fire  the  foundations  of  the  mountains.""     This  would  have  been 

20  1  Pet.  i.  20.     Acts  iv.  26-28.  -•  Isa.  xlii.  1.     John  i.  29. 

22  Psal.  Ixix.  2.  23  Deut.  xxxii.  22. 

VOL.  I.  23 


354  FIGUEATH^E   VIEWS  OF  OUR  LORD'S  MISSION.      [EXP.  VII. 

but  the  execution  of  rigliteous  judgment  against  man  the  sinner. 
But  to  kindle  a  fire,  which  should  purify  and  save  man,  and  de- 
stroy only  what  is  hostile  to  his  best  interests,  this  required  some- 
thing more  than  a  mere  act  of  power.  It  had  to  be  made  a 
righteous  thing  in  God  to  forgive  sin,  and  save  the  sinner.  It 
was  only  through  expiatory  suffering,  in  the  room  of  man,  that 
our  Lord  could  ascend  the  throne  of  the  universe,  as  the  divinely- 
appointed  deliverer  from  sin  and  its  consequences.  He  must  re- 
deem by  price  before  he  can  redeem  by  power.  Purchase  must 
precede  conquest.  The  foundations  of  the  mediatorial  throne 
can  be  laid  only  in  the  blood  of  Him  who  is  to  sit  on  it.  He 
must  be  lifted  up  on  the  cross,  in  order  to  his  being  lifted  up  on 
the  throne,  so  as  that  the  world  may  be  judged  by  him,  the 
prince  of  this  world  cast  out  by  him,  and  all  men  draAvn  to  him. 
It  was  because  he  humbled  himself,  becoming  obedient  unto 
death — the  death  of  the  cross,  in  the  room  of  men,  that  the 
Father  "  highly  exalted  him,"  giving  him  "  poAver  over  all  flesh," 
— "  all  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth." 

It  only  remains  now,  that  we  say  a  few  words  respecting  our 
Lord's  feelings,  as  expressed  in  the  text,  in  reference  to  his  suf- 
ferings as  the  means  of  gaining  the  great  design  of  his  mission. 
These  are  described  in  the  very  emphatic  exclamation,  "  How 
am  I  straitened  till  it"  (that  is,  my  baptism  of  suffering)  "  be 
accomplished !" 

The  word  rendered  "  straitened,"  when  applied  to  mental  af- 
fection, is  descriptive  of  that  internal  struggle,  that  mingled 
emotion  of  aversion  and  desire,  fear  and  hope,  which  is  produced 
by  the  contemplation  of  some  situation  of  extreme  difficulty  and 
suftering,  in  which  we  foresee  we  must  be  placed,  and  in  which, 
from  the  important  advantageous  consequences  likely  to  arise 
from  our  occupying  it,  and  not  otherwise  attainable,  we  cannot 
help  wishing  ourselves  to  be  placed.  It  expresses  the  feelings 
with  which  we  look  forward  to  an  event,  in  itself  extremely  dis- 
agreeable, absolutely  inevitable,  and  which,  when  taken  in  con- 
nection with  its  consequences,  we  do  not  wish  to  avoid.  This  is 
a  state  of  mind  more  easily  conceived  than  described.  We  may 
be  assisted  in  forming  a  conception  of  the  Saviour's  state  of 
mind,  at  the  moment  he  used  the  words  under  consideration,  by 
endeavoring  to  realize  the  feelings  of  an  advanced  christian  in 
the  immediate  prospect  of  dissolution, — dissolution  likelj'"  to  be 
the  result  of  agonizing  suffering.  He  looks  forward  to  death, 
and  the  sufferings  which  are  to  produce  it,  as  in  themselves  most 
undesirable.  He  instinctively  shrinks  from  pain,  and  death, — 
dissolution.  He  cannot  choose  "  strangling  and  death"  for  their 
own  sakes.  Had  he  it  in  his  option,  he  would  prefer  getting  to 
heaven  by  a  painless  translation;  lie  would  rather  be  "clothed 
upon,"  than  "  unclotlied  ;"  instead  of  life  being  swallowed  up  of 
mortality,  he  would  wish  that  "  mortality  were  swallowed  up  of 
life."     But  lie  knows  that  "  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the 


PART  II.]  MEANS   OF   GAINING   ITS   PURPOSE.  355 

]4ngdom  of  God.""  He  knows  there  is  no  entrance  for  him  into 
life,  but  through  death  ;  and  that  that  presence  with  the  Lord 
which  he  so  ardently  longs  for,  can  be  obtained  only  by  that 
divorce  from  the  body  which  he  cannot  but  regard  with  aversion 
and  fear.  To  be  where  Christ  is,  to  be  with  him  there,  to  be- 
hold and  share  his  glories,  are,  in  the  estimation  of  such  a  one, 
the  highest  of  blessings,  blessings  well  worth  dying  to  obtain ; 
and  the  assured  hope  of  obtaining  these,  as  the  result  of  dying, 
makes  him  more  than  willing  to  die,  desirous  "  to  depart,  to  be 
with  Christ,  which  is  far  better."  Still  this  desire  has  a  very 
peculiar  character,  easily  distinguishable  from  the  desire  of  un- 
mixed good.  He  is,  as  the  apostle  says,  using  the  same  word  as 
that  before  us,  "  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,"  even  when  desiring  to 
depart.'' 

Let  us  remember,  that  our  Lord's  bloody  passion,  in  all  its 
strange  complication  of  bodilj^  ^goi^y  ^^d  mental  anguish,  was 
viewed  by  him  as  at  once  inevitable  and  at  hand,  and  that,  at 
the  same  time,  the  glorious  results  of  that  passion — results  which 
could  be  secured  in  no  other  way — were  fully  before  his  mind, 
that  he  had  a  clear  distinct  idea,  both  of  the  suiferings  he  was  to 
undergo,  and  of  the  glory  that  was  to  follow  them  to  him  and 
his ;  and  then  we  shall  have  some  apprehension,  necessarily  a 
very  imperfect  one,  of  that  painful  struggle  of  antagonist  emo- 
tion, which  stirred  to  its  depths  the  Saviour's  heart,  and  probably 
gave  a  very  ]:)eculiar  expression  to  his  countenance,  and  tone  to 
his  voice,  when  he  said,  "I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with; 
and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  bo  accomplished !" 

The  Captain  of  our  salvation  survej-ed  the  opposing  host  of 
the  enemies  of  God  and  man, — ^their  number,  their  power,  their 
craft,  their  malignity,  were  fully  appreheiided  by  him.  The  de- 
cisive struggle  was  at  hand.  He  knew  that  it  would  be  arduous 
and  mortal.  But  he  equally  knew,  that  final  success  was  not 
doubtful,  and  that  the  agony  of  the  conflict  would  be  richly  rec- 
ompensed in  "  glory  to  God  in  the  highest,"  "  salvation  with 
eternal  glory"  to  millions  of  redeemed  men.  Li  painful,  eager 
expectation,  he  waited  the  signal  from  Him  who  appointed  him 
to  enter  the  field  of  toil,  and  blood,  and  victory. 

The  words  intimate  a  fall  conviction  that  he  must  suffer.  Not 
that  his  sufferings,  absolutely  considered,  were  necessary, — he 
suffered  because  he  chose  to  suffer — but,  hypothetically,  they 
were  altogether  necessary  to  gain  the  end  he  had  in  view,  the 
finishing  transgression,  making  an  end  of  sin,  bringing  in  an 
everlasting  righteousness,  bearing,  and  bearing  awaj^,  the  sin  of 
the  world.  They  intimate,  too,  a  clear  apprehension  of  the  mag- 
nitude of  his  approaching  sufferings.  In  many  cases,  it  would 
be  an  alleviation  of  our  suff3ring,  could  we  buf  distinctly  define 
the  dimensions  of  approaching  evil.  Those  ill-defined,  gigantic 
shadows,  which  they  cast  before  them,  often  excite  an  alarm  alto- 
gether  disproportioned  to  their  real  magnitude.     It  was,  how- 

«i  1  Cor.  XV.  50.  25  piiii.  i.  23. 


356  FIGURATIVE  VIEWS  OF  ODR  LORD'S  MISSION.       [EXP.  VII. 

ever,  otlier-wise  with  the  Saviour.  The  sufferings  awaiting  him, 
fax  exceeded  anything  which  the  human  imagination,  even  when 
excited  by  fear,  could  have  pictured.  Finally,  these  words  inti- 
mate an  invincible  resolution,  an  unquenchable  desire,  to  finish 
"  his  strange  work  in  righteousness."  "  He  did  not  fail,  nor  was 
he  discouraged."  The  path  lay  straight  before  him,  and  he 
pressed  onward  with  a  steadiness  of  movement,  which  calls  up 
to  the  mind  the  making  of  the  tide  towards  the  shore,  or  the 
course  of  the  sun  through  the  heavens. 

It  is  but  a  little  while,  and  the  baptism  is  accomplished : 
Gethsemane — Calvary — are  at  hand.  The  mysterious  cry,  "It 
is  finished !"  is  heard ;  and  when  the  baptism  is  accomplished, 
the  conflagration  commences.  Raised  from  the  dead,  he  pro- 
claims to  his  chosen  messengers,  "  All  power  is  given  to  me  in 
heaven  and  earth :  go  disciple  all  nations — go  preach  the  Gospel 
to  every  creature" — apply  the  lighted  torch  to  the  prepared  fuel. 
Soldiers  of  the  cross  !  take  possession  of  the  world — it  is  the  pur- 
chased property  of  your  Lord.  The  battle  then  began,  which 
has  ever  since  lasted,  and  which  shall  not  cease,  till  the  shout  of 
victory  peal  through  the  universe :  "  Halleluiah  :  tlie  kingdoms 
of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ ; 
halleluiah  !  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth." 

What  a  glorious  consummation  !  The  fire  of  christian  truth, 
and  holy  spiritual  influence,  has  burnt  up  the  thistles  and  thorns, 
the  nightshade  and  upas  trees  of  ignorance,  and  error,  and  de- 
pravity :  "  The  heavens  drop  down  righteousness,  the  earth 
opens,  and  brings  forth  salvation  ;"^°  and  a  renovated  creation 
smiles  under  the  benignant  eye  of  Him  who,  sitting  on  the 
throne,  proclaims — •"  Behold  I  have  made  all  things  new." 

Let  us,  my  brethren,  remember  that,  though  it  is  the  work  of 
our  Lord  and  King  to  send  fire  on  the  earth,  it  is  a  work  which 
he  accomplishes  through  the  instrumentalit}^  of  his  people.  His 
people  act  verj?-  much  out  of  character,  wlien,  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  the  term,  they  are  fire-brands  in  society,  whether  ecclesi- 
astical or  civil.  Bat  it  is  their  duty — their  great  primary  dut}'' 
— to  keep  the  fire  of  holy  truth  and  love  which  he  has  kindled  in 
their  hearts,  burning  brightly,  and  consuming  in  them  every 
false  principle,  every  unholy  desire ;  and  it  is  equally  their  duty 
to  endeavor  to  propagate  the  sacred  fire — to  bring  all  individuals, 
all  societies,  all  institutions,  under  its  purifying  or  consuming 
power.  What  was  the  object  of  such  intense  desire  to  our  Lord, 
should  draw  forth  our  most  earnest  wislies.  The  mind  is  not  in 
us  which  Avas  in  him — his  spirit  is  not  in  us,  and,  therefore,  we 
are  none  of  liis — if  we  do  not  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  progress 
and  triumph  of  truth  and  holiness.  Wherever  divine  truth  lays 
hold  on  the  heart,  like  fire,  it  manifests  a  tendency  to  communi- 
cate itself.  Fire  naturally  spreads :  christians  cannot  but  speak 
the  things  they  have  heard.  They  "  believe,  and  therefore 
speak."     When  they  seek  to  repress  this  natural  impulse,  Jere- 

2S  Isa.  xlv.  8. 


PART  IL]  means  of   GAINING   ITS   PURPOSE.  357 

miali's  experience  is  in  some  degree  likely  to  be  theirs.  If  they 
saj,  from  false  shame,  fear,  or  any  other  cause,  "  I  will  not  make 
mention  of  him,  nor  speak  of  his  name,  his  word  is  in  their  heart 
as  a  burning  lire  shut  U23  in  their  bones ;  they  are  weary  witli 
forbearing,  and  cannot  stay."  Oh,  that  there  were  more  of  this 
felt  necessity  among  christians,  to  communicate  what  they  have 
received,  to  spread  abroad  that  fire  that  burns  within  !  If  therc^ 
is  no  such  disposition,  can  it  be  doubted  there  is  no  fire  within  to 
spread  abroad  ? 

And  as  our  Lord  proved  the  intensity  of  his  desire  by  cheer- 
fully doing  and  suffering  all  that  was  necessary  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  glorious  object,  so  must  we.  We  never  could 
have  done  what  he  did ;  we  never  could  have  suffered  what  he 
suffered ;  and  without  his  doings  and  sufferings,  our  doings  and 
sufferings  in  such  a  cause  would  have  been  impossible ;  and,  if 
possible,  Avould  have  been  unavailing.  But  we  too  must  labor, 
we  too  must  suffer,  in  order  to  tlie  gaining  of  the  great  object  of 
his  mission — the  purifying  of  the  earth  through  the  fire  of  his 
word,  animated  by  his  Spirit ;  and  let  us  never  think  we  can 
labor  nor  suffer  too  much  in  such  a  cause. 

Let  us  learn  from  him  never  to  fail  or  be  discouraged,  never 
to  be  weary  in  doing  or  suffering,  in  promoting  the  great  object 
for  which  he  so  labored  and  so  suffered.  Let  us,  like  him,  seek 
to  finish  the  work  which  the  Father  gives  us  to  do,  and  think 
nothing  done,  while  aught  remains  to  do.  Let  it  be  a  constant 
subject  of  desire,  and  prayer,  and  labor,  that  the  sacred  fire  may 
be  universally  diffused,  and  that  the  whole  earth,  purified  by  it, 
may  be  presented  as  a  sacrifice  to  Jehovah. 

His  labors  were  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord,  and  neither  shall  ours 
be.  He  has  seen  of  "  the  travail  of  his  soul,"  and  is  "  satisfied  ;" 
and  "  in  due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not."  "  Therefore, 
my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  stedfiist  and  unmovable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord;  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that 
your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord."" 

Let  all  who  live  under  the  gospel  dispensation  remember,  that 
the  fire  of  christian  truth  cast  among  a  people  as  it  has  been  cast 
among  us,  must  produce  effects — important  effects — effects,  the 
full  importance  of  which  eternity  only  can  develop.  If  it  do  not 
melt  the  stone,  it  will  rend  it ;  if  it  do  not  purify,  it  will  destroy. 
It  is  no  neutral  element.  It  is  "the  savor  of  death  unto  death," 
if  it  be  not  "the  savor  of  life  unto  life."  It  is  "  a  quick  and 
powerful  word ;"  and,  as  received  or  rejected,  it  will  manifest  its 
power  in  complete  salvation,  or  in  aggravated  destruction.  A 
neglected,  despised  Gospel,  will,  in  the  regions  of  hopeless  misery, 
be  a  fire  that  cannot  be  quenched,  burning,  Avithout  consuming, 
the  vcr}^  vitals  of  him  who  has  neglected  and  despised  it.  These 
are  weighty  words  of  our  Lord :  "He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  re- 
ceiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him  " — ^that  shall 
judge,  condemn,  and  punish  him — "  the  word  that  I  have  spoken, 

27  1  Cor.  XV.  58. 


358  FIGUEATIVE  VIEWS  OF  OCJR  LORD'S  MISSION,       {eS?.  Vir. 

the  same  shall  judge  Iiitn  in  the  last  day."^'  Ay,  it  will  punish 
him  through  eternity ;  and  one  of  the  most  earnest,  hopeless 
wishes  of  a  lost  soul,  throughout  unending  duration,  will  be,  'O 
that  I  could  forget  the  Gospel  which  T  heard,  but  believed  not !' 
But  it  cannot  be  ;  the  recollection  is  burnt  in  to  the  very  centre 
of  his  being.  In  addition  to  the  fearful  voice  sounding  unre- 
mittingly and  endlessly  in  the  ears  of  all  the  lost,  "You  knew 
your  duty,  and  you  did  it  not,""  a  still  more  heart-rending  an- 
nouncement will  be  constantly  forced  on  the  attention  of  the 
Gospel  neglecter  and  despiser — '  Salvation,  free,  full  salvation 
was  offered  you,  and  you  refused  it.  It  mighty  it  would^  have 
been  yours,  had  you  but  received  what  was  sincerely  proffered. 
It  can  be  yours  no  more  for  ever,'  Unbeliever !  take  warning 
in  time.  If  you  persist  in  unbelief,  it  must  come  to  this.  You 
cannot  escape  this — are  you  prepared  to  endure  it  ? 

!»  John  xii  48.  29  Pollok. 


EXPOSITION   VIII. 

TRUE  HAPPINESS,  AND  THE  WAY  OF  SECURING  IT 
John  vi. 

The  discourse,  on  the  consideration  of  wliich  we  now  enter, 
was,  like  most,  if  not  all,  of  our  Lord's  discourses,  occasional, 
rising  out  of  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed  when  he 
uttered  it,  and  from  them  taking  its  particular  form,  and  deriving 
its  peculiar  illustrations.  Its  subject  is  the  most  important  and 
interesting  which  can  engage  the  attention  of  the  human  mind. 
It  contains  a  discussion  and  decision  of  two  questions,  which,  in 
all  countries  and  ages,  have  occupied  the  thoughts  of  reflecting 
men,  but  to  which  unassisted  reason,  though  applying  all  its 
energies  to  the  task  for  a  long  course  of  centuries,  had  failed  to 
find  a  satisfactory  reply — What  ought  to  be  the  object  of  man's 
supreme  pursuit  ?  and,  How  is  he  to  secure  the  attainment  of  this 
object? 

I. — INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 
John  tl  1-25. 

The  circumstances  which  led  our  Lord  to  deliver  the  discourse 
now  before  us,  and  suggested  the  instructive  and  beautiful  im- 
agery by  which  his  doctrines  are  at  once  illustrated  and  adorned, 
may  be  shortly  stated. 

Our  Lord,  on  the  return  of  his  apostles  from  the  evangelical 
itinerant  labors  in  which  he  had  employed  them,  having  heard  of 
the  anxiety  which  Herod  the  Tetrarch  had  expressed  to  see  him, 
had  left  Capernaum,  a  city  on  the  west  side  of  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
belonging  to  that  prince's  dominions, — where  he  had  chiefly  re- 
sided for  a  considerable  period,  and  where  his  time  and  attention 
had  been  continually  occupied  by  the  crowds  who  came  from  all 
quarters-  to  hear  his  doctrine,  and  to  experience  or  witness  his 
miraculous  power ; — and  had  crossed  over  to  the  opposite  side,  to 
a  retired  spot,  in  a  somewhat  thinly -inhabited  district,  apparently 
with  the  intention  that  the  disciples  might  have  that  repose  which 
their  fatigue  required,  and  that  he  might  be  out  of  the  way 
should  Herod  show  a  disposition  to  use  force  in  order  to  have  his 


360  TRUE  nAPPIN-ESS — -WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

curiosity  gratified,  and  his  remorseful  fears  either  confirmed  or 
removed. 

Our  Lord's  departure,  though  private,  soon  became  matter  of 
notoriety,  and  a  vast  multitude  from  Capernaum  and  the  neigh- 
boring country  and  yillages,  made  a  hasty  journey  round  the 
north  end  of  the  sea  of  Galilee,  and  were  ready  to  welcome  him, 
on  his  disembarking  on  the  eastern  shore.  Ascending  a  moun 
tain,  followed  by  the  multitude,  whom  he  regarded  with  melting 
compassion,  "  as  sheep  scattered  without  a  shepherd,"  he  spent 
the  day  in  performing  beneficent  miracles,  and  uttering  heavenly 
instructions :  "  teaching  them  many  things,"  "  speaking  to  them 
of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  healing  them  that  had  need  of 
healing."' 

As  the  evening  drew  on,  his  disciples  proposed  to  him  to  dis- 
miss the  multitude,  that,  dispersing  themselves  among  the  vil- 
lages and  throughout  the  adjacent  country,  they  might  find 
refreshment  and  lodging.  Far  from  acquiescing  in  this  proposal, 
our  Lord  replied.  "  They  need  not  depart ;  give  ye  them  to  eat." 
His  disciples,  astonished  at  these  words,  stated  that  the  expendi- 
ture of  two  hundred  denarii,  (between  six  and  seven  pounds  of 
our  money,^  which  probably  constituted  all  their  store,)  in  buy- 
ing food,  eyen  if  such  a  quantity  of  it  could  have  been  procured 
in  so  retired  a  situation,  which  was  not  probable,  would  scarcely 
suffice  to  furnish  a  mouthful  to  such  a  crowd ;  and  on  inquiry,  it 
was  found  that  the  stock  of  provisions  which  they  had  with  them, 
was  onl}^  "five  barley  loaves,  and  two  small  fishes."'  This  in- 
formation in  no  degree  shook  our  Lord's  determination  to  pro- 
vide with  bodily  refreshment,  before  dismissing  them,  the  multi- 
tude, fatigued  by  their  journey,  and  faint  from  long-continued  ab- 
stinence. 

The  confused  mass  of  human  beings,  amounting  to  five  thou- 
sand men,  besides  woman  and  children,  was  soon,  by  his  orders, 
transformed  into  fifty  orderly  companies  of  guests.  Standing  up 
and  holding  in  his  hands  the  slender  stock  of  provisions,  he  in- 
yoked  the  Divine  blessing,  which  so  miraculously  increased  them, 
that  he  filled  the  baskets  of  the  twelve  apostles,  and  they  dis- 
tributed them  to  the  multitude,  and  the  multitude  handed  them 
from  one  to  another,  till  the  vast  assembly  had  eaten  to  satiety, 
and  "  twelve  baskets  full  of  fragments"  remained  from  the  won- 
drous feast. 

The  miracle  produced  on  the  multitude  a  deep  and  general 
impression,  that  he  who  performed  it  could  be  no  other  than 
Israel's  promised  deliverer,  and  many  of  them  were  disposed  to 
emj)loy  every  means  in  their  power  to  induce  him  to  assume 
immediately  those  royal  honors,  to  which,  in  that  case,  he  was 
entitled,  and  which  he  had  shown  he  could  so  easily  maintain. 

'  Matt.  xiv.  14.     Luke  ix.  11. 

2  "Tills  sum,  rating  the  denarius  at  7J<1.,  would  amount  to  £0,  59. ;  or  reckoning 
the  denarius,  as  is  more  usual,  at  7;d.,  it  would  amount  to  £6,  S)3.  2d.  of  our 
money." — IJaqsteii,  "  Comprehensive  Bible."  3  John  vi.  'J. 


PAET  I.]  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  361 

Aware  that  should  such  a  proposal  be  made,  his  disciples,  froin 
their  remaining  prejudices,  were  very  likely  to  second  it,  he  pre- 
vailed on  them,  somewhat  reluctantly,  to  embark  without  him 
for  the  opposite  shore,  and  he  remained  behind,  probably  because 
he  knew  that  had  he  offered  to  go,  the  multitude,  in  their  pres- 
ent temper,  would  have  attempted  forcibly  to  detain  him,  and 
certainly  because  he  contemplated  making  a  new  trial  of  his  dis- 
ciples' faith,  and  giving  them  a  new  demonstration  of  his  divine 
knowledge,  and  power,  and  kindness. 

The  multitude,  finding  that  our  Lord  had  not  accompanied 
his  disciples,  and  concluding  that,  as  there  was  no  other  boat  on 
that  side  of  the  sea,  he  could  not  leave  that  neighborhood  with- 
out their  being  aware  of  it,  were  induced  peaceably  to  disperse, 
with  the  intention  no  doubt  of  coming  together  early  next  morn- 
ing, and  pressing  on  their  chosen  leader  the  acceptance  of  the 
honors  and  allegiance  they  were  ready  to  yield  him.  On  the 
multitude  departing  to  find  lodging  in  the  villages  and  country 
around,  our  Lord  retired  into  the  recesses  of  the  mountains,  and 
spent  the  greater  part  of  the  night  in  devotional  communion  with 
his  Father  and  God. 

Meanwhile  his  disciples  encountered  a  storm  in  their  passage 
across  the  lake,  and  had  spent  a  great  part  of  the  night  in  labor- 
iously struggling,  against  a  strong  wind  and  a  stormy  sea,  to  gain 
the  opposite  shore.  While  they  were  about  the  middle  of  the 
lake,  a  human  form  appeared  to  them,  Avalking  on  the  troubled 
waves,  as  on  a  solid  pavement.  The  surprise,  not  unmixed  with 
terror,  with  which  men  have  always  regarded  intercourse  with 
the  inhabitants  of  the  invisible  world,  was  their  first  emotion ; 
but,  on  ascertaining  that  it  was  indeed  their  Lord,  their  fear  was 
turned  into  joy.  Peter,  with  his  characteristic  forwardness, 
requested  permission  to  come  to  meet  his  Master  on  the  waters. 
His  request  was  complied  with,  and  he  met  with  a  very  impress- 
ive demonstration  of  the  weakness  of  his  own  faith,  and  of  the 
omnipotent  kindness  of  his  Lord.  On  Jesus  coming  aboard  the 
vessel,  the  tempest  instantaneously  ceased,  and  in  a  very  short 
period,  if  not  "  immediately,"  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  word, 
they  gained  the  western  shore.  On  arriving  there  early  in  the 
morning,  it  is  probable  that  both  our  Lord  and  his  disciples,  wlio 
stood  much  in  need  of  rest,  retired  for  a  season  to  repose. 

It  is  obvious,  however,  that  in  this  case,  the  season  for  relaxa- 
tion and  rest  was  but  brief  The  multitude,  whose  hearts  were 
set  on  making  the  miracle- worker  their  king,  collected  early  in 
the  morning  to  carry  their  purpose  into  effect.  But  on  seeking 
for  Jesus,  he  was  nowhere  to  be  found.  This  threw  them  into 
a  state  of  great  perplexity.  They  knew  that  tlie  only  boat  which, 
the  day  before,  was  on  that  side  of  the  sea,  was  that  in  which 
Jesus  and  his  disciples  had  crossed  from  Capernaum.  They 
knew  that  the  disciples  had  departed  without  him.  They  seem 
to  have  conjectured  that  he  who  could  miraculously  multiply  five 
loves  and  two  fishes,  so  as  to  constitute  an  abundant  meal  for 


362  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [eXP.  VIII- 

more  tlian  five  tliousand  individuals,  might  also,  in  some  miracu- 
lous manner,  transport  himself  across  the  lake,  and,  availing 
themselves  of  boats  which  that  morning  had  arrived  from 
Tiberias,  they  crossed  over  to  Capernaum,  in  the  hope  of  finding 
Jesus  there,  where  they  knew  he  had  for  some  time  chiefly  re- 
sided. 

Nor  was  their  expectation  disappointed.  They  found  him  (as 
api)cars  from  the  o9th  verse)  "  about  his  Father's  business,"  in 
iho  synagogue  teaching  the  people.  On  entering  the  synagogue, 
they  accosted  him,  and  inquired  as  to  the  time  of  his  return, 
hoping,  no  doubt,  that  in  telling  them  when.,  he  might  also  in- 
form them  how.,  he  had  crossed  the  lake.  To  this  question  our 
Lord  gave  no  reply.*  The  information  they  wished  for  might 
easily  be  got  from  the  disciples,  or  from  others  who  had  witnessed 
the  miraculous  circumstances  of  his  passage. 

Our  Lord's  object  plainly  was  to  disabuse  them  of  their  false 
views  and  expectations, — to  show  them  that  he  was  not  the  kind 
of  Messiah  tlicy  anticipated  and  wished  for, — that  it  was  in  vain 
for  them  to  expect  from  him  the  sort  of  benefits  on  wliich  they 
had  set  their  hearts,  but  that  he  was  ready  to  bestow  upon  them 
])enefits  of  a  far  higher  order, — benefits  which  he  only  could  be- 
stow,— benefits  at  once  necessary  and  sufficient  to  secure  their 
true  ha})[)iness.  He  shows  them  tliat  he  was  perfectly  aware  of 
the  real  state  of  their  minds,  and  preaches  to  them  that  "  repent- 
ance," without  which  they  could  not  enter  into  that  spiritual 
kingdom  that  he  had  come  to  establish, — a  kingdom  altogether 
different  from  that  earthly  kingdom  which  they  were  dreaming  of 
establishing  by  force. 


11. — CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS. 
John  vi.  20-65. 

§  1.  Misconceptions  corrected. 

Probably  much  to  the  mortification  of  these  inquirers,  our 
Lord  addressed  them  in  these  words, — "  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  Ye  seek  me,  not  because  ye  saw  the  miracles,  but  be- 
cause ye  did  cat  of  the  loaves,  and  were  filled.'"  The  object  of 
these  men  in  seeking  for  Jesus,  Avas,  that  tliey  might  induce  him 
to  become  their  king,  and  to  em])loy  the  miraculous  powers  of 
which  he  was  possessed  in  realizing  their  ideas  respecting  the 
secular  wealth,  dignity,  and  enjoyment  which  the  chosen  people 
were  to  obtain  under  Messiah  the  Prince ;  and  what  induced 
them  thus  to  seek  him,  was,  not  so  mueli  the  miracles  they  had 
witnessed,  as  the  particular  kind  of  miracle  he  had  last  performed ; 

^  "Non  respoiidit  Joans  ad  JndnRorutn  quando;  et  sic  sojpe  in  sermonibus  ea 
(^uffl  series  roriiin  ct  status  aiiimonim  rcquirit  potius  spectnt,  (|uain  interpella- 
tiones  lo<|iioiitiuin  alieuoa." — BsNaiau  s  Jolin  vi.  26. 


PART  II.]       CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  363 

it  was  not  so  much  the  conviction,  that  lie  was  a  divine  messen- 
ger, of  which  these  miracles  were  a  confirmation,  as  tlie  convic- 
tion that  he  who  could  feed  five  thousand  men  on  five  loaves  and 
two  fishes,  was  qualified,  if  he  would  but  exert  his  powers,  to  be 
their  leader  in  revolting  against  their  Gentile  oppressors,  and  to 
secure  for  them  victory,  conquest,  universal  dominion. 

The  words  of  our  Lord,  when  viewed  in  their  connection,  seem 
to  be  equivalent  to  this  declaration,' — '  You  profess,  and  indeed 
you  feel,  a  gi-eat  eagerness  to  find  me ;  but  that  does  not  spring 
from  an  enlightened  conviction  that  I  am  a  divinely-accredited 
messenger,  to  prove  which  is  the  great  design  of  my  miracles. 
Had  it  been  so,  you  would  have  come  to  learn  of  me  the  truth 
with  regard  to  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  but  iastead  of  that,  you  seek 
me  as  your  instrument  for  erecting  a  kingdom  of  this  Avorld, 
which,  you  perversely  think,  would  be  the  kingdom  of  God, 
Had  noib  the  miracles  performed  been  such  as  to  suggest  the  idea 
that  I  might  be  turned  to  account  in  obtaining  the  gratification 
of  your  carnal,  selfish  wishes  and  expectations,  you  would  never 
have  sought  me.  You  have  no  just  conception  of  my  true  char- 
acter, or  of  the  nature  of  the  kingdom  I  am  come  to  establish,  and 
of  tlie  blessings  which  I  am  come  to  communicate.  It  is  not  be- 
cause I  am  a  well-accredited  divine  messenger,  but  because  I  am 
in  3''our  estimation  a  person  possessed  of  powers  which,  if  exerted 
in  your  behalf,  might  secure  for  you  those  secular  blessings  for 
which  alone  you  have  any  relish,  that  you  have  come  here  in 
quest  of  me.  You  need  to  change  your  minds,  to  "  repent  and 
believe  the  gospel."  You  must  change  your  minds,  else  you  can 
derive  no  benefit  from  me.  If  you  change  your  minds,  you  will 
find  that  T  can,  and  that  I  will,  bestow  on  you  blessings  infinitely 
preferable  to  those,  the  hope  of  obtaining  which  from  me,  alone 
induces  you  now  to  seek  me.' 

"  Labor  not  for  the  meat  which  perishcth,  but  for  that  meat 
which  endureth  unto  everlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  man  shall 
give  unto  you :  for  him  hath  God  the  Father""  (rather,  the  Father, 
God)  "  sealed."'  The  first  thing  necessary  to  the  right  interpreta- 
tion of  this  very  interesting  passage,  is  to  ascertain  what  are  the 
two  things  here  contrasted  as  objects  of  desire  and  pursuit.  "  The 
meat  which  porislicth,"  and  "the  meat  Avhich  endureth  unto  ever- 
lasting life ;" — the  food  which,  perishable  in  its  own  nature,  min- 
isters only  to  a  mortal  life, — and  the  food  which,  imperishable  in 
its  nature,  supports  an  immortal  life. 

By  some,  the  contrast  has  been  supposed  to  be  between  the 
food  of  the  body — material  nutriment,  such  as  the  loaves  and 
fishes, — and  the  food  of  the  mind,  immortal  truth  :  q.  d.,  '  Let  not 
the  attainment  of  the  satisfaction  of  the  a])pctitos,  the  supply  of 
the  wants  of  the  body,  by  material  food,  but  the  filling  of  the 
capacities  of  the  mind  by  heavenly  knowledge,  be  the  great  object 
of  your  desu-e  and  pursuit.'  This  brings  out  a  good  sense,  but  it 
seems  unduly  to  limit  our  Lord's  meaning.     It  seems  to  go,  too, 

5  6  Harf/p — 0  Geof.  '  John  vi.  27. 


364  TKDK  llAlMMNIOaS — WAY  OF  SKOTTRTNO  IT.       [KXI'.  VIIl. 

on  the  mistakon  notion,  tliat  the  leading  object  of  those  Jews  wa? 
t!u>  gcitting  thoir  loot!  CiiniishiMl  th(Mn  miraculoualy,  wliirh  docs 
not  s(H>ni  It)  UiW'c  l)(H>.n  Mio  rase. 

Wti  rMlIin-  think  tho  contrast  is  hi'tvvoon  (>arthl_v,  and  tlu'i'i'lbro 
rthoi't-HviMl.  (Mijovnirnts— such  as  wcnHJi,  Iionor,  and  |)K>asni'C — 
(ignriitivclv  termed  "  meat  that  jUM-ishcth  ;"  and  spiritual  and  im- 
mortal hUusings— such  as  the  possession  ol'  tiic  Divine  lavor,  con- 
lormity  to  tho  Divine  image,  Icllowship  with  God — figuratively 
termed  "  meat  whi(di  ondureth  unto  everlasting  life."  Such  a 
iignrative  use  of  the  word  "  nu^at,"  or  "  i'ood,"  is  common  in  all 
ianguaii,\'s.  'J^his  mode  of  inttMpretation,  wliicli  is  C(|ually  natural 
as  ihe  toi-mei',  hiMter  suits  the.  eoiuuH'.tion.  It  was  these  earthly 
hUvssings  the  .l(>ws  were  seeking  aller.  It  was  those  heavonly 
blessings  which  our  liord  would  have  them  to  make  the  great 
object  of  thoir  pursuit. 

"  Labor  not,  says  our  Lord,  "  for  the  meat  that  perisheth." 
"  Labor,"  or  severe  exertion,  is  tho  ua.tural  expressit>n  of  strong 
desire  to  obtain  anything.  "  Labor,"  here,  is  just  onuivalent  to — 
'  mak(^  tiie  object  of  desire  and  pursuit.'  As  if  he  had  said,  '  Do 
not  make  "  llu'  nuvit  that  perisheth,"— that  is,  do  not  make  any- 
thing that  has  a  refoivnce  merely  to  this  frail,  mortal,  piirishable 
state— anything  that  is  peeuliarto  this  worUl,  "the  i'ashion  whereof 
pasaeth  away," — ilo  not  make  secular  science,  wealth,  [xnver,  dig- 
nity, fame,  or  pleasure,  in  any  of  Iheir  forms,  tho  grand  object  of 
your  desire  and  pursuit;  but,  on  tlKM)thor  l\and,  "labor  (or  the 
moat  which  endurcth  unto  everlasting  life," — make  the  attain- 
ment of  (la)se  bl(\ssings  which  are  s[)iritual  in  their  nature,  and 
immortal  in  their  duration — such  as  tho  knowledgt*  of  Divine 
truth,  the  [possession  ol"  the  Divine  favor,  the  love  of  (uul,  jierfei't 
holini'ss  in  an  entiix*  conformity  of  mind  and  will  to  the  miml  and 
will  of  Gotl — make  th<^  attainment  iA'  these  blessings  the  great 
objiH't  of  your  desire  and  pursuit,' 

With  regard  to  the  latter  class  of  blOvSsiugs,  our  Lord  states  to 
them  that  tho  Son  of  uv,\n  would  give  these  to  them,  ^fhe  "Son 
of  man"  is,  as  you  know,  a  descriptive  dent)mination  for  the 
Moasiah.  It  is  borrowed,  as  I  iiave  already  mentioned,  from 
Psalm  Ixxx.  17,  "  Jjot  thy  hand  be  upon  the  Man  of  thy  right 
hand,  upon  the  Son  of  man  whom  tlu)u  madt'st.  strong  for  thy- 
self." t)ur  Lord's  statement  is  thus  etpiivalent  to  a  declaration  ; 
'  These  an>  tho  blessings  tho  Messiah  luis  to  conununicate.  It  is 
not  "tho  meat  that  perisheth,"  it  is  not  secular  bonotits — it  is 
"  tho  moat  which  ondureth  unto  eternal  life,"  it  is  heavenly  and 
.spiritual  bh-ssings — that  tho  Messiah  comi's  to  besti>w.  You 
have  deelarotl  tbat  you  consider  me  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of 
man;'  for,  no  doid)t,  that  was  the  im{H)rt  of  the  declaration, 
"  Of  a  truth  this  is  that  Proi)het  who  shoidd  eon\e  into  the 
world."  '  lint  in  oomii\g  io  nu'  in  tho  hope  of  obtaining  the 
meat  that  perisheth — worldly  good  things — you  are  indulging  an 
unfouiulod  oxpeetation.  These  are  not  the  blessings  I  am  come 
to  conter.      Hut   there  are  luMter  blessing.s,  which    I  am  ready  to 


I'Airrii.]      (;oNvi<;usA'i'i(»NAi,  i)i,s(!(»i)khk 'I'o  thk  jkws.  ',\i)C) 

boHl.ow  oil  V'O"-  And  l.liis  is  no  vniri  ho.'iHt.  I  brin^  aloTi^  willi 
in(^  rny  crcdcnli.'iJH  "  lliiii,"  tJic  Son  of  rii.tM,  "llic.  I^'iitluir,  (iod, 
1ki8  wJnIod."  ' 

It,  in  noli  very  (iJiHy  to  s;i,y  vvliiit  Ih  IIk;  [»;i,rl,i(Md:i,r  li<'iif;d,iv(!  n,!- 
IvLsion  here, :  wluilJuM- IIki  nif'cnirKK!  be  U)  tin'  pr.'iclici' of  :uil,lic,n- 
ticuilin^  (IcodH  by  iinixiti}^  n,  jiorHon'M  K(!ii,I,  or  to  tliiit  oC  inipriisHing 
n  murk  on  the  body,  1o  distin/.niiHli  tlioHo  (hivotc-d  to  tlio  S(!rvic(i 
of  n  divinity,  or  vvIkMJht  to  tlu;  fact  of  tlu;  lii}rli-|)ri(vst  linving  on  i 
tlic.  front  of  Iiis  niitrc,  ;i,  j^old  plate,  cn^jraved  as  witli  IIk;  (Migrav-' 
ing  of  a,  sifi,net,  "  lloliiH^MH  to  the  Lord,"  Rut  vvii!i,t(!V(!r  tlio  nar- 
ticnlar  rcfenMicc.  may  be,  the  iii<;aiiiii;-';  in  [)l;i,in,  "  Ilim  ha,th  (Iod 
aceredited,  ;is  divinely  ajipoinUid  to  bijstovv  tluw;  blcHsingH." 
TIow  the  lather  si^aled  the  Son  of  m:ui,  we  a,re  piU'tieiilariy 
informed  by  our  Lord,  in  ii,  |);i,sMa,g(!  which  Ii;im  iiJready  be(!n  ex- 
plained." 

It  JH  Hcarecly  n(!ee,SHary  to  re.maric,  tha,t  these  words  a,r(5  not  to 
be  (jonsidcred  as  <!ondemTrmg  the;  making  of  worldly  good  things, 
in  any  degree,  the  objecits  of  desire  and  |)nrsiiit.  Wlia,t  is  eon- 
(lemrKsd,  is  tlu;  m.-iking  them  tlu;  sn[)r(;me  oi)jeets  of  desire  a,nd 
piii'suit,  to  the  ne;.'leetor  h(!av<!nly  and  spiritual  blessings.  These; 
woi'ds,  though  addressed  originidly  to  the  Jews,  ii,nd  Ixiaring  a, 
Hpceiality  of  m(ianing  as  rcfei'ring  to  iJuun,  are  full  of  im|)ortant 
instruetion  to  men  in  all  eountri<;s  and  in  idl  ages.  So  to  la])or 
for  tlu!  mejit  tliat  ])(M-islieth,  ;ih  to  ruighset  the;  ii,ttaiiim(Uit  of  the 
meat  that  endunith  to  (iternal  life,  is  the  extnsiru!  (;!'  folly.  "  I'or 
wliat  is  a,  man  proliUul  il"  Ik;  shaJI  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose 
his  own  soul  r'"  "To  labor  Ibi-  tin;  ineat  tli;it  endiinsth  unto 
ev(jrlasting  lill',"  is  tlx;  h(;iglit  of  wisdom,  not  only  as  it  is  wist;  to 
devote  our  be8t  desires  and  energies  to  ilie  pros(!eution  of  the 
most  valuable  and  worthy  objciets,  but  also  as  this  is  tlu;  surest 
way  of  obtaining  that  meiisure  of  "the  meat  that  perisheth," 
which  is  r(!a,lly  best  lor  us.  "S(;(;k  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  (Jod, 
and  his  rightciousness ;  and  a,ll  these  things  shall  be  adrled  unto 
you.'"" 

This  .statement  of  our  Lord  suggested  to  the  le,ii,ders  of  tlu; 
multitude  an  important  irupjiry  : — " 'I'lien  siiid  they  unto  him, 
What  shall  we  do,  that  we  might  work  the  works  of  (jod."" 

if  we  look  attentively  at  the  passiigc,  there  can  bo  Jio  doubt, 
that  the  object  of  those  who  put  this  question,  was  to  inquire 
how  "this  meat  that  endurctli  to  et(!rn;d  lifi-,"  was  to  be  pro- 
cured. The  question  is,  substantijilly,  '  How  are  we  to  obtain 
this  pre-emin(!ntly  valuiible  and  d(!sirable  meiit  of  wlii<',h  you 
speak?'  That  is  the  question  we  naturally  look  for  in  the  eir- 
cumstanees  of  the  ease,  and  that  is  the;  (jiK^stion  whieJi  (;ur  Lord 
answers  in  the  ibllowing  verso.  But  tlir  pIirase()logy  in  whi(;h 
the  queslion  is  expressed  is  v(!ry  jjee.uliar,  and  nsquiies  elucida- 
tion. "Whnt  shall  we  do,  that  wc  might  work  tlu;  works  of 
God?"     'IMie   (pi<',sti(ni    is  elliptical.       In    its    (;ompl(!te  form,   it 

".John  V.  !Jl-;i'J.  «  MiiU.  xvi.  26. 

"'  Matt.  vi.  ;j;j.  "  John   vi.  iiS. 


366  TRUE  nAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  YIIL 

obviously  is,  '  What  shall  we  do,  that  we  might  Avork  the  works 
of  God,  by  which  this  meat,  which  eudureth  to  eternal  life,  is  to 
be  obtained?' 

B}'  "the  works  of  God,"  it  has  been  usual  to  understand, 
works  commanded  by  God,  works  acceptable  to  God ;  but  in 
that  case,  the  question  would  not  have  been,  "  What  shall  we  do 
that  we  might  work  the  works  of  God  ?"  but,  '  What  are  those 
works  commanded  by  God,  which  we  must  do  in  order  to  obtain 
this  meat,  which  endureth  to  eternal  life  ?'  The  difficulty  was 
to  discover,  not  what  the  kind  of  works  were,  but  how  they 
should  obtain  the  capacity  of  doing  them.  I  cannot  help  think- 
ing, that  "works  of  God,"  by  which  the  meat  which  endureth 
unto  eternal  life  was,  in  the  estimation  of  the  Jews,  to  be  obtained, 
are  here  opposed  to  "  works  of  man,"  by  which  the  meat  that 
perish  eth  is  to  be  obtained,  and  are  equivalent  to  '  superhuman 
works,' — "  works  which  no  man  can  do,  except  God  be  with 
him," — in  one  word,  miraculous  works.  I  apprehend  we  see 
here  the  first  symptoms  of  that  disposition  to  cavil,  which  after- 
wards becomes  so  manifest,  on  these  men  beginning  to  perceive 
that  Jesus  was,  after  all,  not  their  man, — not  the  kind  of 
Messiah  they  expected  and  wished  for.  He  had  said,  "labor 
not  for  the  meat  that  porisheth,  but  for  that  meat  which  endureth 
unto  everlasting  life."  '  Seek  not  meat  which  can  but  tempora- 
rily support  a  life,  which  at  best  will  soon  terminate,  but  seek 
meat -which  will  permanently  sustain  an  immortal  life.'  Their 
question  is,  '  But  how  is  such  meat  to  be  obtained  ?'  The  ordi- 
nary faculties  of  man,  in  their  ordinary  exercise,  can  enable  him 
to  procure  "tlie  meat  that  perislieth,"  but  it  must  be  by  some  su- 
perhuman operations,  such  as  that  by  which  the  five  loaves  and 
two  fishes  became  a  feast  to  five  thousand,  that  meat  endui"ing 
unto  everlasting  life  can  be  obtained.  '  How  are  we  to  do  such 
works?  You  bid  us  seek  this  wonderful  food, — will  you  tell  us 
how  we  are  to  do  the  wonderful  works  by  which  alone  such  food 
can  be  obtained?' 

To  this  question,  which,  as  is  plain  from  what  follows,  did  not 
originate  in  a  sincere  desire  to  obtain  instruction,  our  Lord  re- 
plied, "This  is  the  work  of  God,''''  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom 
he  hath  sent."" 

The  general  meaning  here  plainly  is,  '  It  is  b}''  believing  my 
doctrine,  that  you  are  to  obtain  those  spiritual  and  eternal  bless- 
ings, which  I  have  represented  under  tne  metaphor  of  meat  en- 
during unto  everlasting  life.'  But  the  manner  in  which  this 
meaning  is  conveyed,  deserves  attention.  Our  Lord's  statement 
seems  to  be,  'There  is  indeed  no  miracle  or  mystery  in  the  way 
in  which  this  "  meat,  wliicli  endureth  to  eternal  life,"  is  to  be  ob- 
tained. If  you  will  but  credit  the  testimony  of  him  whom  the 
Father  hath  sent  and  sealed,  you  shall  obtain  it.     This  is  the 

'-  Tlie  expression,  to  Ipyov  rof^  Ofor,  is  used  witli  .in  entirely  different  reference, 
Kom.  xiv.  i!(i.     Even  Jolin  ill.  21,  is  not  n  strict  iiarallel. 
■•*  John  vi.  2'J. 


PART.  II.]      CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS,  367 

only  way  of  obtaininf^  it.  This  is  the  certain  way  of  obtaining 
it.  You  speak  as  if  there  must  be  superliuman  Avorks  performed 
by  you,  in  order  to  gain  this  end.  This  is  the  superhuman 
work, — 'this  is  the  miracle:  Credit  the  plain  well-attested  dec- 
laration of  him  wliom  the  Father  hath  sent.  Do  but  this,  and 
"  the  meat  which  endureth  unto  eternal  life"  is  yours.'  This  is 
just  a  summarj^  of  the  Gospel,  'Believe  and  live."*  There  is  no 
laborious,  no  mii-aculous,  work  to  perform, — no  need  of  ascending 
into  heaven, — no  need  of  descending  into  the  deep.  The  revela- 
tion of  truth  and  grace,' — ^a  plain,  a  well-accredited  revelation — 
is  before  you.  Believe  it,  and  you  are  saved.  This  faith  is  the 
great  commandment  of  the  new  economy.'*  This  faith,  though 
it  is  the  most  reasonable  thing  in  the  world,  and  though,  to  a 
rational  being  like  man,  it  ought  to  be  the  easiest  thing  in  the 
world,  is  never  exercised  by  a  single  partaker  of  our  fallen 
nature,  except  under  divine  influence,  so  that  it  is  really  "the 
work  of  God,"  though  not  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Jews  seem 
to  have  employed  the  phrase.  It  is  not  at  all  miraculous.  It  is 
not  even  supernatural,  except  in  the  influence  under  which  man 
acts  when  he  performs  it.  But  in  that  sense  it  is  supernatural. 
"  No  man,"  saj^s  the  Saviour,  "  can  come  to  me,  except  the 
Father,  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him."  "  Every  man  therefore 
that  hath  heard,  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto 
me."  "  By  grace,"  says  the  apostle,  "  are  ye  saved  througli 
faith  ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is  the  gift  of  God."'" 

It  is  very  questionable  how  far  the  Jews  understood  our  Lord's 
metaphorical  discourse  about  "  the  meat  that  perisheth,"  and 
"  the  meat  which  endureth  to  eternal  life ;"  but  it  is  plain  that 
they  perceived,  that  in  the  words  which  he  had  just  uttered,  he 
laid  claim  to  being  sent  of  God,  and  to  their  implicit  faith  and 
obedience  on  this  ground.  Yesterday,  these  men  had  declared 
themselves  fully  satisfied  respecting  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus 
as  the  Messiah.  "  This  is  of  a  truth,"  said  they,  "  the  Prophet 
that  should  come  into  the  world ;'"'  and  had  he  concurred  in 
their  sentiments  and  wishes,  had  he  consented  to  become  their 
king,  and  exerted  his  miraculous  powers  in  accomplishing  the 
work  which  they  expected  the  Messiah  to  perform,  they  were  not 
likely  to  have  demanded  any  farther  evidence  of  his  divine 
mission.  But  in  their  case,  as  in  many  others,  dissatisfaction 
with  the  nature  of  our  Lord's  doctrines,  manifested  itself  in  a 

'<  Reza's  illustration  is  an  apt  one.  "For  what  sum  of  money  will  you  cure 
me?  says  the  patient  to  the  physician.  The  only  thing  I  demand,  says  the 
beuevoleiit  physician,  is  confidence  in  me.  I  sincerely  wish  your  recovery  ;  and 
if  }-ou  will  but  confide  in  me,  your  enre  is  certain.  What  should  wc  say  of  the 
patient's  iinderstanding,  if  he  drew  the  conelusion, — confidence  is  money,  and  he 
who  confides  in  the  physician  pays  him  for  his  skill  and  labor?  Are  they  wiser 
who  conclude  from  this  [)assage,  that  lalth  is  a  work,  in  the  oi'diuary  sense  of  that 
word,  and  that  he  who  is  justified  b}'  faith  is  therefore  justified  by  works?" 

15  1  John  iii.  23.  is  Jolin'vi.  44,  45.     Eph.  ii.  8. 

'^  "  r'>  ■ni)u(*»'iTr]^  (')  ipxo/ievor,  a  designation  of  the  Jlcssiah  derived  from  Deut. 
xviii.  15." — TooLucK. 


368  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

complaint,  a  very  unreasonable  one,  that  there  was  a  deficiency 
of  proof  for  their  divine  origin. 

"  Thej  said  therefore  unto  him,  What  sign  showest  thou  then, 
that  we  may  see,  and  believe  thee?  what  dost  thou  work?'"" 
The  principles  on  which  these  questions  proceed,  are  true  and 
important — that  no  person  has  a  right  to  expect  that  he  shall  be 
received  as  a  divine  messenger,  without  producing  appropriate 
and  adequate  evidence  that  he  is  what  ho  professes  to  be  ;  and 
that  the  appropriate  and  adequate  evidence  in  such  a  case,  is  the 
performance  of  miracles.  But  these  unquestionably  true  princi- 
ples, were  misapplied  in  this  case.  The  evidence  had  been  pre- 
sented in  the  most  unexceptionable  form,  and  in  great  abundance. 
The  works  which  our  Lord  had  done,  had  born  most  distinct 
evidence,  that  the  Father  had  sent  him.  These  men,  only  the 
day  before,  had  seen  him  do  what  no  man  could  have  done,  ex- 
cept God  had  been  with  him.  The  conclusion  they  had  drawn 
then,  was  the  just  one;  and  nothing  had  occurred  to  shake  its 
foundation.  But  when  they  drew  it,  they  supposed  that  he  and 
thej  were  of  one  mind,  respecting  the  design  of  the  Messiah's 
mission,  and  the  nature  of  his  kingdom,  and  now  they  more  than 
doubted  that  their  opinions  and  his  were  essentially  different,  and 
altogether  incompatible,  and  they  found  it  easier  to  question  the 
validity  of  his  claims,  than  to  yield  the  implicit  submission  of 
mind  which,  as  "  the  sent  of  God,"  he  demanded  from  them. 

The  miserable  shifts  to  which  men  in  these  circumstances  have 
]-ecourse,'  are  very  various.  Here  the  Jews  seek  refuge  in  the 
assertion,  that  our  Lord  had  not  proved  his  Divine  mission  in 
the  same  satisfactory  manner  in  whicli  Moses,  their  great  legis- 
lator, had  accredited  his.  "  Our  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the 
desert ;  as  it  is  written,  He  gave  them  bread  from  heaven  to  eat."" 
That  is,  as  if  they  had  said,  '  The  miracle  by  wliich  Moses'  divine 
mission  was  confirmed,  when  our  flithers  were  fed  for  forty  years 
by  manna  which  came  down  from  heaven,  was  a  far  more  remark- 
able sign  than  that  given  by  you,  when  yesterday  you  fed  the 
multitude.  Work  such  miracles  as  Moses  did,  and  then  we  will 
admit  that  God  has  sent  you,  and  yield  you  the  implicit  belief 
which  is  due  to  one  sent  by  him.' 

To  this  cavil,  for  it  deserves  no  better  name,  our  Lord  does 
not  deign  to  give  anv  direct  reply.  He  knew  that  those  who 
were  not  convinced  of  his  divine  mission  by  the  miracles  he  had 
already  performed,  were  not  likely  to  be  convinced  by  any  that 
could  be  wrought ;  and  as  his  object,  at  this  time,  was  less  to 
vindicate  the  evidence,  than  to  unlbld  the  substance,  of  his  doc- 
trine, respecting  "  the  meat  which  cndureth  unto  everlasting 
life,"  he  goes  on  to  state,  that  the  benefit  which  was  conferred 
on  the  Israehtes,  in  giving  them  manna  to  eat  in  the  wilderness, 
was   not  to   be    compared  with   the  benefit  of  which    he    had 

•*  John  vi.  30.     "  Tt  Ipyu^y.     Iteponunt  Domino  verbum  /■pyd^eade.    Tu  jubea, 
inquiunt,  nos  operari:  qmd  ipse  operaris?" — Bengel. 
"John  vi.  31. 


PART  II.]      CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  369 

spoken,  under  the  name  of  "  the  meat  which  endureth  unto  ever- 
lasting life." 

§  2.  Tlie  true  spiritual  provision,  and  the  mode  of  obtaining  it. 

"  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily,  verily,  T  say  unto  yon, 
Moses  gave  you  not  that  bread  from  heaven;  but  mv  Father 
giyeth  you  the  true  bread  from  heaven.  For  the  bread  of  God 
is  he  "  (rather  that,)  "  which  cometh  down  from  heaven,^"  and 
giveth  life  unto  the  world.""  Some  have  supposed  that  our  Lord 
meant  to_  state  here,  that  it  was  not  Moses,  but  God,  who  gave 
the  Israelites  the  manna ;  and  that  the  manna  did  not  properlj- 
come  down  from  heaven,  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  term ;  but 
though  both  these  statements  are  true,  and  both  may  be  brought 
out  of  the  words,  considered  by  themselves,  yet,  when  the  whole 
passage  is  looked  at,  and  when  our  Lord's  object  in  making  the 
statement  is  kept  in  view,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  senti- 
ment intended  to  be  conveyed,  is  this,  '  The  blessing  of  which  I 
have  been  speaking,  as  "  meat  enduring  to  eternal  life,"  which 
tlie  Father,  by  the  Son  of  man,  whom  he  has  sent  and  sealed,  is 
ready  to  bestow  on  all  who  believe  in  him,  is  a  far  more  valuable 
benefit  than  that  which  God  by  Moses  conferred  on  the  Israel- 
ites, when  he  supernaturally  supported  them  on  manna  during 
their  sojourn  in  the  wilderness.  That  manna  was  not  the  true 
heavenly  bread.  The  true  heavenly  bread  is  that  which  my 
Father  now  giveth  you,  now  freely  offers  for  your  acceptance. 
That  bread,  in  the  strictest,  highest,  sense  of  the  Avords,  "  comes 
down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  to  the  world."  "^ 

I  do  not  think  that  our  Lord,  in  these  Avords,  meant  to  state 
plainly  to  the  Jews  that,  in  employing  the  phrases,  "  the  true 
bread  from  heaven,"  and  "the  bread  of  God,"  he  referred  to 
liimself,  which  our  version  represents  him  as  doing.  He  does 
this  in  the  35th  verse,  after  the  Jews,  by  their  request  in  the 
34th  verse,  had  made  it  evident  that  they  imperfectly,  if  at  all, 
had  penetrated  through  the  veil  of  figurative  representation  in 
which  he  had  clothed  his  sentiments.  Our  Lord's  meaning  is 
more  exactly  given  by  those  interpreters  who  render  the  passage, 
"  For  the  bread  of  God  is  that  which  cometh  down  from  heaven, 
and  giveth  life  to  the  world." 

The  Jews  seem  to  have  given  the  name  of  "  the  bread  of 
God,"  and  "the  bread  of  heaven,"  to  the  manna,  in  allusion  to 
a  passage  in  the  book  of  Psalms:— "And  had  rained  down 
manna  upon  them  to  eat,  and  had  given  them  of  the  corn  of 
lieaven.  Man  did  eat  angel's  food:  he  sent  them  meat  to  the 
full.""     Our  Lord's  assertion,  then,  is,  '  The  phrase,   "  bread  of 

•"  Liieke  justly  remarks  the  difference  between  Karaftaivov  here,  and  KUTaduc, 
verse  41.     The  latter  indicates  a  fact,  the  former  rather  a  property." — Olshausen. 

2'  John  vi.  32,  33. 

22  "  TU)  Koaiju.  Non  modo  uni  populo,  uni  aetati,  ut  manna  cibavit  unum  popu- 
lum  unius  ffitatis,  verse  51." — Bkngel.  23  pgal.  Ixxviii.  24,  25. 

VOL.   I.  24 


S70  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP,  VIII. 

God,"  is  for  more  applicable  to  what  I  am  now  speaking  of  than 
to  tbe  manna.' 

From  this  passage  many  have  drawn  the  conclusion,  that  the 
manna  was  a  type  of  Christ.  This  is  a  conclusion  certainly  un- 
warranted by  this  passage ;  and  I  am  not  aware  that  it  has  a 
satisfixctory  scriptural  foundation  anywhere  else.  Much  ingenuity 
has  beeji  displayed  in  tracing  analogies  between  the  manna  and 
our  Lord.  Its  miraculous  production  has  been  supposed  to  fore- 
shadow his  miraculous  conception  ;  its  pearly  figure  to  point  him 
out  as  pure  and  lovely,  "the  pearl  of  great  price;"  its  sweet  taste, 
to  show,  that  "  to  them  who  believe  he  is  precious  :"  its  falling 
on  the  outside  of  the  camp,  to  foreshow,  that  they  who  would  be 
saved  by  him,  must  "  go  to  him  without  the  camp :"  its  falling 
early  in  the  morning,  to  typify  the  first  promise ;  its  being  given 
daily,  to  show  tiiat  Christ  should  be  his  people's  daily  food  ;  its 
not  being  seen  on  the  ground  on  the  Sabbath,  to  indicate  that 
Christ  should  be  hidden  under  ground  on  the  Jewish  Sabbath. 
These  are  but  a  few  out  of  the  many  correspondences  which 
fancy  has  discovered  between  the  manna  and  our  Lord.  To  in- 
dulge in  such  imaginings,  appears  to  me  something  worse  than 
ingenious  trifling.  It  is  using  a  most  undue  freedom  with  Him 
who  says,  "  Add  not  to  my  words  ;"  and  its  tendency  is  to  lead 
the  mind  away  from  the  truth  which  the  Holy  Spirit  does  mean 
to  teach  us,  and  which  is  always,  when  clearly  perceived,  and 
rightly  improved,  "  profitable  for  doctrine,  and  reproof,  and  cor- 
rection, and  instruction  in  righteousness,"  to  the  mere  figments  of 
the  human  imagination.  Of  tlie  persons  who  indulge  in  such  an 
abuse  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  it  may  well  be  said,  "  They  feed  on 
ashes ;  a  deceived  heart  has  turned  them  aside." 

Instead  of  occupying  our  time  with  these  human  fancies,  let 
us  attend  to  what  our  Lord  here  says  of  this  true  heavenly  bread. 
It  comes  down  from  heaven,  in  a  far  higher  sense  than  the 
manna  came  down  from  heaven.  The  manna  was  formed  in  the 
atmosphere — the  aerial  heavens — this  bread  comes  down  from 
the  heaven  of  heavens,  the  true  holy  place  ;  and  it  not  only,  like 
the  manna,  supports  lile,  but  it  gives  life  to  those  who  are  dead, 
and  supports  lile  in  those  whom  it  has  made  alive ;  and  this  life, 
which  it  at  once  communicates  and.  sustains,  is  not  that  mortal 
life  winch  the  mannff,  perishing  food,  temporarily  supported,  but 
a  divine  life,  an  immortal  life ;  and  this  bread  of  God  is  not,  like 
the  manna,  restricted  to  one  nation.  God  gives  it  "  for  the  life 
of  the  world."  It  is  fitted  and  intended  to  make  truly  liappy 
mankind  of  every  kindred,  })eo})le,  and  nation,  not  in  one  age, 
but  in  all  the  ages  of  time,  and  through  all  the  ages  of  ctei'uit.y. 

These  ideas,  which  are  all  obviously  wrapped  up  in  our  Lord's 
words,  were  probably  but  imperfectly  and  indistinctly  discerned 
by  the  Jews;  but  they  saw  })lainly  that,  under  the  name  of 
"  bread  of  life,"  he  was  si)eaking  of  something  which  he  wished 
to  represent  as  very  valuable,  and  the}-  therefore  asked  him  to 


PART  II.]        CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  371 

bestow  on  them  a  gift  so  precious: — "Lord,  evermore  give  us 
this  bread."" 

It  is  impossible  to  say  with  certainty  whether  these  words  were 
the  expression  of  serious  desire,  or  of  sarcastic  scepticism.  Even 
if  they  were  the  expression  of  the  first,  the  desire  was  obviously 
a  very  unenlightened  one.  It  amounted  to  little  more  than  this, 
'  K  you  have  so  valuable  benefits  to  bestow,  we  should  like  to  be 
sharers  of  them.'  When  taking  the  whole  circumstance  of  the 
case  into  consideration,  I  cannot  help  thinking  it  more  likely  that 
these  words,  as  well  as  the  words  of  the  woman  of  Samaria  on  a 
similar  occasion,"  were  uttered  in  a  spirit  of  infidel  levity;  as  if 
they  had  said,  '  Indeed  !  that  is  bread  worth  wishing  for.'  Taking 
this  view  of  it,  how  wonderful  is  the  patience  of  the  Divine  Sav- 
iour, who,  instead  of  punishing  these  contemners  of  his  grace,  pro- 
ceeds to  tell  them,  in  plain  words,  what  he  means  by  the  heavenly, 
life-giving  bread,  and  to  exhibit  himself  as  the  divinely-appointed, 
divinely-qualified  Saviour  of  the  world  ! 

In  either  view  of  the  words  of  the  Jews,  they  stood  in  need  of 
farther  inibrmation,  and  our  Lord  proceeds  to  give  it  them : — 
•'  And  Jesus  said  to  them,  I  am  the  bread  of  life  :  he  that  cometh 
to  me  shall  never  hunger ;  and  he  that  belie veth  on  me  shall 
never  thirst."'" 

"  The  bread  of  life"'  is  a  phrase  equivalent  to,  '  The  life-giving 
bread.'  "  Life,"  in  the  language  of  our  Lord,  implies  happiness. 
When  ho  calls  himself,  then,  the  "lile-giving  bread,"  he  intimates 
that  he  is  the  author  of  true  happiness ;  that  he,  that  he  alone, 
can  make  men  truly  and  permanently  happy.  Some  good  inter- 
preters have  supposed  that  our  Lord,  in  tiiese  words,  refers  solely 
to  his  character  as  a  teacher, — q.  d.,  '  My  doctrine,  understood  and 
believed,  is  the  appropriate  nourishment  of  the  rational,  immortal 
mind.  It,  and  it  alone,  can  make  men  truly  wise,  truly  good,  and 
truly  happy,  for  ever.' 

This  is,  no  doubt,  important  truth,  and  it  is  truth  included  in 
our  Lord's  words ;  but  we  very  improperly  and  unnecessarily 
limit  their  signification,  if  we  confine  it  to  an  assertion  of  the 
salutary  nature  and  effects  of  our  Lord's  doctrine.  It  is  not  only, 
it  is  not  chiefly,  as  a  teacher,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  author  of 
salvation ;  and  it  is  plain  that  it  is  not  only,  it  is  not  chiefly,  as  a 
teacher,  that  he  takes  to  himself  the  figurative  appellation  of  the 
''  bread  of  lite." 

His  primary  reference  is  to  what  he  was  to  do  and  suffer  for  the 
salvation  of  men.  This  is  plain  from  what  he  says  at  the  51st 
verse ;  "  The  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give 
for  the  life  of  the  world."  When  our  Lord,  then,  says,  "  I  am  the 
bread  of  life,"  the  meaning  obviousl}^  is,  'I — I  alone — am  the 
Saviour  of  men  :  I- —I  alone — can  make  them  happy.  Without 
me,  all  must  die  of  spiritual  hunger ;  that  is,  must  be  forever  mis- 
erable, for  the  want  of  those  spiritual  blessings,  which  are  neces- 
sary to  make  such  a  being  as  man  really,  permanently  happy. 

21  John  vi.  34.  2^  joim  jy.  15.  26  John  vi.  35. 


TRUE  HAPPINESS — "WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.       [EXP.  VIII. 

By  me,  from  me,  all  may  obtain,  in  ricli  abundance,  these  bless- 
ings ;  and,  in  the  enjoyment  of  them,  find  a  happiness,  in  variety, 
extent,  and  duration,  every  way  corresponding  to  the  capacities 
of  their  nature,  and  the  immortality  of  their  being.' 

In  the  words  that  follow,  our  Lord  brings  the  same  supremely- 
important  and  delightful  truth,  that  he — that  he  alone — is  the 
author  of  true  happiness,  before  the  mind,  by  two  expressive 
figures ;  while  he  at  the  same  time  shows  how  that  true  happi- 
ness, which  he  only  can  bestow,  is  to  be  obtained  by  men  :  "  He 
that  Cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger ;  he  that  believeth  on  me 
shall  never  thirst." 

To  "hunger,"  and  "  thirst,"  are  here  obviously  used  figuratively, 
for  that  restless  and  dissatisfied  state,  which  rises  out  of  the  want 
of  what  is  necessary  to  our  happiness — a  sense  of  that  want — and 
a  craving  desire  to  have  that  want  supplied.  That  is  the  state  of 
all  men  in  their  natural  condition.  They  want  what  is  necessary 
to  satisfy  their  understandings,  their  consciences,  and  their  affec- 
tions. They  are,  in  some  measure,  conscious  of  these  wants, 
though,  in  many  cases,  but  ill-informed  of  their  nature  and  ex- 
tent ;  and  they  are  restlessly  anxious  to  find  something  that  will 
quiet  the  cravings  of  the  appetite  for  enjoyment. 

Nothing,  in  the  wide  range  of  the  material  universe,  can  satisfy 
this  hunger,  or  quench  this  thirst ;  on  the  contrary,  the  appetite 
grows  with  what  it  feeds  on ;  and  the  man  who  has  had  the 
largest  share  of  worldly  enjoyments,  is  generally  the  farthest 
removed  fi'om  real  satisfaction.  Life,  with  most  men,  is  a  series 
of  unsuccessful  experiments  to  obtain  satisfaction  to  that  appetite 
for  enjoyment,  which  is  the  very  soul  of  their  souls — the  prin- 
ciple, end,  and  aim  of  their  being. 

That  satisfaction,  which  never  has  been,  never  will  be,  never 
can  be,  found  in  the  world,  is  to  be  found  in  Clirist :  "He  who 
comes  to  me  shall  never  hunger ;  he  that  believes  on  me  shall 
never  thirst :"  that  is,  '  He  who  comes  to  me — he  who  believes 
on  me — shall  obtain  true  permanent  hajipiness ;  he  shall  have 
all  his  wants  supplied,  and  shall  be  equally  delivered  from  the 
wretchedness  which  these  wants,  and  the  consciousness  of  them, 
must  produce,  and  from  the  painful  restlessness,  which  the  blind 
desire  of  having  them  supplied  must  occasion.' 

But  what  is  it  to  "come  to  Christ"?  what  is  it  to  "believe 
on  Him  "?  The  first  is  a  figurative,  the  second  a  literal,  descrip- 
tion ;  and  it  has  been  common  to  consider  them  as  quite  synony- 
mous— the  literal  expression  being  intended  as  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  figurative  one.  Tliere  can  be  no  doubt,  that  he  that 
comes  to  the  Saviour  as  the  bread  of  life — the  author,  that  is, 
both  the  procurer  and  the  bestower  of  salvation — and  he  who 
believes  on  him,  are  substantially  the  same  person.  He  who 
comes  to  the  Saviour,  believes  on  him ;  and  he  who  believes  on 
the  Saviour,  comes  to  him.  But  it  docs  not,  bv  any  means,  fol- 
low, that  "  coming"  and  "  believing"  are,  therefore,  precisely 
the   same   thing ;    that    the    figurative   and   literal  expressions, 


PART  IL]      con  vers  ATIOMAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  373 

tliougli  referring  to  the  same  individual,  are  expressive  of  the 
very  same  mental  affection  or  exercise," 

To  "believe"  on  the  Saviour  as  the  bread  of  life,  is  to  believe  1 
the  truth  about  him  in  this  character.  Now,  in  the  following  ^ 
passage,  it  seems  very  plain,  that  "  coming  to  God,"  and  believ- 
ing the  trath  about  him,  though  they  must  meet  in  the  same  in- 
dividual, are  not  the  same  but  different  things — ^the  one  the 
means  by  which  the  other  is  produced.  "  He  that  cometh  to 
God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of -them 
who  diligently  seek  him."  "  To  come  to  God,"  in  this  passage, 
is  descriptive  of  that  enlightened  reverential  love,  and  confidence 
in  God,  which  constitute  spiritual,  acceptable  worship,  in  which 
the  mind  as  it  were  goes  forth  to  him  ;  this  state  of  mind  is  not 
the  same  thing  as  faith  ;  it  is  the  consequence,  the  effect,  of 
faith — the  result  of  the  truth  believed  on  the  mind — and  hence 
the  apostle  says, — "  He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he 
is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him."" 
He  cannot  otherwise  come  'to  him.  This  is  the  way,  the  only 
way  of  coming  to  him. 

In  the  same  way,  to  come  to  Christ  as  the  bread  of  life — the  \ 
procurer,  and  the  bestower  of  true  happiness — is  descriptive  of  all  \ 
those  mental  affections  and  exercises,  which  may  be  termed  the  1 
movement  of  the  mind  towards  him  in  this  character — especially  ' 
reliance  on  his  atonement  as  the  only  expiation  of  guilt,  and  im- 
plicit submission  to  his  authority  as  the  great  teacher  of  truth 
and   holiness.     Now  these  mental   affections  and  exercises   are 
not  properly   faith,   but   the   consequences   of  faith.      He  that 
cometh  to  Christ,  as  the  bread  of  life,  must  believe  on  Christ  as 
the  bread  of  life.     I  must  believe  the  truth  respecting  him  as  the 
author  of  salvation,  in  order  to  my  mentally  going  to  him  under 
this  character.     I  must  know  who  the  physician  is,  and  believe 
in  his  skill,  in  order  to  my  going  to  him  to  obtain  a  cure. 

It  may  here  be  remarked  by  the  way,  and  I  apprehend  that 
the  remark  is  of  considerable  importance,  not  only  to  the  right 
interpretation  of  Scripture,  but  to  the  right  understanding  of 
the  christian  plan  of  salvation,  that  the  case  before  us  is  by  no 
means  a  solitary  one,  in  which  figurative  descriptions  of  states  of 
mind  originating  in  faith,  have  been  confounded  by  expositors, 
with  faith  itself.  It  is  common  to  say  that,  "  receiving  Christ" 
— "looking  to  Christ" — "fleeing  to  Christ" — "laying  hold  on 
Christ" — "  eating  his  flesh,  and  drinking  his  blood,"  are  all  figur- 
ative expressions  for  faith,  while  the  truth  is,  every  one  of  these 
figurative  expressions  is  descriptive  of  a  state  of  mind,  in  some 
way  analogous  to  the  bodily  action  referred  to,  including  a  va- 
riety of  sentiments  and  emotions,  all  of  them,  however,  originat- 

■^'  It  is  curious  to  see  what  a  strange  noii  sequitur  the  acute  Calvin  has  given 
us,  in  his  exegesis  of  these  two  terms,  which,  indeed,  is  the  common  one  :  _"  Venire 
ad  Christum,  et  credere,  idem  in  hoc  loco  valent,  sed  in  priore  verbo  fidei  eflfectus 
exprimitur."  Surely  faith,  and  the  effect  of  faith,  are  not  "  idem,"  the  same  thing. 
Surely  here — "  bonus  dormitat  Homerus." 

2^  lleb.  xL  (J. 


374  TRUE  HAPPINESS— WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EX?.  YIII. 

ing  in  the  faitli  of  tlie  truth  respectin,:^  Christ ;  so  that,  it  Avould 
be  more  accurate,  in  every  view  of  the  subject — whether  philo- 
logical, philosophical,  or  theological — 'to  consider  these  figurative 
expressions,  not  as  synonymous  with  each  other,  and  all  of  them 
as  expressive  of  faith,  but  as  each  expressing  the  state  of  mind 
of  which  it  is  naturally  descriptive,  all  of  which  are  the  result  of 
faith;  to  say,  not  that  "receiving  Christ,"  "looking  to  him," 
"fleeing  to  him,"  "laying  hold  on  him,"  "eating  his  flesh  and 
drinking  his  blood,"  are  faith,  but  that  it  is  by  faith,  by  faith 
alone,  that  men  receive  Christ,  look  to  him,  flee  to  him,  lay  hold 
on  him,  eat  his  flesh  and  drink  his  blood.  The  compilers  of  our 
Shorter  Catechism  seem  to  have  perceived  this,  when  they  chose 
to  saj'',  not  what  many  seem  to  suppose  they  have  said,  that  faith 
is  "  a  receiving  and  resting  on  Christ  alone  for  salvation ;"  but 
that  faith  is  that  "  whereby  we  receive  and  rest  upon  him  alone 
for  salvation."  This  distinction  is,  if  I  mistake  not,  much  more 
than  a  mere  metaphj'sical  nicety.  A  distinct  apprehension  of  it 
will  be  found  of  gi-eat  use  in  the  right  interpretation  of  Scripture, 
in  the  right  understanding  of  the  christian  plan  of  salvation, 
and  in  the  right  guidance  of  those  exercises  of  the  mind  and 
heart  which  constitute  the  essential  elements  of  that  spiritual 
religion,  which  is  "  our  reasonable  service" — "  our  rational  wor- 
ship." 

To  return  from  this  short  digression,  our  Lord's  declaration, 
then,  is  thiS' — '  He  who,  believing  the  truth  respecting  me,  as 
the  author  of  salvation,  exercises  towards  me  those  sentiments 
and  affections  which  naturally  grow  out  of  the  faith  of  this  truth, 
shall  be  saved  by  me.  He  shall  obtain  that  happiness  which  I, 
which  I  alone,  can  confer.  "  He  that  cometli  to  me  shall  never 
hunger;  and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst."  ' 

Some  interpreters  have  suppose!  that  these  words  have  a  direct 
and  sole  reference  to  the  heavenly  blessedness,  to  the  christian 
salvation,  in  its  most  perfect  form,  and  that  what  our  Lord  says 
is  this — '  He  who  believes  tlie  truth  respecting  me,  as  the  author 
of  salvation,  and  believing  that  truth  comes  to  me  in  the  exercise 
of  the  appropriate  sentiments  of  mind  and  heart,  shall  ultimately 
obtain  from  me  a  hapj^iness  which  shall  completely  satisfy  all  his 
capacities  of  enjoyment,  and  leave  him  nothing  to  wish  for.' 
They  look  forward  to  that  state  where  all  wants  are  supplied, 
where  all  wishes  are  gratified,  whei-e  "the}'  hunger  no  more, 
neither  thirst  any  more,  wliere  the  sun  does  not  light  on  them, 
nor  any  heat,  but  the  Lamb  wlio  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne 
feeds  tliem,  and  leads  them  to  fountains  of  living  waters,  and  God 
wipes  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." 

They  have  been  led  into  this  view,  probably  by  the  considera- 
tion, that  even  true  Christians,  those  who  by  believing  on  the 
Saviour  have  come  to  liiin,  are,  wliile  in  the  present  state,  i'ar 
from  having  all  their  spiritual  wants  supplied,  iiir  from  being  re- 
lieved from  all  painfid  sense  of  their  spiritual  wants.  Yet  I  can- 
not doubt,  that  our  Lord's  promise  refers  to  a  blessing  which  he 


PART  n.J      CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  375 

who  in  faitli  comes  to  bim,  obtains  iramediatelj  on  liis  coming  to 
him,  and  enjoys  just  in  proportion  to  the  measure  of  his  faith. 
What  our  Lord  substantially  says  is,  '  I  am  the  author  of  happi- 
ness, and  it  is  by  faith  in  me,  as  the  author  of  happiness,  that  in- 
dividual men  are  to  be  made  happy.'  Oar  Lord  is  "  full  of 
grace  and  truth,"  and  if  we  will  but  come  to  him,  we  shall  receive 
"out  of  his  fulness  abundance  of  grace."  If  we  are  straitened,  it 
is  in  ourselves,  not  in  him.  If  we  "  hunger  and  thirst,"  it  is  not 
because  he  is  not  able,  nor  because  he  is  notwilhng,  to  satisfy  our 
hunger  and  to  quench  our  thirst ;  but  because  we,  being  "  of  little 
faith,"  do  not  come  to  him  "that  we  may  have  life,  that  we  may 
have  it  abundantly."  The  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  seems 
to  be  this — '  Every  one  that  beheving  comes  to  me  for  happiness 
shall  obtain  it.  After  having  tasted  the  happiness  which  I  have 
to  bestow,  he  will  not  expect  to  find  it  anywhere  else.  He  will 
find  in  me,  in  me  alone,  that  truth  which  will  satisfy  his  under- 
standing, that  atoning  righteousness  which  will  pacify  his  con- 
science, that  sanctifying  influence  which  will  transform  his  char- 
acter, that  soul-satisfying  portion  which  will  fill  his  heart.  By 
restoring  him  to  God's  favor,  and  image,  and  fellowship,  I  wiU 
impart  ever3^thing  that  is  necessary  and  sufficient  to  make  him  truly 
wise,  and  good,  and  happy  for  ever.  No  one  who  comes  to  me  will 
ever  have  reason  to  complain,  that  he  could  not  find  in  me  what 
v/as  necessary,  Avhat  was  sufficient,  to  constitute  his  happiness.' 

These  words  of  our  Lord,  bring  before  the  mind  in  a  very  im- 
pressive manner,  at  once  the  three  important  ideas  of  the  magni- 
tude, the  abundance,  and  the  duration,  of  the  happiness,  which 
he,  and  he  alone,  can  confer,  and  which  every  one  who  in  be- 
lieving comes  to  him,  shall  assuredly  obtain  and  enjoy  according 
to  the  measure  of  his  faith.  Such  was  the  happiness  which  our 
Lord  had  to  bestow,  and  such  the  way  in  which  men  were  to  ob- 
tain a  personal  interest  in  this  happiness. 

But  this  happiness  did  not  belong  to  those  whom  our  Lord  was 
addressing,  and  the  cause  of  this  was  to  be  found  in  their  unbe- 
lief, which,  considering  their  advantages,  was  altogether  inexcus- 
able. This  seems  to  be  the  import  of  the  statement  which 
follows  : — "  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  also  have  seen  me  and  be- 
lieve not.'"' 

The  particle  rendered  "  also,'""  should  probably  be  rendered, 
•'  although,"  as  in  Luke — "  And  shall  not  God  avenge  his  own 
elect,  which  cry  day  and  night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long 
with  them?""  "in  the  30th  verse,  the  Jews  had  expressed* a  wish 
to  have  signs,  that  they  might  see  and  beheve.  Our  Lord  here 
says  to  them,  '  If  ye  do  not  believe,  it  is  not  for  want  of  seeing.' 
"  Ye  have  seen  me."  '  1  have  been  for  a  considerable  time  in 
the  midst  of  you,  teaching  the  truth,  and  confirming  it  by  my  mira- 
cles. I  have  exhibited  myself  to  you  as  the  divinely-appointed, 
qualified,  accredited  Saviour ;  yet  though  you  could  not  but  see 
my  claim,  you  have  disregarded  it.' 

23  John  vi,  36.  3'  "  icai  =  Kcti-ei)." — Tudluck..  2'  Luke  xviii.  7. 


376  TRUE  HAPPINESS— WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.        [EXP.  VIII. 

Our  Lord  seems  plainly  to  refer  to  sometliing  that  he  had  for- 
merly said  to  these  persons.'*  "  I  say  to  you."  Some  suppose 
our  Lord  to  refer  to  something  he  had  said  to  them  on  a  former 
occasion.  Others  to  something  that  he  had  said  at  this  time, 
which  the  evangelist  has  not  recorded.  Others  to  the  26th  verse, 
which  is  substantially  the  same  charge  which  is  contained  in  the 
Avords  before  us.  It  matters  very  little  which  of  these  references 
is  considered  as  the  true  one. 

The  connection  of  these  words  with  what  follows  may  be  thus 
stated : — '  But  though  you  should  reject  me,  I  shall  not  want 
followers ;  though  you  should  shut  yourself  out  from  tlie  en- 
joyment of  that  happiness  which  I  come  to  bestow  on  mankind, 
and  a  participation  in  which  can  be  obtained  in  no  other  way 
than  by  believing  in  me,  the  object  of  my  mission  sliall  not  be 
frustrated.  You  may, — if  you  continue  in  unbelief  you  must, 
perish,  in  consequence  of  your  refusing  "  the  true  heavenly 
bread ;"  but  multitudes — multitudes  of  the  Gentiles,  who  are 
the  objects  of  3"our  malignant  contempt — will,  in  the  faith  of  the 
truth,  gladly  receive  "  the  bread  of  life,"  and  eat,  and  live  for 
ever.  You  came  to  me,  and  yet  you  did  not  come  to  me ;  for, 
in  coming,  you  supposed  me  to  be  a  verj^  different  person  from 
what  I  reall}^  am.  When  you  but  suspected  me  of  being  what  I 
reall}''  am,  you  would  have  none  of  me.  I  declined  accepting 
your  offered  allegiance.  You  are  not  the  followers  I  wish,  as  I 
am  not  the  leader  you  wish.  But  followers  of  the  kind  I  wish 
will  not  be  wanting,  and  they  shall  be  sure  of  meeting  with  a 
kind  reception — '"All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to 
me:  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."" 

Let  us  examine  these  words  carefully.  We  have  at  least  as 
dee])  an  interest  in  them  as  those  had  to  wlioui  they  were  origin- 
ally addressed.  The  first  point  to  be  inquired  into,  is  the  mean- 
ing of  the  phrase,  "All  that  the  Father  giveth  me," — literally, 
"  Every  thing  which  the  Father  giveth  me."'*  Now,  what  doos 
the  Father  give  the  Son  ?  He  is  in  Scripture  represented  as 
giving  him  many  things.  He  "  gave  him  the  Spirit  without 
measure."  He  gave  him  " words  to  speak,"  "a  commandment 
to  obey,"  and  "a  work  to  finish."  He  gives  him  "to  have  life 
in  himself,  even  as  He  has  life  in  himself"  He  gave  him 
■'  authority  to  execute  judgment."  He  gave  him  "  glory."  He 
lias  given  him  "  all  judgment,"  or  rule,  and  government.  He 
has  given  him  "power  over  all  flesh."  He  lias  given  him  "all 
power  in  heaven  and  earth."  He  has  given  him  "  a  name  above 
every  name.""  But  it  is  quite  plain  that,  in  the  passage  before 
us,  our  Lord  is  speaking  of  persons,  not  of  things. 

Who  these  persons  are,  it  is  not  difficult  to  discover. — They 
are  all  those  who  come  to  Christ  by  believing  in  him,  and  are 

32  "  (iTi  denotes  quotation." — ^Tholuck..  33  John  vi.  37. 

3-1  ndv  (I  iSiduai  fini  6  narrjp.  lltiv  for  the  masculiuc,  as  in  1  John  v.  4.  Heb. 
ii.  9.     Eph.  V.  13.     1  Cor.  xv.  27. 

3-' Jolm  iii.  34;  xiv.  31;  xii.  i'J;  xvii.  4;  v.  26,  27;  xvii.  22;  xvii.  2.  Matt. 
XXV  iii.  18.     Phil,  il  9. 


PAKT  II.]        CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS,  377 

saved  by  liim, — ^tliose  who  come  to  Christ,  who  are  not  cast  out\ 
by  him,  the  accomphshment  of  whose  salvation  is  that  benignant  \ 
will  of  the  Father,  which  the  Son  came  from  heaven  to  earth  to  i 
perform — none  of  whom  are  to  be  lost, — all  of  whom  are  to  be  ; 
raised  up  at  the  last  day,  and  to  enjoy  everlasting  life.     These  ; 
are  they  whom  the  Father  gives  the  Son.     We  have  thus  ascer- 
tained who  the  persons  are  who  are  here  spoken  of:  they  are  all 
who  shall  be  saved  by  Christ  Jesus  ;  but  the  question  still  remains' 
to  be  answered,  What  is  meant  by  their  being  given  by  the  Fathei/ 
to  Christ  ? 

In  the  language  here,  as  in  so  many  other  parts  of  the  New 
Testament,  there  seems  to  be  an  allusion  to  modes  of  expression 
in  the  Old,  and  we  must  ascertain  its  origin  in  order  to  our  satis- 
factorily discovering  its  meaning.  In  the  preceding  context, 
our  Lord  had  spoken  of  himself  as  the  true  celestial  bread,  which, 
coming  down  from  heaven,  giveth  life  to  "  the  world,"  that  is,  to 
mankind,  without  reference  to  the  distinction  of  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile. The  manna  was  intended  for  the  bodily  support  of  the 
Jews, — this  heavenly  bread,  for  the  spiritual  nourishment  of 
mankind,  of  every  kindred,  and  people,  and  tongue.  The  liberal, 
unexclusive  character  of  the  salvation  which  the  Messiah  came 
to  procure  and  bestow,  is  again,  we  apprehend,  referred  to  in  the 
words  before  us.  The  Father  had  promised  to  give  certain  per- 
sons to  the  Son  ;  and  all  these,  without  exception,  our  Lord  says, 
shall  come  to  him.  Now,  who  are  the  persons  whom  the  Father 
has  i^romised  to  give  to  the  Sou  ?  The  answer  is  in  a  passage  to 
which  I  can  scarcely  doubt  our  Lord  mentally  referred  when  he 
used  the  words :  "  I  will  declare  the  decree  :  the  Lord  hath  said 
unto  me,  Thou  art  my  Son ;  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  Ask 
of  me,  and  I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession.'"'  Nor 
is  this  promise  at  all  a  singular  one.  "He  shall  have  dominion," 
says  David,  speaking  in  the  spirit  of  his  Son  and  Lord — the 
King,  and  the  King's  Son,  "He  shall  have  dominion  also  from] 
sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.  They  f 
that  dwell  in  the  wilderness  shall  bow  before  him;  and  his 
enemies  shall  lick  the  dust.  The  kings  of  Tarshish  and  of  the 
isles  shall  bring  presents :  the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba  shall 
offer  gifts.  Yea,  all  kings  shall  fall  down  belbre  him ;  all  nations 
shall  serve  him.""  "  I  vv^ill  give  him,"  says  Jehovah  by  Isaiah, 
in  reference  to  his  righteous  servant,  "  I  will  give  him  the  many 
as  his  portion,  and  he  shall  have  the  strong  ones  as  his  spoil.'"* 
"Unto  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be.'""  The  "root 
of  Jesse  shall  stand  for  an  ensign  of  the  people ;  to  it  shall  the 
Gentiles  seek.""  "  I  will  give  thee  for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles." 
"Behold,  these  shall  come  from  far;  ana  lo,  these  from  the 
north  and  from  the  west ;  and  these  from  the  land  of  Sinim."*' 

36  Psal.  ii.  7,  8.  sr  paal.  Ixxii.  8-11. 

3i  Isa.  liii.  la.     LXX.     Vulg.     Patt.     Lowth.     Dathe.     Hengsteilberg. 
39  Gen.  xlix  10.  «  Isa.  xi.  10.  ^'  Isa.  xlix.  6,  12. 


378  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

"  Behold,  I  have  given  him  for  a  Avitness  to  the  people,  a  leader 
and  commander  to  the  people.  Behold,  thou  shalt  call  a  nation 
that  thou  knowest  not ;  and  nations  that  knew  not  thee  shall 
run  unto  thee,  because  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  for  the  Holv 
One  of  Israel ;  for  he  hath  glorified  thee.""  Viewed  in  reference 
to  these  promises,  the  words  express  this  idea,  '  Vast  multitudes 
of  men  of  all  nations,  according  to  the  purpose  and  promise  of 
God,  and  by  the  agency  of  his  Spirit,  and  the  instrumentahty  of 
his  word  and  providence,  shall  be  given  to  me,  delivered  into  my 
liaud,  so  as  to  acknowledge  m}^  claims,  believe  my  doctrines,  and 
enjoy  my  salvation.'" 

Still,  however,  we  have  not  obtained  an  auswer  to  the  ques- 
tion. What  is  the  precise  import  of  the  Father's  giving  those 
multitudes  of  men  of  everj^  nation  to  Christ  ?  By  the  greater 
part  of  evangelical  interpreters,  the  Father's  giving  of  men  to 
Christ  has  been  considered  as  equivalent  to  his  eternal  purpose 
of  mercy  in  reference  to  these  individuals, — his  committing  them, 
as  it  were,  in  charge  to  his  Son,  in  the  covenant  of  peace,  to  be 
dehvered  by  him  from  all  the  evils  in  which  sin  was  to  involve 
them.  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  truth  of  this  doctrine.  It  is  based 
on  the  first  principles  of  religion — those  which  refer  to  the  Divine 
character,  as  the  infinitely  wise  and  powerful  Author  and  Gov- 
ernor of  the  universe, — it  is  most  explicitly  taught  in  Scripture, 
especially  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  and 
it  is  necessarily  implied  in  the  words  now  under  consideration. 
Yet  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the  direct  reference  is  not  to  the 
Divine  purpose,  but  to  its  execution.  The  ancient  oracles,  to 
wliich  there  seems  a  reference,  are  promises.  They  refer,  not  to 
what  was  past,  but  what  was  future.  The  words,  if  I  mistake 
mot,  are  intended  to  be  descriptive  of  that  divine  influence  of 
which  the  Father,  by  the  Spirit,  is  the  Author,  which  is  put  forth 
according  to  the  purpose  which  God  has  "  purposed  in  himself," 
by  which  men  arc  induced  to  believe  the  Gospel,  and,  in  the 
pelief  of  the  Gospel,  to  come  to  the  Saviour.  The  being  given 
to  Christ  by  the  Fatlier,  seems  to  be  the  same  thing  as  what,  in 
the  44th  verse,  is  called  the  being  "  drawn"  or  conducted  to  him 
by  the  Father;  and  that  is  represented,  in  the  45th  verse,  as 
equivalent  to  the  being  "  so  taught  of  God,"  "  hearing  and  learn- 
ing of  the  Father,"  as  that  they  come  to  him.  Men  are  given  by 
God  to  Christ,  when  they  are  brought  to  him,  united  to  him,  by 
that  faith  which  is  the  gift  of  God,  Avhen,  under  the  influence  of 
his  Spirit,  they  arc  made  to  come  to  him — that  is,  are  led,  in  the 
belief  of  ihe  truth,  to  exercise  towards  the  Saviour  all  those  sen- 
timents of  mind  and  heart  which  correspond  to  the  different 
views  given,  in  the  Gospel,  of  his  person  and  work." 

<2  Isa.  Iv.  4,  5. 

^3  To  "give"  and  to  "dulivcr  to"  are  plainly  synonyiiunis,  as  used  Matt.  xi.  27  ; 
xxviii.  18:  And  "to  delivoi-  to,"  in  its  full  rorin,  'to  dclivor  into  the  luuids  of,' 
is  equivalent  to  '  to  ooinniit  to  llic  care  of — '  to  subject  to  the  autiiority  of.' 

■"  Calvin  seems  to  refer  the  word  "give"  ratlier  to  regeneration  than  to  elec- 
tiou:  "  'Donandi'  verbuni  i>erindo  valet  ac  si  di.\iaset  Christus  'qnos  elegit  I'atcr, 


PART  II.]      CONTEESATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  379 

Though,  in  this  view  of  the  phrase,  which  appears  to  me  better 
to  suit  not  only  this  place,  but  the  other  .places  where  it  occurs  in 
this  gospel,  it  does  not  directly  express  the  doctrine  of  personal 
election ;  it  necessarily  implies  it.  It  ascribes  faith  to  a  divine 
benignant  influence,  which  indicates  distingxiishing  love  towards 
him  over  whose  mind  it  is  exercised,  in  contradistinction  to  him 
over  whose  mind  it  is  not  exercised,  and  which  love,  just  because  it 
is  the  love  of  Him  who  is  eternal  and  unchangeable,  must  be  itself 
eternal  and  unchangeable.  To  the  question — What  induces  God 
to  exercise  on  the  mind  of  one  man  rather  than  on  the  mind  of 
another  this  influence,  which  is  at  once  necessary  and  sufficient  to 
bring  the  sinner  to  the  Saviour  ?  there  is  only  one  satisfactory 
reply — sovereign  love.  "  He  has  mercy,  because  he  wills  to  have 
mercy;  he  has  compassion,  because  he  wills  to  have  compassion."*^ 
"All  whom  the  Father  giveth  me,"  is,  then,  just  equivalent  to 
'  all  who  through  divine  influences  are  led  to  understand  and  be- 
lieve the  truth  with  regard  to  me,  and  are,  in  this  way,  put  under 
my  care  as  the  Saviour ;'  and  these  are,  according  to  the  ancient 
promises,  "  a  number  which  no  man  can  number,  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  people,  and  nation,  and  tongue."  '  All  these  shall 
at  the  appointed  season,  "come"  to  the  Saviour,  that  is,  shall  ex- 
ercise towards  him  all  those  sentiments  of  mind  and  heart  to 
which  he  is  entitled,  and  which  the  belief  of  the  truth  is  calculated 
to  produce,  and  which  nothing  else  can  produce.' 

"  And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  nowise  cast  out."**  The 
words,  "  I  will  not  cast  out,"  express  two  ideas  :  '  I  will  not  refuse 
to  receive  him  ;'  and,  '  having  received  him,  I  will  never  abandon 
him  ;'  but  the}^  obviously  suggest,  and  seem  to  have  been  intended 
to  suggest,  much  more  than  they  directly  express.*'  It  is  a  phrase 
of  the  same  kind  as,  "  why  do  you  spend  mouev  for  that  which 
is  not  brea,d," — which  will  do  anything  rather  than  nourish  you — 
"and  your  labor  for  that  which  doth  not  profit,"*' — which  will 
ruin  instead  of  profiting  you?  "I  will  not  cast  him  out,"  is 
equivalent  to,  '  I  will  give  him  a  kind  reception,  a  hearty  wel- 
come. He  shall  find  in  me  all,  and  far  more  than  all,  he  expects ; 
and,  so  far  from  ever  banishing  him  from  my  presence,  "he  shall 
never  perish,  but  shall  have  everlasting  life." '  The  manner  in 
which  the  prodigal  son  was  welcomed  by  his  father  is  a  beautifal, 
but  stni  an  imperfect,  rej)resentation  of  the  manner  in  which  every 
one  who  comes  to  the  Saviour  will  be  received  by  him.*' 

eos  regenerat  et  mihi  in  obedientiaiu  Evangelii  addicit — sua  quasi  de  mauu  in 
manum  tradit."  "The  word  'give'  has  the  same  meaning  as  if  Christ  had  said, 
'Those  whom  the  Father  hath  chosen,  he  regenerates  and  gives  to  me,  that  they 
may  obey  the  Gospel' — he  hands  them  over,  as  it  were,  to  his  Son." — Mr.  Pkin- 
GLe's  translation. 

1'  Horn.  ix.  18. 

■•«  Tholuck  supposes  the  iii^ia/.C)  t^u  refers  to  the  figure  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. — Matt.  viii.  12;  xxii.  13.  Olshauseu  remarks  that  the  phrase  indicates 
an  enclosed,  bounded,  community  of  life  which  tlie  iledecmer  came  to  establish. 
— Matt.  XXV.  10. 

*'  "Est  Litotes.     Non  ejiciara  =  omui  modo  tuebor.     Cap.  x.  28." — Bexgel. 

*'  Isa.  Iv.  2.  ,  «  Luke  xv.  20. 


380  TRUE  UAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SKCUIUNG  IT.      [KXI*.  VIII. 

"  He  that  oomoth  to  ine,"  es]H\'iall y  when  viewed  in  connec- 
tion with  ''  all  whom  the  Father  <;iveth  me  shall  come  to  me,"  is 
equivalent  to,  '  whosoever  cometh  to  me,  he  he  Jew  or  Gentile, 
whatever  has  been  his  previous  condition  or  character.'  This 
passage,  with  equal  plainness,  teaches  that  nothing  short  of  divine 
influence  will  ever  oring  any  man  to  Christ ;  and  that  nothing 
but  a  man's  refusing  to  come  to  Chiist  can  exclude  him  from  par- 
ticipating in  the  blessings  of  his  salvation. 

KNcry  one  who  is  brought  under  this  influence  luiU  come.  It 
IS  absolutely  certain  he  shall ;  but  there  is  no  compulsion.  The 
man  is  not  driven,  he  is  led :  he  is  not  dragged,  he  is  drawn  by 
"the  bands  of  love  and  the  cords  of  a  man"'" — conclusive  argu- 
ments and  cogent  motives.  The  discovery,  by  the  teaching  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  of  the  sinner's  guilt,  and  depravity,  and  danger, 
and  of  the  certain  and  only  mode  of  deliverance  from  this  guilt, 
and  depravity,  and  danger,  and  misery,  makes  them  glad  to  come, 
and  to  renounce  every  hope  and  interest  that  interferes  with 
coming  to  him  for  salvation. 

And  nothing  can  prevent  the  salvation  of  those  who  thus  come 
to  the  Saviour,  lie  will  refuse  none,  he  will  reject  none.  None 
coming  to  him  will  he  refuse  to  receive  into  the  number  of  his 
people;  none  who  have  come  to  him  will  he  exclude  from  that 
number,  as  Hagar  and  Ishmael  were  expelled  from  the  holy  lamily. 
"  I  give  unto  my  sheep  eternal  life  ;  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father,  who 
gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them 
lout  of  my  Father's  hand.""  No  degree  of  previous  guilt,  no 
[former  habits  of  sin,  no  secret  decree  of  God,  no  involuntary 
'mistake,  no  feebleness  in  attempting  to  come  to  him,  will  induce 
him  to  reject  a  single  individual  who,  in  the  taith  of  the  truth, 
comes  to  him  for  salvation. 

The  complete  and  everlasting  salvation  of  all  who,  led  by  the 
Father,  come  to  tlie  Son,  is  represented  by  our  Lord  as  abso- 
lutely certain.  "  For  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine 
own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me.  And  this  is  the 
Father's  will  which  hath  sent  nie,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given 
me  I  shoidd  lose  nothing,"  but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the 
last  day.""  It  is  the  will  of  God  that  all  who  come  to  Christ 
should  be  saved, — and  the  great  design  of  his  coming  from 
heaven  to  earth  was  just  to  accomplish  this  benignant  purpose  of 
God  the  Father.  "I  will  not,''  sjiys  he,  "cast  out  any  who  come 
to  me."  '  My  sole  object  in  coming  from  heaven  to  earth  was  to 
execute  what  is  the  will,  the  benigiuuit  good  pleasure  of  the 
Father.  I  have  no  selfish  objects  to  prosecute.  I  am  not  come 
— as  you  suppose  your  Messiah  is  to  come — to  raise  myself  to 
earthly  grandeur,  and  to  bestow  peculiar  external  advantages  on 

5"  IIos.  xi.  4.  •^'  John  x.  28,  29. 

"The  construction  is  defective.  Instead  of  Tdr,  strict  syntax  would  require 
fA  Tairof,  and  also  that  iiiiiSi'v  should  be  supplied  to  i';  airw.  The  construction 
i«  ilebraistic.  "  John  vi.  88,  39. 


I'ART  Tl]      CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  381 

men  of  a  particuki-  nation.  I  am  come  to  execute  my  Fathor'n 
will,  and  that  is  the  salvation  of  men  of  every  nation,  wliorn  lie 
gives  to  me — whom  he,  by  the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  brin^^s  to 
me.  It  is  his  will  that  of  these — a  goodly  number — "the  nations 
of  the  saved" — far  more  numerous  than  Abraham's  natural  di'- 
scendants,  who  were  to  be  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  or  as  the  s;in>l 
on  the  sea  shore — not  one  should  be  lost.  Jt  is  the  Father's  will, 
who  hath  sent  me,  that  I  should  lose  nothing — that  is,  that  1 
should  suffer  nothing  to  be  lost — not  merely  none  of  them,  but 
nothing  of  them — nothing  that  really  forms  a  part  of  them — not 
even  their  body,  which,  mouldering  into  dust  in  the  grave,  might 
seem  to  be  lost — even  that  will  bo  i-aiscd  uj;  again  at  the  last  day.' 
Not  merely  is  "  the  spirit  to  live,"' — to  be  happy  "  because  of 
righteousness," — but  "the  mortal  body"  is  to  be  "  quickened  be- 
cause of  the  sijirit  of  Christ  which  dwelt  in  it."  "  What  is  sown 
in  corruption,  and  weakness,  an<i  dishonor,  is  to  be  raised  in 
incorruption,  jjower,  and  glory."  "  The  last  enemy,  death,  is  to 
be  destroyed  ;"  and  when  "  the  Saviour,  whom  we  look  for  from 
heaven,  comes,  he  shall  change  the  vile  bodies  of  his  people,  and 
fashion  them  like  unto  his  own  glorious  body,  according  to  the 
working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to  himself.'"* 

To  mark  the  great  imj)ortance  of  the  statement  which  he  had 
just  made,  our  Lord  rejjeats  it  with  some  slight  changes  and  ad- 
ditions. "  And  this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every 
one  which  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  ever- 
lasting life :  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.""  This  is 
equivalent  to,  '  Yes,  tJds  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me ;'  or,  '  I 
repeat  it,  this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me.'  It  is  obvious  he 
is  speaking  of  the  same  persons,  and  of  the  same  blessings. 
Every  one  that  the  Father  has  given  the  Son  is  obviously  de- 
scri|>tive  of  the  same  class — as,  '  every  one  who  seeth  the  Son 
and  believeth  on  him  ;'  and  the  not  being  lost — and  the  having 
everlasting  life — are  just  two  different  ways  of  expressing  the 
same  thing.  The  principal  additional  truth  brought  forward  is, 
that  it  is  through  seeing  the  Son,  and  believing  on  him,  that  a 
personal  interest  is  obtained  in  the  blessings  of  the  christian  sal- 
vation. 

To  '•  see  the  Son,  and  believe  on  him,"  is  to  apprehend  the 
meaning  and  evidence  of  the  testimony  of  God  concerning  Jesus 
Christ,  as  his  Son — the  divine,  the  divinely-appointed,  the 
divinely-accredited,  the  divinely-qualified.  Saviour  of  the  world. 
The  will  of  God,  then,  as  unfolded  by  the  Saviour,  is,  that  all 
men,  of  whatever  nation,  or  of  whatever  previous  character,  who, 
under  the  guidance  of  the  Father — that  is,  under  divine  influ- 
ence— b}^  the  belief  of  the  truth,  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  shall  be 
saved  from  that  endless  perdition  which  tliey  have  deserved,  and 
be  put  in  possession  of  a  holy  happiness,  suited  to  their  com- 
pound natures,  and  enduring  throughout  the  ages  of  eternity. 

In  these  statements,  our  Lord  gives  a  satisfactory  answer  to 

■'''  1  Cor.  XV.  liO,  4:5,  44.     Phil.  iii.  20,  21.  John    vi.  40. 


382  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

the  two  most  important  questions  wliicli  can  interest  the  attention 
of  mankind — In  what  does  true  liappiticss  consist  ?  and,  How  is 
it  to  be  obtained  ?  The  answer  to  tlie  first  is — '  True  liapi)iness 
consists  in  nothing  material,  earthlj^,  and  perishing ;  it  consists 
in  spiritual,  heavenly,  eternal  blessings.'  The  answer  to  the 
second  is — '  Jesus  Christ,  Jesus  Christ  alone,  is  the  procurer  and 
bestower  of  these  blessings,  and  individual  men  can  obtain  an  in- 
terest in  them  only  by  believing  the  truth  respecting  their  Author. 

Instead  of  acquiescing  in  these  statements  of  the  great  Teacher, 
the  Jews  were  dissatisfied  with  them,  and  showed  their  dissatis- 
faction by  murmurings  and  cavillings : — "  The  Jews  then  mur- 
mured at  him,  because  he  said,  I  am  the  bread  which  came  down 
from  heaven.""  They  probably  attached  but  indistinct  ideas  to 
much  that  he  said.  They  were,  however,  generally  dissatisfied 
with  it,  because  it  v/as  totally  different  from  what  Ihey  had  an- 
ticipated. They  had  hoped  that  he  would  speak  to  them  of 
raising  armies,  fighting  battles,  taking  cities,  driving  the  heathen 
out  of  the  holy  land,  erecting  the  throne  of  David,  restoring  the 
kingdom  to  Israel.  Instead  of  this,  to  hear  only,  what  must 
have  appeared  to  them  mystical  statements,  about  his  being  the 
bread  of  life  which  came  down  from  heaven — about  those  who 
came  to  him  never  hungering,  and  those  who  believed  on  him 
never  thirsting — naturally  enough,  in  their  state  of  mind,  pro- 
duced dissatisfaction. 

What  particularly  dissatisfied  them  was,  his  having  said  that 
he  was  "the  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven."  From  the 
terms  in  which  they  expressed  their  dissatisfaction,  it  is  obvious 
that  what  especially  offended  them  was,  his  saying  that  he 
had  "  come  down  from  heaven  " — that,  j^ersonally  considered, 
he  had  a  divine  origin.  It  is  obvious  that  this  was  the  sense 
in  which  the  Jews  understood  our  Lord's  declaration ;  for,  if 
they  had  supposed  that  his  words  referred  merel}'  to  the  celestial 
origin  of  his  doctrine,  his  being  the  so)i  of  Joseph,  even  although 
that  had  been  the  case,  could  have  been  no  reason  for  calling  in 
question  his  divine  mission.  And  it  is  equally  obvious  that  the 
Jews  did  not  misunderstand  him.  If  they  had,  he  would  have 
corrected  their  misconception,  by  stating  Ihat,  when  he  called 
himself  "  the  bread  of  life,"  he  spoke  of  himself,  just  as  a  teacher 
of  salutary  doctrine ;  and  that,  by  his  coming  down  from  heav- 
en, he  meant  onl}^  that  he  was  a  divine  messenger,  and,  by 
necessary  consequence,  that  his  doctrine  Avas  not  so  much  his,  as 
the  Father's  who  had  sent  him.  Such  remarks  we  have  no 
hesitation  in  saying,  our  Lord  would  have  certainly  made,  had 
the  Jews  misconstrued  his  meaning.  But,  instead  of  this,  he 
goes  on  to  say,  that  he  had  "  seen  the  Father,"  in  a  sense  in 
which  no  other  person  ever  had  seen  him  ;  that  "  he  came  down 
from  heaven;"  and  that  "the  bread  of  lile"  ho  referred  to,  was 
his  flesh — himself  as  incarnate — "  which  he  was  to  give  for  the 
life  of  the  world." 

5«  John  vi.  n. 


PAKT  II.]       CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  383 

There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt,  tlicn,  that,  in  saying  he 
"  came  down  from  heaven,"  our  Lord  meant  to  teach  the  divine 
origin,  not  so  much  of  his  doctrine,  as  of  himself — to  assert,  that 
he  personally  existed  in  heaven  before  he  appeared  among  men, 
and  that,  wlien  he  came  to  earth,  he  came  from  heaven.  The 
reference  is  not  so  much,  if  at  all,  to  his  miraculous  conception, 
as  to  his  personal  pro-existence.  It  deserves  notice,  that,  though 
the  prophets  were  ready  enough  to  assert  the  divine  origin  of 
their  oracles,  not  one  of  them  ever  used  such  language,  as  our 
Lord  so  often  used,  of  having  been  in  heaven,  and  liaving  come] 
from  heaven. 

Understanding  our  Lord's  Avords  in  this  way,  the  Jews  said : 
"  Is  not  this  Jesus,  the  son  of  Joseph,  whose  father  and  mother 
we  know  ?  how  is  it  then  that  he  saitli,  I  came  down  from  heav- 
en ?""  They  were  ignorant  of  the  facts  respecting  our  Lord's 
supernatural  human  origin.  They  had  always  understood  that 
he  was  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary,  with  whom,  as  residing  in 
the  same  district  of  countrj^,  many  of  them  probably  were  ac- 
quainted ;  and  it  seemed  to  them  presumptuous  and  absurd  in 
such  a  person  to  lay  claim  to  divine  origin — to  say,  "  I  came 
down  from  heaven." 

On  hearing  these  murmurings,  "Jesus  therefore  answered  and 
said  unto  them.  Murmur  not  among  yourselves.  No  man  can 
come  to  me,  except  the  Father,  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him : 
and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.  It  is  written  in  the 
propliets.  And  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God.  Every  man  there- 
fore that  hath  heard,  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  comcth  unto 
me.  Not  that  any  man  hath  seen  the  Father,  save  he  v/hich  is 
of  God,  he  hath  seen  the  Father.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
he  that  believeth  on  me  hath  everlasting  life.  I  am  that  bread 
of  life.  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the  wilderness,  and  are 
dead.  This  is  the  bread  which  cometli  down  from  heaven,  that  a 
man  may  eat  thereof,  and  not  die.'"* 

The  substance  of  our  Lord's  reply  may  be  thus  stated  :  '  Mur- 
mur not ;  I  have  stated  only  the  truth,  of  which  I  have  given 
you  abundant  evidence.  Ye  ought  not  to  murmur,  but  to  be- 
lieve ;  and  yet,  your  murmuring,  unreasonable  as  it  is,  does  not 
surprise  me.  It  is  just  what,  witli  your  mode  of  thinking,  might 
have  been  expected ;  and  it  is  j  ust  what  may  continue  to  be 
expected,  till  you  "  repent,"  change  j^our  mind — till  you  are 
brought  to  another  and  better  mind  b}^  divine  truth — under 
divine  influence — producing  its  appropriate  effects  upon  you : 
"  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  my  Father,  who  hath  sent  me, 
draw  him."  By  your  murmuring,  you  make  it  evident  that  you 
have  not  come  to  me — that  you  are  not  disposed  to  come  to  me. 
With  your  present  views,  you  will  never  come  to  me ;  you 
must  be  born  again — you  must  be  converted  and  become  as  little 
children.  No  man  entertaining  the  views  you  do  of  the  design 
of  the  Messiah's  mission,  and  nature  of  his  kingdom,  can  come  to 

57  John  vi.  42.  58  John  vi.  43-50. 


384  TRUE  HAri'LVESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

2xie — can  embrace  me  as  the  Messiah.  He  must  be  drawn  by 
him  wlio  sent  me — the  Father,  God — in  order  to  his  coming  to 
me.'  The  Jews,  under  the  influence  of  carnal  motives,  had  come 
to  Jesus  the  man,  Avishingto  obtain  from  him  temporal  blessings  ; 
but,  entirely  destitute  of  a  spiritual  knowledge  and  sensibility, 
which  God  the  Father  alone  could  give  them,  they  had  not  come 
— they  could  not  come — to  Jesus  the  Messiah,  for  the  spiritual 
blessings  which  they  really  were  in  need  of,  and  which  he  had  to 
bestow.  They  had  not  been  led,  or  drawn,  of  God,  to  Caper- 
naum. Their  own  carnal  views  and  expectations  had  brought 
them  thither. 

The  language  is  figurative,  but  the  meaning  is  not  at  all 
obscure.  By  divine  truth,  understood  and  believed,  under  divine 
influence,  he  who  is  most  indisposed — so  indisposed  as  to  be 
morally  incapable  of  embracing  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  divine,  and 
divinely-appointed,  and  qualified,  and  accredited,  Saviour  of 
men — will  become  capable  (b}^  being  made  willing)  of  most  cor- 
dially coming  to  him,  receiving  him,  trusting  in  him,  loving  him, 
submitting  to  him.  No  Jew,  blind  to  the  true  meaning  of  the 
divine  oracles,  with  regard  to  the  Messiah,  could  acknowledge 
Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  No  Jew,  the  eyes  of  whose  mind,  by 
divine  influence,  were  opened  to  the  true  meaning  of  these 
oracles,  could  help  acknowledging  him.  Our  Lord's  words, 
though  used  Avith  a  direct  reference  to  those  whom  he  addressed, 
express  a  great  general  truth.  No  man  while  he  retains  the 
habits  of  thought  and  feeling,  that  are  common  to  all  men — un- 
changed by  divine  influence — who  is  seeking  for  happiness  in 
sensible,  present  things,  will  ever  cherish  towards  Jesas  Christ 
those  sentiments  and  affections  to  which'  he  is  entitled.  In  order 
to  this,  he  must  be  "drawn"  to  him  "by  the  Fatlicr;"  that  is, 
divine  truth,  under  divine  influence,  must  find  its  way  into  his 
mind,  and  enlightened,  and  impelled,  and  guided  by  those,  he 
will  come  to  the  Saviour. 

A  man  needs  only  to  reflect  on  what  is  the  natural  state  of 
human  sentiment  and  feeling,  to  see  the  indubitable  truth  of  our 
jLord's  remark.     The  salvation  of  Christ  is  most   exactly  suited 
(to  the  sinner's  necessities,  but  it  is  not  at  all  suited  to  his  native 
1  tastes  and  inclinations.     It  is  too  good  for  him — too  spiritual  to 
\suit  tlie  carnal  heart — too  humbling  to  please  the  proud  heart. 
*It  is  too  holy  for  the  willing  shive  of  sin — too  heavenly  for  him 
Who  is  "  of  the  earth  earthy."     Indeed,  how  can  one,  under  the 
mfluence  of  pride  and  the  love  of  sin,  approve  of  a  method  of 
salvation  which  opposes  every  corrupt  bias  of  the  human  heart  ? 
How  can  such  a  one  cordially  acquiesce  in  that  plan  of  redemp- 
tion, which  implies  tliat  he  is  Justly  condemned,  and  infinitely 
deserving  of  blame — that  he   not  only  has  no  claim  on  justice, 
but  that  his  guilt  is  so  great  as  to  render  the  exercise  of  mercy 
incompatible  with  the  iJivinc  glory,  without  the  mediation  and 
satisfaction  of  the  incarnate  Son  of  God — and  that  he  could  not 
be  sulfered  to  escape  the  curse  of  the  law,  but  through  the  atone- 


PART  II.]       CONTERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  385 

ment  of  Christ?  How  can  a  man  who  has  a  high  conceit  of 
himself,  and  of  his  own  performances,  admit  that  they  are  utterly 
insufficient  to  counterbalance  the  guilt  of  his  smallest  sin  ?  How 
can  a  man,  blind  to  the  Divine  glory,  see  his  obligations  to 
obedience?  or  how  can  one,  who  does  not  feel  his  obligntions  to 
love  and  obey  the  Most  High,  see  sin  to  be  infinitely  evil  ?  And 
how  can  a  man,  who  practically  denies  the  evil  of  sin,  truly 
value  the  Saviour  from  sin  ?  Is  it  possible,  that  the  man  who 
does  not  believe  that  he  ever  did  anything  worthy  of  death, 
should  see  any  propriety,  wisdom,  or  equit}^,  in  another's  dying 
for  him,  even  one  of  infinite  dignity  ?  Can  an  enemy  of  the  law 
love  Him  that  magnified  and  made  it  honorable,  and  love  Him  so 
much  the  better,  on  this  very  account,  because  he  hath  most  satis- 
factorily vindicated  the  Legislator  from  all  suspicion  of  undue 
severity  in  punishing  sin,  and  from  all  appearance  of  conniving 
at  sin  in  pardoning  it  ?  How  can  a  man,  wise  in  his  own  conceit, 
come  to  Christ  as  a  prophet,  and,  sitting  down  at  his  feet,  receive 
every  one  of  his  words?  How  can  a  man  full  of  the  spirit  of 
self  justification,  come  to  Christ  as  a  priest,  and  place  all  his 
hope  of  pardon,  and  acceptance,  and  salvation,  on  his  obedience 
to  death,  as  "the  Just  one  in  the  room  of  the  unjust"?  How 
can  a  man,  who  in  his  heart,  is  an  utter  enemy  to  God,  come  to 
Christ  as  a  king,  and  endure  hardness,  as  a  good  soldier,  in 
fighting  against  all  that  is  opposed  to  the  Divine  will  and  glory  ? 
How  can  a  man,  who  is  in  love  with  sin,  and  idolatrously  attached 
to  the  present  world,  believe  that  it  is  worth  his  while  to  part 
with  all  for  the'  Saviour's  sake,  and  to  become  a  stranger  and 
pilgrim  upon  the  earth,  "  choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with 
the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season 
— esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  any  earthly 
treasure.""'  No  man,  with  an  unchanged  mind  and  heart,  will 
ever  embrace  the  christian  salvation. 

And  the  change  which  is  absolutely  necessary,  is  a  change 
which  God  alone  can  effect.  It  is  by  his  drawing  men  that  they 
are  induced  to  come  to  Christ.  By  the  "  drawing"  of  the 
Father  we  are  to  understand,  as  is  evident  from  the  following- 
verse,  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  cogency  of  divine 
truth,  understood  and  believed.  It  is  by  being  made  to  hear  and 
learn  of  the  Father,  that  men  are  drawn  to  Christ,  It  is  because 
men  do  not  understand  and  believe  the  truth,  that  they  cannot 
come  to  the  Saviour,  and  depraved  men  never  will  understand 
and  believe  that  truth,  till  the  Spirit  so  fix  their  minds  on  it-^ 
meaning  and  evidence,  that  they  cannot  help  understanding  and 
believing  it,  and  when  men  understand  and  believe  the  truth, 
coming  to  the  Saviour  follows  as  a  matter  of  course — they  can 

■'9  I  gratefully  acknowledge  mj'  obligations  to  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Smalley,  an 
Araerlcnn  divine,  for  many  of  the  thoughts  in  the  preceding  paragraph.  The\ 
sermon  is  entitled,  "The  Inability  of  theSinuer  to  comply  with  the  Gospel ;  hisi 
Inexcusable  Guilt  in  not  Goniplying  with  it,  and  the  Consistency  of  thef?e  with/ 
each  other."  Dr.  Rylaud  follows  a  similar  train  of  thought  in  his  sermon  eutitlefii 
"Tlie  Efficacy  of  Divine  Grace  Explained  and  Defended."  i 

VOL.  1.  •^.') 


\ 


386  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

no  longer  help  coming  to  him  f  and  when  any  man,  whosoever 
he  be,  Jew  or  Gentile,  however  guilty  and  depraved,  drawn  by 
the  Father,  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  comes  to  the  Son,  our  Sav- 
iour declares  that  the  final  salvation  of  that  person  is  secure.  He 
is  one  of  those  who  are  given  to  him  of  the  Father,  and  he  shall 
not  be  lost,  nothing  of  him  shall  be  lost.  He  shall  be  "  raised  np 
at  the  last  day." 

It  is  plain  from  this  passage,  that  the  inability  of  coming  to 
Christ,  under  which  men  labor,  is  not  physical,  but  moral.  It 
does  not  originate  at  all  in  a  want  of  those  intellectual  and  active 
faculties  which  are  necessary  to  come  to  Christ,  but  entirely  in 
an  indisposition  arising  out  of  wilful  ignorance,  and  the  love  of 
sin,  and  of  the  world.  It  is  like  the  inability  of  the  intemperate 
man  to  keep  himself  sober,  the  inability  of  Joseph's  brethren  to 
speak  peaceably  to  him.  If  men  cannot  come  to  Christ,  it  is 
just  because  they  will  not  come  to  him.  They  who  under  the 
gospel  dispensation  "  are  untaught  of  God,"  are  so,  because  they 
refuse  to  learn  of  him.  The  appropriate  means  of  removing  this 
kind  of  inability,  is  the  statement  of  the  truth  and  its  evidence. 
This  is  all  men  can  do.  Divine  influence  is  necessary,  absolutely 
necessary,  to  fix  the  mind  on  the  truth  and  its  evidence,  so  as  to 
produce  faith,  and  the  native  consequences  of  that  faith;  and 
that  influence  never  was,  never  will  be,  refused  to  him  who 
honestly  desires  it.  What  would  men  have  more  ?  Would  they 
have  men  left  to  themselves?  Then  all  must  perish.  Would 
they  have  God  to  compel  men  to  receive  salvation?  This  would 
be  to  do  violence  to  man's  nature,  God's  work!  Would  they 
have  men  saved  as  they  are — in  sin  ?  This  were  to  require  an 
impossibility,  and  to  do  violence  at  once  to  the  constitution  of 
man,  and  the  nature  of  God,  to  disgrace  the  Divine  character, 
and  overturn  the  Divine  throne.  The  sum  of  the  whole  matter 
is,  no  man  perishes  under  the  gospel  dispciisation,  but  in  conse- 
quence of  his  own  wilful  obstinacy:  no  man  is  saved,  but  in 
consequence  of  a  divine  influence  originating  in  free  sovereign 
mercy.  Man  is  his  own  destro3^er,  God  is  man's  only  Saviour. 
If  we  perish,  our  damnation  is  entirely  of  ourselves.  If  we  are 
saved,  our  salvation  is  entirely  of  God." 

The  rejection  and  the  reception  of  Christianity  by  mankind, 

6"  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Bennet  for  drawing  my  attention  to  a  striking  passage 
in  Augustine's  Homilies  on  this  passage.  After  quoting  Virgil's  words,  "Trahit 
sua  quemc|ue  voluptas,"  he  beautifully  says  (I  quote  Dr.  B.'s  translation): — "  It  is 
not  necessity,  but  pleasure  ;  not  compulsion,  but  delight.  Have  the  senses  of  the 
body,  then,  pleasures :  and  is  the  mind  destitute  of  its  pleasures  .?  You  show  a 
preen  bunch  to  the  »heo]),  and  you  draw  it.  Nuts  are  sliown  to  ohiUlren,  and 
they  arc  attracted.  Wliitlier  we  run  we  are  drawn,  for  it  is  by  love  that  we  arc 
drawn.  His  own  peculiar  ]>lcasure  ilraws  every  one.  Ami  does  Christ  i-cvealed 
by  the  Fatlier  not  draw?"  Luther  says: — "God  allures  us  by  his  t'x'/ nvflpMTria — 
his  love  of  man  (Tit.  iii.  4).  God  is  set  before  us  as  our  dearest  friend,  so  loving 
us,  as  to  give  his  only-begolten  Son  for  us.     It  Is  thnx  he  draws  us." 

6'  Fuller  expresses  this  truth  with  his  usual  force  and  point:  "  Upon  the  whole, 
we  see  from  these  passages — loliu  v.  10;  vi.  It,  4.5,  65,  taken  togetlier — first, 
that  if  any  man  is  lost,  wlioiii  lie  has  to  blaiiio  for  it — ^uimself  ;  secondl}',  that  if 
any  man  is  saved,  whom  he  has  to  praise  for  it — God." 


PART  II.]        CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  387 

■will,  according  to  the  different  views  taken  of  the  subject,  appear 
equally  wonderful  to  a  considerate  iriind.     When  we  think  of  the 
]Derspicuity  of  its  oracles,  the  reasonableness  of  its  doctrines,  the 
equity  of  its  precepts,  the  simplicity  of  its  ordinances,  the  abun- 
dance of  its  evidence,  the  benignity  of  its  spirit,  and  the  varied 
usefulness  of  its  tendency,  it  seems  strange  that  anything  further  / 
than  the  calling  on  men  to  make  Christianity  the  subject  of  con-,, 
siderate  thought,  should  be  necessary  to  secure  its  universal  recep-/ 
tion.     But  when,  on  the  other  hand,  we  think  first  of  that  holyi 
spirituahty  which  constitutes  the  most  characteristic  feature  of  i 
that  religion,  and  then  reflect  on  that  carnality  of  mind,  that  de-/ 
pravity  of  heart,  that  secular  ungodly  spirit,  which  are  the  leading 
attributes  of  fallen  humanity,  we  cease  to  wonder  that  Christianity, 
with  all  its  recommendations,  should  be  rejected  by  the  great 
majority  of  men  to  whom  its  claims  are  presented,  and  we  begin 
to  think  it  strange,  that  any  of  a  race  so  corrupt  and  earthly,  \ 
should  ever  cordially  embrace  a  system  so  pure  and  heavenly.  '^ 
The  depravity  of  man  is  quite  sufficient  to  account  for  the  general  - 
rejection  of  Christianity.     It  can  be  satisfactorily  accounted  for  on 
no  other  principle ;  and  few  considerations  place  the  extent  and 
depth  of  liuman  depravity  in  a  more  striking  point  of  view  than  / 
this,  that  it  does  produce  "the  general  rejection  of  such  a  system  as 
Christianity,  and  would,  unless  counteracted  by  an  influence  from  | 
a  higher  quarter,  and  of  a  more  potent  efficacy,  produce  its  uni- 1 
versal  rejection.     While  the  general  rejection  of  Christianity  is  ) 
thus  accounted  for,  without  the  slightest  disparagement  of  its  ex-  ' 
cellence,  its  cordial  reception  in  any  instance  by  such  a  being  as 
fallen  man,  can  be  satisfactorily  traced  to  no  cause  but  a  divine  ; 
influence  so  fixing  the  attention  on  the  truth  and  its  evidence,  as 
that  it  finds  its  way  as  truth  into  the  corrupted  mind  and  heart,  and 
there,  by  its  own  power  in  producing  light  and  purity,  establishes  for 
itself  a  permanent,  and  a  welcome,  and  a  suitable  dwelling-place. 

The  only  satisfactory  answer  to  the  questions.  Why  is  the  Gospel 
not  cordially  received  by  all  who  hear  it  ?  why  does  any  man 
reject  it?  why  do  the  majority  of  men  reject  it? — is,  'Man  is  a 
depraved  being;  he  "minds  earthly  things;"  he  "loves  darkness 
rather  than  light." '  And  the  only  satisfactory  answer  that  can 
be  given  to  the  questions.  Why  is  the  Gospel  cordially  received 
by  any  man?  why  is  it  not  obstinately  rejected  by  all? — is,  '  God, 
in  these  cases,  by  a  supernatural  influence,  has  counterworked 
human  depravity ;  the  Father  has  drawn  to  the  Son.'  The 
answer  to  the  first  class  of  questions  is,  'Man  is  evil — ^wholly 
evil;'  the  answer  to  the  second  is,  'God  is  good — infinitely,  sov- 
ereignly good.'  Such  is  substantially  the  account  which  pur 
Lord  gives  of  this  most  interesting  subject  in  the  passage  just 
illustrated.  He  plainly  states  that  mankind,  unchanged  by  divine 
influence,  labor  under  such  an  indisposition  to  embrace  his  Gospel, 
and  the  blessings  which  it  at  once  reveals  and  conveys,  as  amounts 
to  a  moral  incapacity, — an  indisposition  which  nothing  short  of 
divine  influence  can  remove :  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except 


388  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.       [EXP.  VIII. 

the  Father,  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him ;"  and  with  equal  plain- 
ness he  states  that  this  influence,  while  absolutely  necessary,  is 
also  fully  competent  to  produce  the  desired  effect, — "  All  that  the 
Father  hath  given  me  shall  come  to  me."  Every  man  that  is 
drawn  of  the  Father,  every  man  that  is  "taught  of  God,"  "  every 
man  that  hath  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  to  me." 
Our  Lord  confirms  his  doctrine  by  an  appeal  to  Old  Testament 
Scripture, — "  It  is  written  in  the  prophets.  And  they  shall  be  all 
taught  of  God.  Every  man  therefore  that  hath  heard,  and  hath 
learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me."*^ 

It  has  been  questioned  whether,  by  using  the  phrase,  "  in  the 
prophets,"  our  Lord  meant  to  convey  the  idea  that  the  sentiment 
which  he  quoted  was  to  be  found  in  that  part  of  the  inspired 
volume  to  which  the  Jews  gave  the  general  name,  "  The  Proph- 
ets," or  that  this  sentiment  is  expressed  by  more  than  one  of 
those  inspired  men  usually  denominated  prophets.  Did  he  refer 
to  one  passage,  or  to  several?  It  does  not  matter  much  how 
the  question  is  resolved,  though  it  is  certain  that  this  formula  of 
citation  is  sometimes  used  when  only  one  passage  in  one  prophet 
is  referred  to."^  The  precise  words  here  quoted  are  not  to  be 
found  in  any  of  the  prophets, — the  sentiment  is  to  be  found  in 
more  than  one.  The  probability  is,  that  our  Lord's  direct  ref- 
erence is  to  a  passage  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah," — "And  all 
thy  children," — the  prophet  is  addressing  the  spiritual  church, 
imder  the  administration  of  the  Messiah, — "  And  all  thy  children 
shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord."  The  same  sentiment  is  to  be 
found  in  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah  ;°' — the  prophet  is  plainly 
speaking  of  the  state  of  things  under  the  Messiah, — "  I  will  put 
my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts," — ■ 
that  is,  I  will  make  them  understand,  and  believe,  and  love  the 
revelation  I  make  to  them ;  "  and  they  shall  teach  no  more 
every  man  his  neighbor,  •  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying, 
Know  the  Lord ;  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least  of 
them  unto  the  greatest  of  them." 

Our  Lord's  object  in  m;iking  this  citation,  seems  to  be,  to  show 
his  hearers  that  his  doctrine,  tliat  men  must  be  divinely  taught 
in  order  to  their  becoming  his  genuine  disciples,  was  in  exact 
conformity  with  the  declarations  of  the  ancient  prophets.  His 
argument  plainly  takes  for  granted,  what  he  had  so  satisfactorily 
proved  hy  his  miracles,  tliat  he  was  "  the  Prophet  who  should 
come  into  the  world," — "  the  Son  whom  the  Father  had  sealed 
and  sent," — the  promised  Messiah.  The  substance  of  the  quo- 
tation and  argument  is  this :  '  All  the  Messiali's  subjects  are 
represented  b}'  the  ancient  prophets  as  taught  of  God;  they 
become  his  suljjects,  not  in  conseqvience  of  natural  descent,  or 
mere  human  teaching,  but  of  a  spiritual  birth,  and  divine  teach- 
ing.' In  perfect  conformity  with  these  prophetic  statements,  oui* 
Lord  in  effect  says,  '  I  do  not  expect  any  man  to  become  my 
disciple,  except  he  is  taught  of  God  ;  and  I  expect  that  all  who 

«  John  vi.  45.  "  Acta  xiii.  40.  «'  lea.  liv.  13.  65  Jer.  xxxi.  S3,  84. 


PART  II.]      CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  389 

are  taught  of  God  shall  become  my  disciples.'  "  Every  one  that 
hath  heard,  and  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  to  me."  The  par- 
ticle "  therefore,"  which  seems  rather  to  perplex  the  sense,  does 
not  appear  to  belong  to  the  original  text."^ 

"  Hearing,  and  learning  of  the  Father,"  is  equivalent  to  being 
made  by  the  Father  so  to  understand  and  believe  the  revelation 
of  his  will  about  coming  to  Christ,  as  to  be  disposed  to  comply 
with  it — as  to  be  drawn  to  him.  The  Father  made  known  his 
will  by  the  ancient  prophets,  who,  as  our  Lord  says,  "  testified  of 
him."  He  made  known  his  will  by  John  the  Baptist,  who  stated 
the  truth  very  plainly  respecting  not  only  the  divine  mission  of 
our  Lord,  but  also  respecting  the  design  of  his  mission,  and  the 
nature  of  the  blessings  of  his  kingdom.  The  great  body  of  the 
Jews  did  not  understand,  and  so  could  not  believe,  in  their  true 
meaning,  the  Father's  testimony  to  the  Son  by  the  prophets  and 
John  the  Baptist.  In  one  sense  they  heard ;  but  they  did  not 
"  hear  and  learn  of  the  Father."  But  all  who,  under  divine  in- 
fluence, had  been  made  to  understand  and  believe  that  testimony, 
gladly  and  gratefully  came  to  him,  that  they  might  receive  from 
him  the  blessings  he  was  divinely-qualified  and  divinely-com- 
missioned to  bestow. 

The  doctrine  of  our  Lord  in  this  passage,  is  quite  coincident 
with  that  of  his  apostle.  "  But  we  preach  Christ  crucified,  unto 
the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  unto  the  Greeks  foolishness 
but  unto  them  which  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ 
fhe  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God.""  No  man  who  is 
ignorant  of  Christ  and  his  salvation,  will  ever  embrace  them. 
No  man  who  knows  and  believes  the  truth  about  them,  can  reject 
them.  All  men  are  naturally  ignorant  and  unbelieving  on  this 
subject.  No  human  teaching  will  suffice  to  remove  their  igno- 
rance and  unbelief.  God — God  alone — can  do  this ;  and  wher- 
ever he  does  it,  men  embrace  the  Saviour  and  his  salvation. 
The  ignorance  and  unbelief  which  keep  sinners  at  a  distance 
from  the  Saviour,  are  wilful,  and  therefore  most  criminal.  The 
divine  influence  which  removes  this  ignorance  and  unbelief,  is 
sovereignly  benignant — might  justly  be  withheld  from  all,  and 
when  exerted  on  any,  proves,  not  the  superior  worth  of  him  who 
is  the  subject  of  it,  but  the  infinitely  free  kindness  of  Him  wlio  is 
the  author  of  it ;  so  that  he  who  is  never  the  subject  of  this  in- 
fluence, has  no  cause  to  complain,  while  he  who  is,  has  strong 
reasons  for  adoring  acknowledgment,  and  powerful  \  motives  to 
grateful  obedience. 

To  prevent  his  hearers  from  supposing  that  some  direct  com- 
munication of  information  from  the  Father  was  necessary  to 
men's  becoming  his  genuine  disciples,  he  tells  them  that,  in 
speaking  of  the  necessity  of  hearing  and  learning  of  the  Father, 
he  had  no  reference  to  such  direct  communication, — a  mode  of 
communication,  which  he  states  to  be  peculiar  to  himself, — as 
the  sent  and  sealed  Son.     "  Not  that  any  hath  seen  the  Father, 

6S  Wetsteiu,  Bengel— Griesbach,  Tischendorf.  "  1  Cor.  i.  23,  24. 


390  TKUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  YIII. 

save  he  whicli  is  of  God,  lie  hatli  seen  the  Father;'"'  g'.  d., 
'  When  I  speak  of  being  dra^yn  bj  the  Father,  of  being  taught 
of  God,  of  hearing  and  learning  of  the  Father,  I  do  not  mean 
any  direct  immediate  commnnication  from  the  Father's  essential 
divinity.  He  makes  himself  known  in  his  word.  He  has  spoken 
tn  times  past  by  the  prophets.  He  has  spoken  in  these  last  days 
by  John  the  Baptist,  and  by  the  Son.  That  man  is  drawn  of 
God  who,  under  the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  is  made  to  appre- 
hend the  meaning  and  evidence  of  such  revelations  as  He  has 
thus  made  of  his  character  and  will.  Such  direct  and  immediate 
knowledge  of  God  as  bears  an  analogy  to  seeing  visible  objects, 
has  never  been  vouchsafed  to  any,  save  to  him  "  who  is  of  God. 
He  has  seen  the  Father."  ' 

"He  who  is  of  God,"  has  been  interpreted  as  equivalent  to, 
'  He  who  is  commissioned  of  God — he  who  is  sent  of  God.' 
Though  the  words  naturally  enough  express  this  idea,  I  do  not 
think  that  this  is  the  meaning  here,  for  the  kind  of  knowledge  of 
God  spoken  of,  is  not  that  common  to  all  who  have  been  sent  of 
God ;  it  pertains  to  our  Lord  (for  he  plainly  refers  to  himself) 
not  in  common  with  the  class  of  divine  messengers,  to  which  he 
belonged.  It  is  a  distinctive  peculiarity  of  ]iim  as  "  the  Only- 
begotten  of  God,"  as  one  standing  in  an  absolutely  singular 
kind  of  essential  relation  to  the  Father.  "  No  man,""" — no  one, 
neither  man  nor  angel, — "  hath  seen  God,"  neither  can  see  him. 
No  man  has  obtained,  no  man  can  obtain,  a  direct  dind  immedi- 
ate knowledge  of  God,  "The  only  begotten  Son,  he  hath  de- 
clared him.'""  He  who  is  "of  God,""  seems  equivalent  to,  '  He 
who  is  "  God's  own  Son,"  the  Son  of  himself,  his  proper  Son.'  He, 
he  alone,  has  seen  God.  He  kno^vs  him,  not  only  in  the  works 
of  his  hand,  and  the  dispensations  of  his  providence,  and  the  dec- 
larations of  his  word,  but  he  knows  him  directly  and  immedi- 
ately. He  sees,  not  his  shadow,  which  is  all  that  creatures  do — 
he  sees  his  substance,  he  sees  him  as  he  is.  He  is  perfectly  and 
intuitively  acquainted  with  the  whole  truth  in  reference  to  his 
nature,  as  well  as  his  will. 

All  this  statement,  from  the  beginning  of  the  44th  verse, 
seems  introductory  to  what  follows.  "The  Jews  murmured 
because  he  said  he  was  the  bread  Avhich  came  down  from 
heaven."  He  replied,  '  Murmur  not.  There  is  no  sufficient 
ground  for  murmuring.  I  have  said  mo  thing  but  jvhat  is  true, — 
though  I  do  not  wonder  at  your  murmuring — for  not  having 
been  drawn  by  the  Father,  not  having  been  taught  of  him,  not 
having  heard  and  learned  of  him,  you  cannot  receive,  you  labor 
under  a  moral  incapacity  of  believing,  my  sayings,  however  true 
— of  receiving  my  benefits,  however  precious.  Murmuring, 
though  highly  culpable  in  you,  is  just  what,  with  your  views, 
might  be  expected  from  you.  Nevertheless,  I  assure  you  I  have 
only  asserted  the  truth, — "  Whether  ye  will  hear,  or  whether  ye 

8'  John  vi.  46.— <)  Civ  Trapu  rov  Ofoi".     Cbap.  vii.  29.  *9  oideic. 

""  John  i.   18.  '"  napd  tov  Oeov. 


PART  II.]       CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  391 

will  forbear" — whether  ye  will  belieye  and  rejoice,  or  doubt  and 
murmur — it  is  indubitably  true.  "  Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  He  that  believeth  on  me  liath  everlasting  life.""  I  have 
everlasting  life,  real  permanent  happiness,  to  bestow  on  mankind  ; 
and  the  way  for  any  individual  to  obtain  this  real  permanent 
happiness,  is  to  believe  on  me,  to  credit  the  truth  respecting  me, 
the  truth  spoken  by  me  ;  and  every  one,  be  he  a  Jew  or  a  Gen- 
tile, who  thus  believes  the  truth,  shall  obtain  real  permanent 
happiness.' 

"  I  am  that  bread  of  life.""  'You  did  not  misapprehend  me, 
when  you  thought  I  appropriated  to  myself  the  appellation,  "  the 
true  bread,"  "the  bread  from  heaven,"  "the  bread  of  Grod."  I 
indeed  am  all  that  these  emphatic  figurative  expressions  imply. 
I  am  that  life-giving  bread,  for  that  is  the  force  of  the  expression 
"  bread  of  life,"  just  as  "  tree  of  life,"  is  life-giving  tree  ;  "water 
of  life,"  life-giving  water;  "spirit  of  life,"  life-giving  spirit.  I 
am  the  procurer  and  bestower  of  immortal  happiness,' 

Our  Lord  goes  on  to  compare  or  contrast  himself  with  that 
bread  which  the  Jews  were  accustomed  to  call  'the  bread  of 
heaven ' — the  manna.  That  miraculous  food,  highly  as  they  esti- 
mated it,  was  only  the  corruptible  sustenance  of  a  mortal  life. 
"  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the  wilderness,  and  are  dead."" 
It  could  not  procure  for  them  the  indefinite  extension  even  of 
natural  life.  They  who  were  fed  with  tlje  corn  of  heaven,  as  well 
as  they  who  were  fed  with  the  corn  of  the  earth,  died,  and  re- 
turned to  their  earth.  But  "  this,"  very  probably  pointing  to 
himself,  "this  is  the  bread" — equivalent  to,  'I  am  the  bread,' — 
"  which  Cometh  down  from  heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof 
and  not  die.""  '  I  am  come  from  heaven  to  earth,  not  for  the  pur- 
pose of  protracting  for  a  season  this  mortal  life,  but  that  whoso- 
ever eateth  me  as  the  bread  of  life,'  that  is,  '  whosoever  exercises 
towards  me  as  a  Saviour  those  sentiments  and  affections,  which 
are  analogous  to  the  bodily  action  of  eating  in  reference  to  food, 
— he  who  treats  me  in  the  way  which,  in  the  nature  of  things,  is 
calculated,  as  well  as  by  Divine  appointment  destined,  to  drive 
from  me  the  blessings  I  have  to  bestow,  he  shall  never  die ;'  that 
is,  not  '  he  shall  be  exempted  from  the  ordinary  lot  of  fallen  man 
— ^in  his  case  "the  dust  shall  not  return  to  the  earth  as  it  was,'  '"* 
— but  'he  shall  obtain  a  higher  kind  of  life  which  shall  never 
terminate.    "  He  shall  not  j)erish,  but  shall  have  everlasting  life."  ' 

To  mark  the  importance  of  the  sentiment,  he  repeats  it,  "I  am 
the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven.  If  any  man 
eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever.""  The  question  of  great- 
est importance  here  is,  "  What  are  we  to  understand  by  eating 
Christ  Jesus  as  the  bread  of  life?"  Happily,  there  is  no  difficulty 
in  answering  the  question.  Eating  is  that  which,  in  consequence 
of  the  natural  constitution  of  things,  is  necessary  to  our  deriving 
the  advantage  from  bread,  which  it  is  intended  to  communicate, 

"2  John  vi.  47.  73  Jolm  vi.  48.  "^^  John  vi.  49. 

75  John  vi.  50.  ^s  Eccles.  xii.  7.  ^r  John  vi.  51. 


392  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII 

— that  is,  bodily  nourisliment.  We  may  look  at  bi'ead  long  enoiigb, 
we  may  smell  it,  we  may  handle  it,  we  may  talk  abont  it,  it  will 
do  Tis  no  good.  We  must  cat  it,  if  we  wisli  to  be  nourished  by 
it.  Now,  what  is  it  that  is  necessary  and  sufficient  to  our  deriv- 
ing from  Jesus,  as  the  Saviour,  the  blessings  we  need,  and  which 
he  has  to  bestow.  We  may  speculate  about  him,  we  may  talk 
about  him,  we  may  dispute  about  him,  but  unless  we  believe  in 
him,  we  shall  never  be  personally  interested  in  his  salvation.  To 
*'eat"  the  bread  of  life  is  just,  by  the  faith  of  the  truth,  to  obtain 
a  personal  interest  in  the  blessings  of  Christ's  salvation; 

Our  Lord  then  proceeds  to  give  them  some  farther  most  import- 
ant information  as  to  the  manner  in  which  he  obtains  for,  and  be- 
stows on,  mankind,  real  permanent  happiness  ;  employing  a  figur- 
ative representation  corresponding  to  the  general  figurative  view 
he  had  already  given  of  his  saving  character  as  the  bread  of  life. 
"  The  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  jrive  for  the 
life  of  the  world.'"^ 

The  meaning  of  these  words  is,  '  I  am  the  Saviour  of  the  world ; 
and  the  manner  in  which  I  am  to  save  the  world  is  bv  devoting 
myself  to  death  in  their  room,  as  the  victim  for  their  transgress- 
ions.' Let  us  see  how  this  sentiment  can  be  brought  out  of  these 
words — "I  will  give  my  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world."  "The 
flesh"  of  our  Lord  is  plainly  just  equivalent  to  his  body,  or  him- 
self as  embodied.  To  "give  his  flesh,"  is  to  devote  himself  as  a 
sacrifice — voluntarily  to  lay  down  his  life.  This  is  plain  enough. 
But  what  is  it  "  to  give  his  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world."  "  The 
world"  is  just  equivalent  to  mankind,  without  distinction.  Gen- 
tiles as  well  as  Jews ;  and  "  to  give  his  flesh  for  their  life,"  is  either 
'to  give  himself,  to  devote  himself,  in  their  room — to  lay  down 
his  life  for  their  forfeited  life — to  give  liis  soul  as  a  ransom  for 
their  souls — to  die  in  their  room,  in  order  to  save  them  from  the 
death  which  they  deserved ;'  or,  what  comes  materially  to  the 
•same  thing,  'to  lay  down  his  hfe  in  order  to  obtain  life — happi- 
ness— for  them.'  The  truth  embodied  in  these  words,  is  that  car- 
(!in:d  doctrine  of  Christianity,  that  the  death  of  Christ,  as  the  di- 
N'inely-appointed  piacular  victim  for  the  sins  of  men,  is  the  grand 
means  of  securing  man's  salvation. 

Now,  says  our  Lord,  "This  is  the  bread  I  will  give"  to  men. 
'  It  is  thus  that  I  save  them.  It  is  thus  I  preserve  them  from  de- 
struction.    It  is  thus  I  secure  for  them  ever]|asting  life.' 

This  passage  very  clearly  shows  how  Air  they  are  mistaken  who 
consider  our  Lord  as  calling  himself  "  the  bread  of  life,"  merely 
or  chiefly  as  a  teacher  of  a  salutary  doctrine,  a  doctrine  which, 
understood  and  believed,  is  calculated  to  make  men  truly  wise, 
good,  and  happy — to  nourish  tliem  u[)  unto  eternal  life.  It  is  the 
truth  with  regard  to  his  saving  character  generally,  that  he  in- 
tends to  bring  before  our  mind  ;  and  especially  that  all-important 

T"*  Johu  vi.  51. — "virPp,  with  the  f^onitivc,  (loiiotiiii:;  stibstKutioii.  Rom.  v.  6. 
Lukexxii.  19,  20.     1  I'im.  ii.  6.     Tit.  ii.  1  J.     Uoui.  viii.  3."— Pye  Suith. 


PART  II.]      CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  393 

truth,  that  he  is  a  Saviour  from  sin  and  its  consequences,  by  bear- 
ing, and  bearing  away,  the  sin,  the  guilt,  of  the  world. 

Such,  beyond  all  question,  is  the  true  meaning  of  our  Lord's 
figurative  declarations,  that  he  was  the  "bread  of  life  ;"■  that  "  the 
bread  which  he  gives  is  his  flesh,  which  is  given  for  the  life  of  the 
world  ;"  and  that  he  who  would  live  for  ever,  "  must  eat  of  this 
bread."  It  may  seem  strange,  at  first  sight,  that  our  Lord,  in  stating 
these  primary  doctrines,  respecting  the  manner  in  which  he,  by  his 
death,  was  to  accomplish  the  salvation  of  men,  and  the  manner  in 
which  men  were  to  obtain  a  personal  interest  in  the  salvation 
accomplished  by  him,  instead  of  unfolding  them  in  plain  literal 
expressions,  should  have  wrapped  them  up  in  metaphorical  lan- 
guage, and  employed  figures  which,  even  to  us,  seem  somewhat 
harsh,  and  which,  to  those  to  whom  the  discourse  was  originally 
addressed,  could  be  only  in  a  very  limited  degree  intelligible.  If, 
however,  we  judge  of  our  Lord's  discourse  on  the  obviously  fair 
principle,  "  In  every  work  regard  the  author's  end,"  nothing  will 
seem  wonderful  here  but  the  wisdom  of  the  divine  teacher. 

It  plainly  was  not  our  Lord's  design  to  communicate  at  this 
time  to  these  men,  clear  views  respecting  the  nature  of  the  salva- 
tion, which  He,  the  Messiah,  was  to  accomplish,  and  the  manner 
in  which  this  salvation  was  to  be  obtained  through  him'.  In  the 
present  state  of  their  minds,  they  were  plainly  incapable  of  receiv- 
ing such  information.  His  object  was  to  show  them,  that  the 
truth  on  these  subjects  was  something  totally  different  from  what 
they  had  been  accustomed  to  consider  as  the  truth,  and  to  convey 
that  truth  under  the  veil  of  metaphor  into  their  minds,  so  as  to 
secure  its  becoming  a  subject  of  reflection — truth  which,  if  pre- 
sented in  its  naked  simplicity,  would  have  called  forth  such  a  host 
of  prejudices,  as  would  have  prevented  its  finding  entrance  into 
the  mind  at  all.  His  statements  were  intentionally  enigmatical 
and  startling.  They  were  so  framed,  as  tliat,  while  they  could 
not  be  readily  understood,  they  could  not  be  easily  forgotten. 
The  truth  was  wrapped  in  these  "  dark  sayings,"  but  it  required 
consideration,  and  coming  events  and  clearer  revelations,  fully  to 
unfold  it.  The  present  object  was  to  arrest  attention,  to  create 
interest,  to  excite  inquiry.  The  more,  then,  the  statements,  while 
containing  nothing  but  truth,  could  be  made  to  wear  the  air  of 
paradox,  so  much  the  better  obviously  were  they  fitted  to  gain 
the  end  in  view,  to  draw  forth  the  question, — 'What  can  he/ 
intend  by  such  strange  assertions  ?  Surely  more  is  meant  than  [ 
meets  the  ear.'  Such  was  the  effect  which  our  Lord's  statements; 
actually  did  produce  on  the  minds  of  many  who  heard  them. 

"  The  Jews  therefore," — that  is,  in  consequence  of  his  having 
made  the  paradoxical  declaration  that  he  would  give  his  flesh  as 
bread  to  men, — "  The  Jews  therefore  strove  among  themselves, 
saying,  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?"™  It  is  diffi- 
cult, or  rather  impossible,  to  say  what  was  the  precise  state  of 
mind  which  this  question  indicated  on  the  part  of  those  who  pro- 
's John  vi.  52. 


394  TRUE  HAPPINESS— WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.        [EXP.  VIII. 

§osed.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  it  expressed  different  sentiments  in 
ifferent  individuals.  With  some  it  probablj^  was  a  contemptuous 
expression  of  utter  incredulity,  grounded  on  tlie  alleged  obvious 
absurdity  of  the  statement  made :  q.  d.,  '  The  man  is  mad ;  can 
any  absurdity  exceed  this  ?  We  are  to  live  for  ever  by  eating  the 
flesh  of  a  li-vdng  man !'  With  others,  who  thought  that  neither 
our  Lord's  words  nor  works  were  like  those  of  a  madman,  the 
question  probably  was  equivalent  to  a  statement — '  These  words 
must  have  a  meaning  different  from  their  literal  signification,  but 
what  can  that  meaning  be  ?' 

These  "  strivings"  of  the  Jews  about  the  meaning  of  our  Lord's 
words,  were  "  among  themselves."  None  of  them  seem  to  have 
stated  their  sentiments  to  our  Lord,  but  he  was  perfectly  aware  of 
what  was  going  on  among  them.  He  does  not,  however,  proceed 
to  explain  his  former  statements.  They  were  not  ready  for  such 
an  explication.  It  would  have  been  worse  than  lost  on  them. 
Instead  of  illustrating  his  statement,  he  reiterated  it.  He  in  no 
degree  explains  away  what  had  seemed  strange,  absurd,  incred- 
ible, or  unintelligible.  On  the  contrary,  he  becomes,  if  possible, 
more  paradoxical  and  enigmatical  than  ever,  in  order  that  his 
statement  might  be  more  firmly  rooted  in  their  memory,  and  that 
they  might  the  more  earnestly  inquire,  '  What  can  these  mys- 
terious words  mean  ?'  He  tells  them  that,  strange  and  unintel- 
ligible, and  incredible,  and  absurd,  as  his  statements  might  appear, 
he  had  said  nothing  but  Avhat  was  undubitably  true,  and  incal- 
culably important. 

"  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood, 
ye  Save  no  life  in  you.  Whoso  eatetli  my  flesh,  and  drinketh 
my  blood,  hath  eternal  life ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  in- 
deed.'"" Though  those  to  whom  our  Lord  originally  addressed 
these  words,  had  not  the  means  of  fully  understanding  them, 
when  they  were  uttered  to  them,  we  surely  ought  to  find  no 
difficulty  in  discovering  their  meaning.  Our  interest  in  them  is 
as  deep  as  that  of  those  who  heard  them  from  the  living  lips  of 
the  incarnate  Saviour ;  and  they  are  indeed  as  really  addressed 
by  him  to  us  as  to  tliem. 

These  words  are  the  following  out  of  the  figure  employed  by 
our  Lord  in  the  51st  verse.  "  I  will  give  my  flesh" — my  body 
— myself  as  embodied — a  piacular  victim,  an  expiatory  sacrifice, 
in  the  room  of  the  f()rfoitcd  lives  of  mankind,  in  order  to  secure 
their  happiness;  and  ma,ukind,  in  order  to  be  the  better  of  this, 
must  feed  on  this  sacrifice.  Tlie  Son  of  man  must  undergo  a 
violent  death,  in  the  rooin  of  guilty  men.  His  sacrificed  body 
when  spiritually  fed  upon,  is  the  principle  and  nourishment  of  an 
eternal  life,  a  never-ending  happiness.  His  "blood  shed  for  the 
remission  of  sins,"  s|)iritiially  "  drunk" — received — appropriated 
— secures  a  happy  immortality.     Every  man  who  does  not  eat 

""  John  vi.    ■>.'{-.').'. 


PART  II.]       CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  395 

this  spiritual  food,  and  drink  tliis  spiritual  drink,  is  in  a  state  of 
spiritual  death.  Every  one  who  does  eat  of  this  spiritual  food, 
and  drink  of  this  spiritual  drink,  shall  immediately  enter  on  the 
enjoyment  of  a  holy,  happy  state  of  spiritual  being,  which  shall 
never  terminate,  and  even  the  mortal  part  of  his  nature  shall, 
through  the  power  of  the  Eedeemer's  sacrifice,  at  the  close  of  the 
present  state  of  things,  put  on  immortality. 

The  question  of  greatest  importance  to  the  satisfactory  inter- 
pretation of  this  most  interesting  passage  is,  What  is  meant  by 
"  eating  the  flesh,"  and  "  drinking  the  blood  of  the  Son  of 
man."  We  may  remark  by  the  wa}^,  that  our  Lord  plainly 
admits  his  Messiahship,  by  identifying  himself  with  the  Son  of 
man. 

The  "flesh  and  blood"  of  our  Lord,  is  a  phrase  equivalent  to 
his  sufferings  and  death,  as  one  who  gives  himself  for  the  life  of 
the  world;  or,  in  other  words,  to  Jesus  Chi'ist  suifering  and 
dying,  the  just  one  in  the  room  of  the  unjust,  that  he  may  bring 
men  to  God ;  the  Lamb  of  God  whose  bleed  was  shed,  and  whose 
flesh  was  consumed,  on  the  altar  of  Divine  justice,  as  the  victim 
for  the  sins  of  men. 

The  sacrificed  Saviour  is  represented  as  the  food  of  the  soul, 
his  shed  blood  as  the  elixir  of  immortality.  The  figure,  like  the 
emblem  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  is  double,  but  the  signification  is 
one.  The  atoning  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  at  once  absolutely 
necessary,  and  completely  sufiicient,  for  the  salvation  of  men. 
It  is  through  that  atonement,  through  that  atonement  alone,  that 
any  of  the  guilty,  depraved,  wretched  children  of  men  can  obtain 
forgiveness,  and  sanctification,  and  true  permanent  happiness; 
and  through  this  atonement  every  guilty,  depraved,  wretched 
man,  may  obtain  forgiveness,  and  sanctification,  and  true  perma- 
nent happiness. 

Now,  how  is  the  individual  sinner  to  obtain  for  himself  a  per- 
sonal interest  in  this  deliverance  from  guilt,  and  depravity,  and 
endless  ruin,  for  the  attainment  of  which,  in  the  case  of  any 
man,  this  atoning  sacrifice  was  necessary — for  the  attainment  of 
which,  in  the  case  of  every  man,  this  atoning  sacrifice  is  suf- 
ficient ?  The  answer  to  this  question,  the  most  interesting  cer- 
tainly that  can  engage  the  mind  of  a  sinner,  is,  in  the  figurative 
language  of  our  Lord,' — ^He  must  "  eat  the  flesh,  he  must  drink 
the  blood,  of  the  Son  of  man."  If  he  does  not,  "there  is  no 
life  in  him ;"  he  continues  in  spiritual  death, — in  that  state  of 
condemnation,  and  moral  polhition,  and  hopeless  wretchedness, 
into  which  his  sin  has  brought  him.  If  he  does,  he  hath  eternal 
life,  he  enjoys  a  state  of  spiritual  sensibihty,  activity,  and  oajoy- 
ment,  which  shall  never  end — a  state  of  blessedness  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  Divine  favor,  of  holy  conformity  to  the  Divine 
image,  of  true  permanent  happiness,  and  even  his  mortal,  his 
dead  body,  shall  in  due  time  be  quickened,  and  "mortality"  in 
him  "  be  swallowed  up  of  life." 

But  the  question  comes  back  on  us,  What  is  it  to  eat  the  flesh 


896  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

and  to  drink  the  blood  of  tlie  Son  of  man,  on  which  the  enjoy- 
ment of  such  inappreciably  valuable  benefits  is  suspended? 
Some  learned,  but  certainly  not  in  this  case  judicious,  interpre- 
ters," have  considered  these  words  as  having  a  reference  to  the 
Lord's  Supper,  and  I  am  afraid  that,  in  very  many  cases,  super- 
stitious notions  with  regard  to  the  efficacy  of  that  ordinance, 
have  originated  in,  or  been  strengthened  by,  this  mistaken  view 
of  these  'words  of  our  Lord,  The  Lord's  Supper  was  not  insti- 
tuted till  long  after  these  words  were  spoken.  The  observance 
of  that  ordinance  is  not  in  every  case  necessary  to  salvation. 
There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  many  are  in  heaven  who 
never  participated  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  there  can  be  as 
little  doubt  that  many  are  in  hell  who  have  participated  in  it. 
It  is  not  true  of  every  one  who  has  not  eaten  the  emblem  of  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  who  has  not  drunk  the  emblem  of 
his  blood,  that  he  has  no  life  in  him ;  nor  is  it  true  of  every  one 
that  has  eaten  and  drunk  these  emblems,  that  he  has  everlasting 
life.  The  reference  then  is  not,  cannot  be,  to  the  Lord's  Supper.*' 
But  it  is  not  enough  that  we  know  what  eating  the  flesh  and 
drinking  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  man  does  not  mean ;  it  is  of 
infinite  importance  that  we  should  know  what  these  expressions 
do  mean.  Now,  I  apprehend  the  most  satisfactory  way  of  get- 
ting an  answer  to  this  question  is  to  propose  another.  When 
Jesus  Christ,  as  dying  in  the  room  of  men  to  obtain  their  salva- 
tion, is  represented  as  the  food  of  the  immortal  mind,  what  is  it 
that,  in  the  economy  of  grace,  serves  the  piirpose  of  enabling  in- 
dividual sinners  to  derive  from  him  the  personal  enjoyment  of 
that  pardon,  and  holiness,  and  eternal  happiness,  which  his  aton- 
ing sacrifice  is  at  once  necessary  and  sufficient  to  procure  for 
men, — a  purpose  analogous  to  that  which  eating  and  drinking, 
according  to  the  constitution  of  nature,  serves,  in  enabling  a  man 
to  derive  nourishment  from  articles  of  food  ?  No  person,  who 
has  read  the  New  Testament  ^vith  any  care,  can  hesitate  for  a 
moment  as  to  the  answer  that  should  be  given  to  this  question. 
It  is  faith.  It  is  the  belief  of  the  truth  ]-especting  Christ  Jesus 
as  the  only  and  all-sufficient  Saviour  of  sinners,  in  consequence 
of  his  having  given  himself,  in  the  room  of  the  guilty,  "  a  sacri- 
fice and  an  offering  of  a  sweet-smelling  savor  to  God."  It  is 
tlr."  belief  of  this  trutii  which,  by  Divine  apjiointment,  interests 
the  sinner  in  all  the  blessed  eflects  of  tliat  atoning  sacrifice.  It 
is  the  believer,  tlie  believer  alone,  that  by  this  sacrifice  is  brought 
to  God — made  an  inheritor  of  everlasting  life.  It  is  by  the  faith 
of  the  truth  that  men  arc  justified;  it  is  by  the  faith  of  the  truth 
that  men  are  sanctified;  it  is  by  the  faith  of  the  truth  that  men 
arc  saved :  and  this  truth  respecting  the  atoning  death  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  grand  central  principle,  with  the  behef  of  which  the 

8'  Chrysostoin,  Ilackspan,  llnklonatua,  »fcc. 

*2  "  Credere  in  cum,  hoc  est  maiuliicure  paiuiii  vivuin." — Auqustin.  " Ne  syllaba 
quidem  hujus  sexti  capitis  de  Hacraniciito  liMiuiliir.  non  modo  quod  sacramontum 
nondum  cssi't  institutuiii,  scd  muHo  rniii,'is,  (ju.hI  ipsa  scniionis  ot  Sf^ntcntiarum 
conBeciuentia  de  fide  incaruati  Yerbi  Christuui  loqui  dare  ostendit."— Lutueu. 


PART  11.]        CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  397 

enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of  the  christian  salvation  is  so  often, 
in  Scripture,  represented  as  indissolubly  connected. 

This,  then,  is  the  fundamental  principle  of  Christianity,  so  ' 
strikingly  tauglit  us  under  tlicse  figures :  No  man  capable  of 
believing,  who  does  not  believe  the  great  cardinal  principle  of 
Cliristianity,  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  divine,  and  divinely -appointed  ; 
and  qualified.  Saviour  of  men,  has  made  atonement  for  sin  by  ' 
the  sacrifice  of  himself,  can  be  a  partaker  of  the  christian  salva-. 
tion.  He  is  in  his  sins — dead — condemned  already,  the  wrath 
of  God  abides  on  him ;  and  if  he  continue  and  die  an  unbeliever! 
he  must  die  the  second  death.  On  the  other  hand,  every  man\ 
who  really  believes  this  truth,  is,  of  course,  personally  interested 
in  all  the  blessings  of  the  christian  salvation.  He  shall  never 
perish ;  he  shall  have  everlasting  life  ;  his  sins  are  forgiven  him, 
for  Jesus'  name's  sake  ;  he  is  made  "  accepted  in  the  Beloved ;" 
he  is  "  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  his  mind  :"  he  has  hope, 
and  joy,  and  "  peace  in  beheving;"  his  spirit  lives  because  of  his 
justification;  and  though  the  body  must  die  because  of  sin.  He 
who  raised  our  Lord  Jesus  from  the  dead,  shall  in  due  titoe 
quicken  his  mortal  body,  because  of  the  Spirit  who  dwells  in  him. 
Such  are  the  glorious  results  of  eating  the  flesh  and  drinking  the 
blood  of  the  Son  of  man — that  is,  of  believing  the  truth  respect- 
ing his  atoning  sacrifice.*' 

Let  us  beware,  however,  of  supposing  that  there  is  some 
mystical  power  in  the  act  of  believing.  There  is  no  more  mys- 
tical power  in  the  act  of  believing  than  in  the  analogous  act  of 
eating.  The  nourishing  power  is  in  the  food  eaten.  The  saving 
power  is  in  the  truth  believed,  or,  rather,  in  the  Saviour,  whom 
that  truth  makes  known  to  the  mind.  Accordingly,  our  Lord 
does  not  add,  '  for  eating  and  drinking  are  exercises  of  great 
potency ;'  but,  "  for  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is 
drink  indeed  :" — 'My  flesh  is  truly  nourishing,  my  blood  is  truly 
refreshing,' — ^that  is,  'My  atoning  sacrifice  secures  everything 
that  is  necessary  and  sufficient  to  make  man  really,  permanently 
happy,  to  deliver  him  from  evil  in  all  its  forms  and  degrees 
for  ever,  and  to  fill  with  an  overflow  of  holy  enjoyment  all  the 
ever-enlarging  capacities  of  his  intellectual  and  moral  nature 
during  the  entire  eternity  of  his  being.'  But  as  the  most  nourish- 
ing food  fv^ill  not  nourish  unless  it  is  eaten,  so  this  all-perfect 
source  of  salvation  will  be  of  no  use  to  us,  unless,  by  believing 
the  truth  about  it,  we  drink  of  its  vivifying  waters. 

There  are  two  very  plain  but  apparently  ill-understood  prin- 
ciples, on  this  subject,  which,  as  we  value  our  souls,  we  ought 
never  to  lose  sight  of.     It  is  tlie  truth  respecting  Christ's  atoning 

33  Neander  thus  paraphrases  John  vi.  53-58. — "  Except  ye  receive  my  divine- 
human  life  within  you,  make  it  as  your  own  flesh  and  blood,  and  become  thor- 
oughly penetrated  by  tlie  divine  principle  of  life  which  Christ  has  imparted  to 
human  nature,  and  himself  realized  in  it,  ye  cannot  partake  of  eternal  life."  I 
am  not  sure  that  I  (^uite  understand  this,  but  I  do  not  tliink  tluit  the  profoundly 
learned  and  pious  interpreter  has  apprehended  our  Lord's  meaning  so  happily 
here,  as  in  many  cases. 


398  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

sacrifice  that  must  be  believed  in  order  to  salvation^  and,  in 
order  to  salvation,  this  truth  must  be  helieved. 

It  is  not  believing  anything  that  will  save  us,  just  as  it  is  not 
eating  anything  that  will  nourish  us.  If  a  man  eat  poison,  he 
Avill  be  killed ;  if  he  eat  innutritions  substances,  he  will  be 
starved.  There  are  errors  respecting  the  atonement  of  Christ, 
which,  if  a  man  believe,  he  must  perish  ;  and  whatever  he  be- 
lieve, if  he  believe  not  the  truth  respecting  it,  he  cannot  be  saved. 
There  are  many  very  strong  believers  in  hell,  and  on  the  road  to 
hell ;  but  they  are  those  who  have  believed  a  lie,  and  not  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

The  second  truth  referred  to  is  an  equally  important  one. 
Not  only  is  it  the  truth  that  must  be  believed,  if  we  would  be 
saved,  but  the  truth  must  be  helieved  in  order  to  our  being  saved. 
Knowing  it,  understanding  the  terms  in  which  it  is  stated, 
speculating  about  it,  talking  about  it,  fighting  about  it,  will  not 
do  if  it  be  not  believed  ;  just  as  looking  at  nourishing  provision, 
smelling  it,  handling  it,  talking  about  it,  quarrelling  about  it, 
will  not  suffice  for  our  nourishment :  we  must  eat  it,  else  we 
must  starve.  In  like  manner,  of  whatever  intellectual  exercise 
saving  truth  may  be  the  subject,  if  it  be  not  really  believed,  we 
can  derive  no  saving  advantage  from  it.  Let  us  never  forget 
these  two  principles.  It  is  the  truth  that  must  be  believed,  and 
the  truth  must  be  helieved,  in  order  to  our  having  a  personal  in- 
terest in  the  christian  salvation. 

Our  Lord  proceeds  to  state,  in  language  no  less  enigmatical 
and  paradoxical  than  any  which  he  had  yet  eriiployed  in  the  pre- 
ceding declarations,  the  intimate  and  permanent  connection 
which  subsists  between  him  and  all  who  believe  the  truth  re- 
specting his  saving  character  and  work, — a  connection  originat- 
ing in,  and  maintained  by,  the  faith  of  this  truth,  and  the  im- 
portant and  blissful  consequences  which  result  from  this  connec- 
tion. "  He  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth 
in  me,  and  I  in  him.""  These  words  assert  the  intimate  and 
permanent  connection  between  Christ  and  believers,  and  trace  it 
to  its  cause.  The  words  that  follow  unfold  the  blessed  results  of 
this  intimate  and  permanent  connection.  "  As  the  living  Father 
hath  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father ;  so  he  that  eateth  me, 
even  he  shall  live  by  me."*"  • 

I  have  already  shown  at  length,  that  the  phrase  "  he  that  eat- 
eth me,"  is  equivalent  to,  '  he  that  belie veth  the  truth  resjjccting 
me  as  the  bread  of  life, — as  him  who  has  given  his  flesh  for  the 
life  of  the  world.'  Now,  says  our  Lord,  he  who  does  so, 
"  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in  him."  There  arc  two  ideas  suggested 
by  these  words : — most  intimate  connection — '  he  is  in  me,  and  I 
in  him  ;'  and  permanent  intimate  connection — '  he  dwelletli — 
abideth — in  me,  and  I  dwell — abide — in  him.'  The  food  which 
nourishes,  is  incorporated  Avith  that  which  it  sustains, — becomes 
a  constituent  part  of  it. 

"<  John  vi.  56.  **  John  vi.  57. 


PART  II.]      CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  399 

The  union  of  Ctirist  and  believers,  is  a  doctrine  often  taught  \ 
by  our  Lord  and  his  apostles.     This  union  is  of  a  twofold  char-  \ 
acter.     It  is,  in  the  language  of  technical  theology,  both  legal  ; 
and  spiritual ;  in  plainer  terms,  the  expression  indicates  relation  j 
— that  is,  the  legal  union  ;  and  it  indicates,   also,  community  of  ^ 
spiritual  life,  manifesting  itself  in  community  of  sentiment,  feel- 
ing, and  enjoyment, — that  is  the  spiritual  unioD. 

The  legal  union,  or  union  of  relation,  may  be  thus  described : 
— As  Jesus  Christ  was,  by  a  Divine  appointment,  so  identified 
as  it  were  with  those  whom  he  came  to  save,  as  to  be  treated,  not 
as  he  deserved,  but  as  they  deserved — required  to  pay  a  debt 
which  they,  not  he,  had  contracted — to  restore  what  they,  not  he, 
had  taken  away — wounded,  bruised,  chastised,  crushed  to  death, 
in  their  room — so,  by  another  Divine  appointment,  all  who  be- 
lieve are  so  identified  with  Jesus  Christ,  as  that  they  are  treated, 
not  as  they  deserve,  but  as  he  deserves — treated  as  if  they  had 
done  what  he  did,  and  merited  what  he  merited.  This  is  the 
fundamental  blessing  of  the  Christian  salvation,  all  the  rest  grow 
out  of  it ;  and  its  origin,  nature,  and  consequences,  are  very 
strikingly  expressed  in  these  words  of  the  apostle :  "  But  of  God 
are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus  (who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom), 
righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemption,"  that  is,  'justi- 
fied, sanctified,  redeemed.'*^ 

The  spiritual  union,  or  the  community  of  spiritual  life,  of 
sentiment,  and  afifection,  and  enjoyment,  which  exists  between 
Christ  and  believers,  is  produced  by  the  influence  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  and  made  manifest  through  the  faith  of  the  truth. 
Christ's  mind  and  heart  are  unfolded  in  his  word;  when  that 
word  is,  under  divine  influence,  understood  and  believed,  j  ust  in 
the  degree  in  which  it  is  so,  it  becomes  the  mind  and  the  heart 
of  the  believer.  So  far  as  a  man  is  a  believer,  he  is  of  the  same 
mind  and  heart  with  Jesus  Christ.  He  thinks  along  with  him, 
he  wills  along  with  him ;  and  as  the  holy  state  of  our  Lord's 
sentiments  a'hd  feelings — their  entire  accordance  with  the  mind 
and  will  of  the  Father — is  the  principal  source  of  his  holy  en- 
joyments, so  he  who  has  a  community  of  mind  and  heart  with 
him,  must  have  a  community  of  enjoyment  with  him.  It  is  thus 
that  Christ  dwells  in  the  hearts  of  his  people  by  faith — the  hope 
of  glory  ;  it  is  thus  that  his  Spirit  is  in  them,  and  they  are  in  his 
Spirit;  it  is  thus,  that  it  is  not  so  much  they  that  live,  as  Christ 
that  lives  in  them ;  for  the  life  they  live  in  the  flesh  is  by  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God  who  loved  them,  and  gave  himself  for 
them."  Every  genuine  believer  is  thus,  both  relatively  and  actu- 
all}^,  united  to  the  Saviour ;  so  that  he  is  in  the  Saviour,  and  the 
Saviour  is  in  him. 

But  our  Lord's  words  assert  not  merely  the  reahty  of  this 
most  intimate  connection,  but  also  its  permanence.  Believers, 
according  to   our  Lord,  "  dwells,"  or  abide,  "  in   him,  and  he 

,  86  Bos,  Xosselt,  Krause. 

"  Eph.  iii.  17.     Col.  i.  27.     Rom.  viii.  9-11.     Gal.  ii.  20. 


400  TRUE  HAPPINESS— WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

dwells,"  or  abides,  "  in  them."  The  relation  is  an  indissoluble 
relation ;  and  the  communion  of  sentiment,  and  feeling,  and 
enjoyment,  though,  in  consequence  of  their  limited  and  ever- 
improving  capacities  of  knowledgis,  and  holiness,  and  happiness, 
admitting  of  endless  enlargement,  can  never  terminate.  He  and 
they  can  be  no  more  separated.  The  bonds  which  connect  them, 
are  of  such  a  nature  as  to  defy  the  power  of  death  itself  to  sever 
them,  and  will  bind  the  parties  closer  and  closer  in  holy  happy 
union  for  ever. 

This  blessed  result  of  believing  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  very  strik- 
ingly described  in  the  following  words — "  As  the  living  Father 
hath  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father ;  so  he  that  eateth  me, 
even  he  shall  live  by  me."''  The  general  thought  intended  to 
be  conveyed  by  our ,  Lord  seems  to  be  this — The  intimate  con- 
nection between  believers  and  the  Saviour  is  so  close,  as  that  his 
life  secures  their  life  ; — "because  he  lives,  they  shall  live  also;"** 
and  he  illustrates  this  thought,  by  comparing  the  connection  which 
subsists  between  believers  and  him,  to  the  connection  which  sub- 
sists between  him  and  his  Father — and  the  security  which  their 
connection  with  him  affords  for  their  life,  to  the  security  which 
his  connection  with  the  Father  affords  for  his  life. 

It  is  plain  that  our  Lord  here  speaks  of  himself  as  mediator 
— the  sent  of  Grod, — not  as  "  that  eternal  life  which  was  with  the 
Father"  "  from  the  beginning."""  "  The  living  Father,"  is  an 
expression  plainly  equivalent  to,  'the  life-giving  Father,  the 
possessor  of  all  life  and  happiness,  the  communicator  of  all  life 
and  hajjpiness,  the  source  and  fountain  of  existence,  and  intelli- 
gence, and  activity,  and  enjoyment.'  This  glorious  person,  who, 
in  the  economy  of  salvation,  sustains  the  honors  of  the  God- 
head, sent  Jesus  Christ  as  "  the  living  bread,"  commissioned  and 
qualified  him  to  be  the  Saviour  of  men.  "  I  live  by  the  Father," 
says  our  Lord.  Our  Lord's  existence  and  powers  as  a  divine 
person,  are  underived  and  independent.  They  are  not  different 
from,  they  arc  the  same  as,  the  existence  and  powers  of  the 
Father.  But  our  Lord  is  here  speaking  of  his  life  as  the  com- 
missioned and  qualified  Saviour  of  men.  "I  live,"  seems  to  be 
equivalent  to,  '  1  exist  as  the  bread  of  life ;  I,  as  the  appointed 
and  qualified  Saviour  of  men,  possess  and  exercise  the  power  of 
conferring  happiness.'     And  he  thus  lives,  "  by  the  Father." 

These  words  are  commonly  understood  as  equivalent  to, 
'  through  the  agency  of  the  Fatlier ;  my  lile  depends  on  him. 
lie  constituted  me  what  I  am,  as  the  Saviour  of  men,  and  he 
enables  mc  to  discharge  all  the  functions  connected  with  this 
oflicc,  enabling  me  to  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  he  hath 
given  me.'  This  is  no  doubt  the  truth,  and  is  quite  in  accord- 
ance with  the  uniform  representations  of  Scripture,  tiiat  all 
that  Christ  as  mediator  does  for  the  salvation  of  men,  is  done 
by  the  power  of  the  Father — that  is,  the  power  of  the  Divinity 
which  the  Son  is  commissioned  to  exercise. 

<"<  John  vL  57.  "'  John  xiv.  19,  »>  1  John  i.  1,  2. 


PART  II.]       CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  401 

At  the  same  time,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  proper 
meaning  of  the  phrase  translated,  "  bj  the  Father,"  is,  "  on  ac- 
count of  the  Father ;""  and  I  rather  think  our  Lord's  intention 
is  to  say,  not  so  much  that  his  hfe,  as  the  bread  of  life, — that  is, 
his  saving  power, — is  dependent  on,  as  that  it  is  secured  by,  the 
living  and  life-giving  Father.  'Because  my  Father  who  sent 
me  is  the  living  and  life-giving  One,  and  he  has  sent  me  as  the 
bread  of  life,  to  give  life  to  the  world,  therefore  I  can  give  life. 
His  life,  as  the  life-giving  Father,  secures  my  life  as  the  life- 
giving  Saviour.  Because  he  lives,  I  live  also.  The  living 
Father  must  cease  to  live,  before  I,  his  commissioned  and  quali- 
fied agent  for  the  salvation  of  men,  lose  the  power  to  save.' 

In  like  manner  as  the  Son,  in  the  character  of  the  sent  of  the 
living  Father,  lives  by  him,  "  so"  says  our  Lord,  "  he  that  eateth 
me,  shall  live  by  me.''  '  As  the  Father  is  the  life-giving  Father, 
I,  being  sent  by  him,  live ;  so,  as  I  am  the  life-giving  bread,  he 
that  eats  me  shall  live.  I  live,  as  the  Saviour,  because  of  the 
living  Father  who  hath  sent  me.  He  who  eateth  me  lives  be- 
cause of  me,  who  am  the  life-giving  bread.' 

Stripped  of  the  metaphor,  the  sentiment  is, — '  He  who  be- 
lieves on  me  shall  enjoy  real  permanent  happiness,  because  I  am 
the  divinely -appointed  and  qualified  Saviour;  and  because  be- 
lieving in  me  is  the  divinely-appointed  means  of  obtaining  a 
personal  interest  in  me  as  the  Saviour,  and  in  the  blessings  of 
my  salvation.  I  can  never  cease  to  be  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most, because  He  who  sent  me  for  the  very  purpose  of  saving 
men,  is  the  independent  and  exhaustless  source  of  all  existence, 
power,  and  enjoyment ;  and  he  who  believes  in  me,  can  never 
cease  to  enjoy  real  happiness,  for  I  am  the  divinely-appointed 
and  qualified  procurer  antl  bestower  of  real  happiness  on  all  who 
believe,  in  consequence  of  an  irreversible  appointment  of  Him 
who  cannot  change ;  as,  because  he  lives,  I  must  live, — so,  be- 
cause I  live,  they  must  live  also.'  Such,  so  far  as  I  am  able  to 
apprehend  it,  is  our  Lord's  meaning  in  these  words,  which,  like 
so  many  others  on  the  same  subject  in  Scripture,  are  "  dark  by 
excessive  brightness." 

Our  Lord  now  repeats  a  sentiment  he  had  already  uttered,  the 
more  deeply  to  impress  it  on  their  minds.  '  This  bread  which 
has  come  down  from  heaven,  infinitely  surpasses  the  manna  of 
which  you  are  accustomed  to  speak  so  highly.  They  who  ate 
of  the  manna  died.  They  who  eat  of  this  bread  shall  never  die. 
"  This  is  that  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven :  not  as 
your  fathers  did  eat  manna,  and  are  dead.  He  that  eateth  of 
this  bread  shall  live  for  ever."  '" 

In  these  words  our  Lord  distinctly  states,  that  this  bread, 
which  he  has  again  and  again  asserted  was  himself,  had  come 
down  from  heaven,  claiming  obviously  pre-existence,  and  pre- 
existence  in  heaven.  The  manna  came  down  from  the  upper 
regions  of  the  atmosphere,  not  from  heaven,  properly  so  called  ; 

"1  6cd  Tov  Uaripa.  ^  John  vi.  58. 

VOL.  I.  26 


402  TOUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

but  Jesus  came  down  from  tlie  heaven  of  heavens,  from  the 
bosom  of  the  Father,  where  he  had  been  from  the  ages  of 
eternity. 

It  may  be  said,  indeed  it  has  been  said,  that  this  argument 
overthrows  itself  by  proving  too  much ;  for  surely  the  flesh  and 
blood  of  which  our  Lord  speaks,  did  not  come  down  from  heaven. 
This  is,  however,  by  no  means  implied  in  the  argument. 
"  The  Son  of  man"  is  here  just  equivalent  to  '  the  Messiah,'  and 
is  used,  not  in  its  etymological,  but  in  its  conventional,  signifi- 
cation. All  that  it  implies  is,  that  the  pre-existent  divine  per- 
son who  descended  from  heaven,  and,  when  the  object  of  the 
descent  was  accomplished,  ascended  up  where  he  was  before, 
united  himself  to  human  flesh  and  blood  for  the  most  wise  and 
gracious  purposes,  especially  for  those  sufferings  and  that 
death  which  were  necessary  to  secure  the  redemption  of  a  lost 
world. 

As  this  mystical  bread  far  excelled  the  manna  in  its  origin,  so 
it  also,  in  a  corresponding  degree,  excelled  it  in  its  efficacy.  It  is 
not  with  this  heavenly  bread  as  with  the  manna.  The  ancestors 
of  those  whom  our  Lord  addressed,  had  eaten  of  the  manna,  but 
they  had  not  lived  for  ever.  The}^  were  all  dead  many  centuries 
ago.  The  manna  does  not  seem  to  have  had  any  greater  power 
to  sustain,  or  to  prolong  life,  than  any  other  species  of  wholesome 
food.  It  could  not  counteract  the  fearful  efficacy  of  the  original 
curse — "Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return;""  nor 
of  the  additional  curse  denounced  on  that  unbelieving  generation 
— "  Your  carcasses  shall  fall  in  the  wilderness  "" 

But  this  heavenly  bread  has  the  power  of  counteracting  a  more 
awful  curse  than  either  of  these — the  curse  that  dooms  the  im- 
mortal soul  of  man  to  eternal  death.  It  has  the  power  of  com- 
municating, and  sustaining,  and  prolonging,  to  all  eternity,  a  bet- 
ter life  than  that  forfeited  by  sin^ — a  divine,  a  heavenly  life;  "  He 
that  eatetli  of  this  bread  shall  live  for  ever."  On  eating  it,  he  shall 
begin  to  live  anew,  a  higher,  a  holier,  a  happier  life.  That  life 
shall  be  sustained  by  the  continued  eating  of  this  mystical  bread, 
and  shall  never  come  to  an  end. 

It  deserves  notice,  that,  in  the  whole  of  this  passage,  the  enjoy- 
ment of  eternal  life — that  is,  real  permanent  happiness — is  repre- 
sented as  connected,  not  with  having  eaten  the  bread  of  life,  but 
with  eating  it.  The  faith  of  the  Gospel,  by  which  an  individual 
is  interested  in  the  saving  benefits  which  were  procured  for  men 
by  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  our  Lord,  is  not  a  transient  act,  but  a 
habitual  exercise.  The  bread  of  life  must  be  our  daily  food;  and 
just  in  the  measure  in  which  we  feed  on  this  heavenly  manna, 
shall  we  realize  the  vigor,  and  activity,  and  enjoyment,  of  the 
heavenly  hfe. 

Thus  have  we  arrived  at  the  close  of  that  interesting  and  in- 
structive discourse,  wliich  our  Lord  delivered  in  the  synagogue 
of  Capernaum.**  It  is  a  discour.se  certainly  not  without  its  diffi- 
«  Gen.  iii.  19.  "  Numb.  xiv.  2<J.  «  j^im  vi    69. 


PART  II.]        CONVERSATIONAL  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  JEWS.  408 

culties,  but  it  is  riclilv  replete  with  tlie  most  important  and  de- 
lightful principles  of  the  christian  faith. 

It  may  be  useful,  previousl}^  to  our  finally  taking  our  leave  of 
it,  as  a  subject  of  exposition,  to  recall  briefly  to  our  minds  the  oc- 
casion, the  design,  and  the  manner,  of  this  important  discourse.** 

The  occasion  of  the  discourse  was  furnished  by  the  mercenary 
professions,  and  pertinacious  adherence,  of  a  multitude,  who  were   i 
moved  by  the  hope  of  his  gratifying  their  national  ambition,  and  I 
perhaps  equally  by  the  expectation  of  being  fed,  without  their  j 
own  care  and  cost,  by  his  miraculous  power.     They  sought  him  / 
because  they  had  eaten  of  the  loaves,  and  been  filled ;  and  they 
showed  what  was  uppermost  in  their  minds,  by  hinting  that  the 
most  acceptable  miracle  he  could  perform,  would  be  one  similar 
to  that  of  the  manna  in  the  wilderness.    The  more  politic  of  them, 
probably,  extended  their  views  farther,  and  contemplated  his  be- 
ing able  to  support  armies  for  the  establishment  of  their  expected 
dominion  over  other  nations.    From  the  appetite  of  hunger,  Jesus, 
who  could  with  dignity  employ  any  object  or  circumstance  as  a 
vehicle  of  divine  instruction,  derived  the  occasion  of  this  address, 
and  taught  them  that  they  were  laboring  under  a  deeper  necessi- 
ty, and  that  God  had  graciously  provided  a  suitable  relief. 

The  design  of  the  discourse  was  to  break  the  charm  of  his  hear-    i 
ers'  destructive  ambition,  to  wean  them  from  their  low  sensuous   / 
views,  to  show  them  the  nature  of  true  happiness,  and  to  unfold 
to  them  the  only  method  of  attaining  it. 

The  manner  in  which  he  prosecuted  this  design,  was  by  show- 
ing that  man's  true  happiness  consisted,  not  in  sensible  and  pres- 
ent enjoyments,  but  in  spiritual  and  eternal  blessings;  tliat  he 
had  been  divinely  commissioned  and  qualified  to  bestow  such 
blessings,  not  on  one  nation  onij^,  but  on  mankind  generally,  and 
that  faith  in  him  was  necessary  to  the  obtaining  of  a  personal  in- 
terest in  these  blessings ;  that  to  render  himself  capable  of  making 
men  really  and  permanently  happy,  it  was  necessary  that  he 
should  sutfer  and  die  as  a  piacular  victim  for  the  transgressions 
of  men ;  and  that  the  belief  of  the  truth  on  that  all-important  sub- 
ject, was  as  necessary  to  a  man's  deriving  advantage  from  His 
sacrifice,  as  eating  is  to  a  man  deriving  advantage  from  nourish- 
ing food ;  that,  while  they  continued  under  the  unbroken  influence 
of  their  carnal  desires  and  worldly  prejudices,  they  labored  under 
a  moral  incapacity  of  receiving  and  enjoying  the  blessings  he 
came  to  procure  and  bestow  ;  and  that  nothing  short  of  a  divine 
influence  could  emancipate  them  from  the  power  of  this  present 
evil  world,  and  enable  them  to  receive  what  was  freely  given  them 
of  God.  With  regard  to  the  particular  form  of  the  discourse,  its 
principal  subject  wears  the  aspect  of  a  prediction,  with  regard  to 
the  manner  in  which  he  was  to  accomplish  the  salvation  of  men, 
and  the  manner  in  which  they  were  to  obtain  a  personal  interest 
in  that  salvation. 

9S  For  much  contained  iu  the  succeeding  paragraphs,  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Pye 
Smith.     "  Scripture  Testimony,"  vol.  ii.,  pp.  124-1 '27. 


404  TRUE  HAPPINESS — ^WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

The  whole  discourse  is  marked  by  that  mixture  of  literal  and 
figurative  diction  which  is  one  of  the  most  characteristic  features 
of  the  Old  Testament  prophetic  discourses,  and  by  that  envelope 
of  obscurity  which  was  necessary  to  guard  the  public  prediction 
of  any  future  event.  The  event  predicted  in  this  case,  was  the 
extreme  sufferings  and  cruel  death  of  the  Saviour.  Of  this 
catastrophe  it  was  his  manner  to  speak  obscurely  to  his  public 
and  promiscuous  audience?,  and  it  was  only  to  his  disciples  in 
private,  and  occasionally,  that  he,  greatly  to  their  surprise,  fore- 
told it  in  plain  terms.  The  keeping  in  view  of  these  general  re- 
marks respecting  the  occasion,  design,  tenor,  and  form  of  the 
discourse,  will  be  of  use  to  us  in  enabling  us  more  readily  to  call 
up  the  important  truths  to  which  our  attention  has  been  turned 
in  these  expositions. 


III. — THE  EFFECTS  OF  THIS  DISCOURSE   ON  HIS  DISCIPLES  IN 
WORD,  AND  ON  HIS  DISCIPLES  IN  DEED. 

John  vi.  60-71. 

§  1.   On  his  Professed  Disciples.. 

The  impression  made  by  this  discourse  on  those  who  heard  it, 
is  described  by  the  evangelist  in  the  60th  verse  : — "  Many  there- 
fore of  his  disciples,  when  they  had  heard  this,  said,  This  is  an 
hard  saying;  who  can  hear  it?""  The  "disciples"  is  here  plainly 
a  general  term,  descriptive  of  all  who,  under  the  impression  that 
Jesus  was  a  divine  messenger,  probably  the  Messiah,  were  in  the 
habit  of  waiting  on  his  ministrations,  and  of  course  comprehended 
under  it  persons  of  considerably  diversified  views  respecting  the 
design  of  the  Messiah's  mission,  and  the  nature  of  his  kingdom. 
The  great  body  of  these  disciples  seem  plainly  to  have  been  look- 
ing only  for  a  temporal  prince,  and  a  national  deliverance.  To 
them  the  discourse  which  they  had  heard  must  have  been  any- 
ithiug  but  satisfactory.  Jesus  had  had  a  very  fair  op])ortunity 
aflbrded  him  of  avowing  himself,  in  plain  terms,  tlie  long-expected 
deliverer  of  Israel,  and  of  commencing  that  career  which,  as  they 
hoped,  was  to  end  in  the  emancipation  of  the  chosen  people,  and 
the  subjugation  of  the  world.  But  instead  of  doing  this,  while  he 
liad  not  indistinctly  intimated  that  he  was  indeed  the  promised 
Messiah,  he  had  spoken  nothing  about  raising  armies,  fighting 
battles,  taking  cities,  obtaining  wealth  and  honor  for  his  followers ; 
but  had  delivered  to  thcin  a  mystical  discourse,  which,  so  lar  as 
they  could  get  a  glimpse  ol'  its  meaning,  was  altogether  incon- 
sistent Avith  their  views,  fatal  to  tiieir  hopes — a  discourse  about 
the  superiority  of  the  meat  tiiat  endurcth  unto  eternal  life  over 
tlie  bread  that  perislioth — about  himself  being  the  bread  of  life — 
about  his  coming  down  from  iieaven,  and  giving  his  fiesh  for  the 

»•  John  vi.  60. 


PAET  III.]  EFFECTS  OP  OUR  LORD'S  DISCOURSE,  405 

life  of  the  world — about  the  necessity  of  eating  his  flesh,  and 
drinking  his  blood. 

The  effect  produced  by  the  delivery  of  such  a  discourse,  to  such 
an  audience,  was  just  what  might  have  been  anticipated.  Many 
of  them,  when  they  heard  it,  said,  "  This  is  an  hard  saying ;  who 
can  hear  it?"  The  Avord  "saying"  refers  not  exclusively  to  the 
concluding  observation  recorded  in  the  58th  verse,  but  to  the 
whole  discourse.  The  words  of  these  dissatisfied  disciples  ad- 
rait  of  a  two-fold  interpretation.  They  may  mean,  '  This  is  a 
very  obscure  discourse — so  obscure  as  to  be  unintelligible  ;  who 
can  comprehend — who  can  make  sense — of  it  ?'  Or,  '  This  dis- 
course contains  in  it  sentiments  quite  irreconcilable  with  our  most 
fixed  opinions,  and  most  fondly-cherished  hopes ;  who  can  believe 
it?'  The  last  of  these  is,  I  apprehend,  the  true  import  of  the 
words,  as  spoken  by  these  disciples.  This  seems  plain  from  the 
fact  that  they  were  offended  at  the  discourse.  They  were  stumbled 
by  it,  that  is,  it  shook  their  faitb  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  This 
seems  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  "  offended,"  when  used  in  such 
a  connection.  "Blessed,"  said  our  Lord  to  John  the  Baptist's 
messengers — "  Blessed  is  he  who  is  not  offended  in  me.'"*  And 
we  find  they  were  so  stumbled,  that  many  of  them  went  back  and 
walked  no  more  with  him.  It  seems  obvious  that  it  was  not  what 
was  obscure,  but  what  was  plain,  in  our  Lord's  discourse,  that  was 
offensive  to  them,  and  that  led  them  to  the  conclusion,  that  it  was 
in  vain  to  expect  from  Jesus  the  Nazarene,  what  they  had  been 
accustomed  to  expect  from  the  Messiah.  "This  was  an  hard 
saying,"  seems  not  so  much,  '  These  statements  are  unintelligible,' 
as,  'These  statements  are  inadmissible;'  and  "who  can  hear  it?" 
seems  not  so  much,  '  "Who  can  understand  them  ?'  as,  '  Who  can 
believe  them  ?"' 

These  expressions  of  dissatisfaction  were  not  openly  made. 
They  only  murmured  such  things  "  among  themselves."  But 
Jesus  knew  in  himself  what  was  the  state  of  their  minds.  "  He 
needed  not  that  any  should  testify  to  him  of  man,  he  knew  what 
was  in  man."  He  made  it  plain  that  he  was  the  searcher  of 
the  hearts — ^the  trier  of  the  reins — a  discemer  of  the  thoughts  and 
intents  of  the  heart — and  that  all  things  were  naked  and  open  to 
Him  with  whom  they  had  to  do.  "  When  Jesus  knew  in  him- 
self that  his  disciples  murmured  at  it,  he  said  unto  them.  Doth 
this  offend  you  ?"""■  '  Does  this  stumble  you  ?  Do  these  state- 
ments, which,  though  not  fully  understood  by  you,  are  plainly 
incompatible  with  your  opinions  and  wishes  respecting  the  bless- 
ings to  be  obtained  and  bestowed  by  the  Messiah — do  these 
statements  shake  to  dissolution  your  half-formed  faith  in  me  as 
the  Messiah  ?     Even  though  they  should,  I  cannot  retract  them  ; 

9^  Matt.  xL  G. 

99  The  shrewd  remark  of  Archbishop  Whately,  in  reference   to  the  Apostle 

Paul's  writings,  is  equally  applicable  to  the  doctrines  of  his  Master.     "  There  is 

good  reason  to  believe  that  the  chief  objection  to  St.  Paul's  writings  is  not  from 

the  things  hard  to  be  understood  which  they  contain,  but  from  the  things  easy  to 

1   be  understood,  the  doctrines  so  jilainfj  tauglit  by  him."  '^  John  vi.  61. 


406  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  YIII. 

I  must  reiterate  tliem.  Ever}- thing  I  have  to  say  to  you,  every- 
thing that  is  to  happen  to  me,  will  more  and  more  confirm  the 
conviction  that  I  am  not  the  kind  of  Messiah  you  are  expecting, 
or  wish  for.  "  What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend 
up  where  he  was  before  ?'" 

These  words  are  somewhat  difficult  of  interpretation.  They 
are  elliptical.  As  they  stand  in  the  original,  they  are  just — 
"  and,"  or  even,  "  if  ye  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend  up  where  he 
was  before."  There  are  some  things,  and  some  very  important 
things,  stated  here,  which  are  perfectly  plain  ;  let  us  look  at  them 
first.  Our  Lord  assents  here  that  the  Son  of  man — that  is, 
himself  as  Messiah — "  was  about  to  ascend  up  where  he  was  be- 
fore." The  Jews,  as  appears  from  chapter  xii.  34,  expected  that 
the  Messiah  was  to  "  abide  for  ever,"  remain  permanently  among 
them.  Our  Lord  intimates  here,  that,  instead  of  remaining  on 
earth  to  establish  the  worldly  kingdom  they  were  anticipating,  he 
was,  after  having  given  his  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world,  to  re- 
turn to  heaven  from  whence  he  had  come  down. 

The  pre-existence  of  our  Lord — his  pre-existehce  in  heaven — 
previously  to  his  appearing  among  men,  is  as  plainly  stated  in 
these  words  as  language  can  state  it ;  and  with  all  the  ingenuity 
which  belongs  to  the  opposers  of  that  doctrine — and  we  readily 
acknowledge  they  are  possessed  of  no  ordinary  degree  of  it — they 
have  failed,  and  ever  must  fail,  of  bringing  any  other  meaning 
out  of  them.  Having  finished  the  work  which  he  was  sent  to  do 
on  earth,  which  was  chiefly  to  "  give  his  flesh  for  the  life  of  the 
world,"  he  was  to  return  to  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  and  be 
"  glorified  with  the  glory  which  he  had  there  before  the  world  was." 

Our  Lord  farther  intimates,  that  the  Jews  should  "see  him 
ascend  up  where  he  was  before."  The  word  "  see,"  is  equivalent 
to  '  shall  know — know  on  the  most  satisfactory  evidence.'  Our 
Lord's  apostles  beheld  with  the  bodily  eye  the  Son  of  man  ascend 
from  earth  towards  heaven,  and  all  the  varied  evidence  which  sup- 
ports the  truth  of  Christianity  generally  assures  us  that  he  has  sat 
down  on  the  right  hand  of  God  in  the  heaven  of  heavens.  These 
statements  are  plain  enough.  '  The  Son  of  man  shall  ascend 
up  where  he  was  before,' — 'Ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend 
up  where  he  was  before;'  but  what  is  the  meaning  of  the 
words,  "  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend  up  where  he 
was  before  "  ? 

They  are  plainly,  as  we  have  said,  elliptical ;  and  it  is  some- 
what doubtfal  how  the  ellipsis  should  be  supplied.  It  may  be 
supplied  thus, — "  What,"  tliat  is,  '  what  will  you  think,'  '  what 
will  you  say,' — "  if  you  sec -the  Son  of  man  ascend  up  wliere  he 
was  before  ?"  or,'  '  Will  you  still  be  offended,'  "  if  ye  see  the  Son 
of  man  ascend  up  where  he  was  before  ?"  Those  who  consider 
the  objection  of  the  disciples  as  referring  to  the  obscurity  of  our 
Lord's  discourse,  suppose  that  the  import  of  these  words  of  our 
Lord  is, — '  You  find  tliese  sayings  of  mine  obscure,  because  you 

'  John  vi.  02. 


PART  III.]  EFFECTS  OF  OUR  LORD'S  DISCOURSE.  407 

are  disposed  to  understand  tliem  literally,  not  figuratively,  as 
they  ought  to  be  understood.  Surely,  when  I  leave  the  world 
altogether,  and  return  to  heaven,  you  will  see  that  my  words  must 
be  interpreted  figuratively,  in  which  case  there  is  no  difficulty  of 
understanding  them.' 

1  rather  think  the  import  of  our  Lord's  question  is  this  :  '  Will 
ye  still  be  offended  with  my  doctrine  with  respect  to  the  spiritual 
nature  of  the  blessings  which  I,  the  Son  of  man,  have  come  to 
procure  and  bestow,  when,  by  withdrawing  from  this  world  and 
returning  to  my  native  heaven,  I  have  made  it  quite  obvious  that 
I  have  no  design  to  set  np  such  a  temporal  kingdom  as  you  are 
dreaming  of?' 

The  words  that  follow  seem  intended  still  farther  to  meet  the 
misapprehensions  of  these  murmuring  disciples.  "It  is  the 
Spirit  that  quickeneth ;  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing :  the  words 
that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit,  and  they  are  life.'" 
These  words  must  be  differently  interpreted,  according  as  you  sup- 
pose the  murmurings  of  the  disciples  directed  against  the  state- 
ments of  our  Lord's  discourse  as  unintelligible,  or  as  inadmissible 
— ^incredible. 

In  the  first  case,  the  words  would  mean,  '  You  are  occupied 
with  the  body  of  my  discourse — its  words.  You  overlook  its 
spirit — its  meaning.  If  you  allow  your  mind  to  rest  on  the 
words  and  the  figures  merely,  you  will  get  no  good  from  it — it 
will  necessarily  appear  unintelligible  ;  but  if  you  lay  hold  of  the 
truth  which  these  words  and  figures  embody,  you  will  find  that 
they  have  a  meaning — a  meaning  powerful  in  producing  happi- 
ness ;  for  my  words,  rightly  understood,  are  spirit — full  of  energy, 
and  life — capable  of  communicating  happiness.' 

In  the  second  case,  the  meaning  seems  to  be,  '  "  It  is  the 
Spirit  that  quickens :" — these  words,  understood  literally,  look- 
ing at  the  flesh,  the  body,  in  which  the  sentiment  is  clothed, 
may,  indeed,  well  appear  to  be  incredible ;'  but  when  you  dis- 
cern their  spirit,  there  is  nothing  incredible  in  the  statement 
made  by  me,  a  divinely-accredited  messenger,  that  men  are  to 
be  saved  by  faith  in  me,  djdng  as  a  victim  in  their  room.'  By 
other  interpreters,  the  meaning  has  been  thus  given — '  It  is 
spiritual  things — spiritual  blessings — that  constitute  man's  true 
happiness.  The  flesh  profits  nothing.  Carnal,  material,  tem- 
porary benefits,  such  as  power,  and  honor,  and  splendor, 
which  you  are  desiring  and  hoping  for,  do  not,  cannot,  con- 
stitute men  truly  happy.  "My  words  are  spirit,  and  they 
are  life."  My  doctrine  is  a  spiritual  and  a  life-giving  thing. 
He  who  understands  and  believes  it,  obtains  possession  of  true 
permanent  happiness,  to  the  attainment  of  which  the  possession 
of  all  secular  enjoyment  will  be  found  utterly  ineffectual.' 

Our   Lord  added,  "But  there  are  some  of  you   that  believe 

2  John  vi.  63. 

3  "  What  could  ray  flesh  avail  you  to  eternal  life,  even  if  you  were  carnally  to 
eat  of  it  ?" — SucHTiNGius. 


408  TRUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

not;"*  q^.  c?.,  'I  know  that  some — that  many  of  you — notwith- 
standing your  professions,  do  not  really  believe  me  to  be  a  divine 
messenger ;  for  you  are  not  disposed  to  receive  as  true  whatever 
I  declare  to  be  so :  you  receive  my  doctrine  only  so  far  as  it 
coincides  with  your  preconceived  opinions.  Did  you  really  be- 
lieve, instead  of  saying,  "  This  is  an  hard  saying,  who  can  hear 
it  ?"  you  would  have  said,  It  is  a  true  saying,  and  we  will  hear 
it  ?'  It  is  possible,  too,  that  our  Lord  meant  to  suggest  the  im- 
portant truth,  that  it  is  the  believer  alone  who  can  experiment- 
ally knoAv  that  his  words  are  spirit  and  life.  To  the  unbeliever, 
who  sees  merely  the  outside  of  them,  they  profit  nothing ;  they 
are  not  understood,  they  are  not  influential. 

The  evangelist  remarks,  in  a  kind  of  parenthetical  note,  "  For 
Jesus  knew  from  the  beginning  who  they  were  that  believed  not, 
and  who  should  betray  him."^  He  was  never  imposed  on.  When 
he  called  Judas  to  be  an  apostle,  he  knew  that  he  would  be  the 
traitor. 

After  saying  "  there  are  some  of  you  that  believe  not,"  our 
Lord  adds,  "  Therefore  said  I  unto  you,  that  no  man  can  come 
unto  me,  except  it  were  given  unto  him  of  my  Father."'  Our 
Lord  refers  to  what  he  had  said  at  the  -Mth  verse,  '  Because  I 
was  aware  that  many  of  you  were  not  true  believers  in  me,  I 
told  you  that,  unless  you  were  drawn  by  the  Father,  unless  you 
were  taught  of  God,  unless  you  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father, 
you  never  could  be  my  disciples  indeed.' 

The  consequence  of  these  statements  made  by  our  Lord  was, 
that,  "from  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went  back,  and 
walked  no  more  with  him :"''  that  is,  they  withdrew  from  attend- 
ing on  his  teaching ;  they  no  longer  followed  him  from  place  to 
place ;  they  returned  to  their  ordinary  occupations,  convinced 
that  he  was  not  the  Messiah  they  expected  or  wished  for.  Their 
secular  expectations  were  disappointed,  and  their  real  character 
.lisclosed.  They  saw  two  things  very  plainly :  He  was  not  the 
master  they  'wished  for,  and  they  were  not  the  kind  of  followers 
he  wished  for. 

§  2.   On  his  disciples  in  deed. 

When  those  who  had  professed  to  be  his  disciples  were  retir- 
ing in  crowds,  our  Lord  turned  to  the  little  band  of  the  chosen 
twelve,  who  seem  always  to  have  kept  close  to  him,  and  said  to 
them,  "  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?"' — '  Are  ye  also  disposed  to  leave 
me?'  In  these  words,  our  Lord  intimates  that  he  wishes  no 
unwilling  followers — that  they  who  do  not  will  to  stay  with  him 
may  go.' 

With  a  single  exception,  which  our  Lord  himself  immediately 
adverts  to,  the  apostles  were  sincere  believers  in  his  divine  mis- 

*  John  vi.  64.  5  John  vi.  CI.  6  John  vi.  65. 

T  John  vi.  66.  «  John  vi.  67. 

»  "Jesus  neminem  cogit  atque  hoc  ipso  nrctius  sibi  suos  jungit." — Benoei.. 


PART  III.]  EFFECTS   OF  OUR   LORDS   DISCOURSE.  409 

sion  and  MessiaKship.  They  were  in  many  things  prejudiced 
and  mistaken ;  but  they  were  fully  persuaded  that  their  Master 
was  the  promised  deliverer,  and  they  were  expecting  from  him 
something  better  than  a  mere  temporal  deliverance. 

Peter,  with  his  characteristic  forwardness  and  ardor,  replied 
to  the  touching  question  of  his  Master,  "Lord,  to  whom  shall  we 
go  ?  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And  we  believe,  and 
are  sure,  that  thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."'° 
It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  We  cannot  depart  from  thee,  for  we 
know  not  where  else  to  go  to  find  such  a  master.  We  have  no 
wish  to  depart.  Thou,  thou  only,  hast  what  i^e  so  much  need —  /U^/ 
the  words  of  eternal  life;  thou,  thou  alone,  canst  teach  us  the  / 
way  to  true  happiness,  and  lead  us  in  the  way  which  thou  openest 
up  to  us.  We  are  fully  persuaded  thou  art  the  promised  Messiah, 
the  Son  of  God.' 

It  is  difficult,  or  rather  impossible,  for  us  to  say  accurately 
what  ideas  Peter  at  this  time  attached  to  the  appellation,  "  Son 
of  the  living  God."  We  know  what  it  means ;  and  that  in  aU. 
its  extent  of  meaning,  it  is  applicable  to  him  to  whom  Peter  ap- 
plies it. 

In  reply  to  Peter's  confession  in  the  name  of  his  brethren,  our 
Lord  gave  the  following  most  impressive  warning — "  Have  I  not 
chosen  you  twelve,  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil  ?""  The  word 
devil,  in  our  language,  is  the  distinctive  appellation  of  a  particu- 
lar class  of  depraved  intelligences.  The  original  term  is  less  re- 
strictive. Here  it  is  equivalent  either  to  '  enemy,'"*  or  '  false  ac- 
cuser."^ '  Even  in  this  little  band,  in  whose  name  you  have  pro- 
fessed unbroken  attachment,  there  is  one  false-hearted  person.' 
The  remark  was  made  to  ]3ut  them  all  on  their  guard,  to  make 
each  of  them  say,  "  Lord,  is  it  I  ?" 

The  reference  was  to  Judas  Iscariot,  who  afterwards  betrayed 
him  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies."  It  has  been  supposed,  and 
the  conjecture  is  probable,  that  Judas,  who  had  originally  con- 
nected himself  with  Jesus  from  worldly  motives,  in  the  hope 
that  he  would  secure  a  high  place  in  the  kingdom  to  be  estab- 
lished, first  conceived  the  thought  of  betraying  his  Master  on 
hearing  statements  so  completely  irreconcilable  with  the  notion 
that  he  was  to  be  a  temporal  prince. 

I  cannot  conclude  my  illustrations  of  this  discourse  better, 
than  in  the  pertinent  and  pious  reflections  of  Dr.  Doddridge." 
"  We  have,  through  the  Divine  goodness,  been  made  acquainted 
with  these  gospel  truths  in  their  full  evidence  and  itiutual  con- 

»«  John  vi.  68,  69.  '•  John  vi.  70.  i2  Est.  viii.  1. 

13  "Non  solum  sibi  mains,  sed  etiam  aliis  periculosus." — Bengel. 

»  John  vi.  71. 

•5  I  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  my  cordial  admiration  of  what  Dr. 
Doddridge  has  called  the  "  Improvement"  of  the  various  sections  of  his  "  Family 
Expositor."  Many  have  equalled,  some  have  surpassed.  Dr.  Doddridge  as  inter- 
preters of  the  New  Testament,  but  no  man  seems  ever  to  have  drunk  deeper  into 
its  spirit,  or  so  happily  to  have  expressed  the  devout  and  practical  reflections 
which  a  careful  perusal  of  it  is  fitted  to  awaken  in  an  enlightened  polished 
christian  mind. 


410  TEUE  HAPPINESS — WAY  OF  SECURING  IT.      [EXP.  VIII. 

nection,  wbicli  were  more  obscurely  hinted  to  those  who  attended 
on  Christ's  personal  ministry.  May  we  hearken  to  the  spiritual 
sense  of  this  sublime  and  excellent  discourse,  earnestly  entreat- 
ing the  influences  of  Divine  grace,  that  we  may  not  only  be 
drawn  to  Christ,  but  be  so  firmly  attached  to  his  interests,  that 
whosoever  else  forsake  him,  we  may  never  go.  And  may  in- 
stances of  apostasy,  which,  alas,  are  to  be  found  in  our  age,  as 
well  as  in  the  primitive  one,  lead  us  to  serious  self-inquiry,  and 
to  humble  dependence  on  Him,  who  alone  can  '  strengthen, 
stablish,  and  settle  us'  in  the  faith  of  the  truth,  and  enable  us  to 
'  hold  fast  the  confidence  and  the  rejoicing  of  our  hope,  firm  unto 
the  end.' " 


EXPOSITION    IX. 

HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.* 
Matthew  xv.  1-20. — Mark  vil  1-23. 


While  our  Lord  was  "  teacliing  in  the  cities  and  villages  of 
Galilee,"  a  number  of  "  doctors  of  the  law,"  belonging  to  the 
sect  of  the  Pharisees,  whose  ordinary  residence  was  Jerusalem, 
came  to  him.  Whether  they  were  deputed  by  some  public  body 
— or,  of  their  own  accord,  came  expressly  for  the  purpose  of 
hearing  the  discourses  and  witnessing  the  miracles  of  Jesus — or, 
being  in  that  remote  district  of  the  country  at  any  rate,  took  the 
opportunity  of  obtaining  personal  information  respecting  an  indi- 
vidual whose  character  and  claims  had  become  a  subject  of  general 
interest,  it  is  needless  to  inquire,  for  it  is  impossible  to  learn. 
From  the  general  character  of  the  body  to  which  they  belonged, 
and  from  their  own  conduct  on  this  occasion,  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  their  object  was  not  to  find  out  the  truth,  but  rather 
to  "  entangle  Jesus  in  his  talk,"  and,  if  possible,  to  obtain  some 
ground  of  accusation  against  him,  either  before  the  ecclesiastical 
or  civil  authorities — the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  or  the  Eoman  Gov- 
ernor. 

While  they  were  with  ihim,  they  seem  to  have  witnessed  our 
Lord  and  his  apostles  taking  their  frugal  meal,  and  remarked, 
with  surprise,  that  they  sat  down  to  meat  without  observing  the 
ordinary  Jewish  rite  of  washing  the  hands.  The  Mosaic  law  re- 
quired a  variety  of  ablutions ;  this,  however  was  none  of  them. 
But  the  Jewish  Rabbis — "  the  elders,"  as  they  are  called  by  the 
evangelist — had  added  many  ceremonial  injunctions  of  their  own 
to  those  of  Divine  appointment,  and  insisted  on  obedience  to 
these  as  a  necessary  part  of  religious  duty.  Among  these,  that 
of  washing  the  hand  and  arm  up  towards  the  elbow  (for  that 
seems  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  Mark,  rendered  by  our  trans- 
lators oft^)  previously  to  sitting  down  to  meals,  was  considered  . 

»  See  Note  A. 

'  Uvy/i!/.  Olshausea  understands  it  somewhat  diiferently.  He  says,  "Undoubt- 
edly Tivy/j.)}  is  to  be  taken  in  the  usual  sense  of  hand,  fist,  so  that  the  method  in 
which  the  Jews  washed  is  pointed  out.  The  hands  seem  to  have  been  used  alter- 
nately in  washing  one  another.  The  Syriac  translators  would  have  rendered  it 
'frequently,'  'generally,'  as  though  tliey  had  rendered  it  -vicvi'j.  Either  the 
translator  Imd  heard  the  word  wrong,  or  he  did  not   know  liovv   to  translate 


412  HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.      [EXP,  IX. 

of  very  great  importance.  "  Whosoever,"  says  one  of  the  Eab- 
bis,  "  despiseth  the  washing  of  hands,  is  worthy  to  be  excommu- 
nicated." "  He  that  eats  bread,"  says  another,  "  with  unwashed 
hands,  acts  as  wickedly  as  if  he  had  committed  whoredom." 
Eabbi  Akiba,  when  in  prison,  not  having  water  sufficient  both  to 
quench  his  thirst  and  wash  his  hands,  employed  what  he  had  for 
the  latter  purpose,  saying,  "It  is  better  to  die  for  thirst  than  to 
transgress  the  traditions  of  the  elders."  "  "Whosoever,"  says 
another  Talmudist,  "  hath  his  seat  in  the  land  of  Israel,  ajid  eateth 
his  common  food  in  cleanness,  and  speaks  the  holy  language,  and 
recites  his  phylacteries  morning  and  evening,  let  him  be  confident 
that  he  shall  obtain  the  life  of  the  world  to  come." 

With  these  views  of  the  importance  of  keeping  the  traditions 
generally,  and  particularly  of  washing  the  hands,  as  a  religious 
rite,  before  eating,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  it  was  with  a  mixture 
of  surprise  and  indignation  that  they  saw  the  followers  of  a  pro- 
fessed religious  teacher  neglect  so  important  an  observance ;  and, 
concluding  that  he  approved  of  their  conduct,  from  his  not  con- 
demning it,  they  inquired,  "  Why  walk  not  thy  disciples  accord- 
ing to  the  traditions  of  the  elders,  but  eat  bread  with  unwashen 
hands  ?"^ 

Our  Lord's  reply  consists  of  two  parts :  a  general  condemna- 
tion of  the  practice  of  attending  to  those  unauthorized  observ- 
ances, as  if  they  were  religious  duties,  and  a  particular  exempli- 
fication of  their  mischievous  tendency.  These  two  parts  are  not 
given  by  the  two  evangelists  in  the  same  order.^  We  follow  the 
order  of  Mark,  who,  after  his  usual  manner,  obviously  gives  the 
more  circumstantial  account  of  the  whole  matter.  According  to 
our  Lord,  these  traditionary  observances  were  both  useless  and 
mischievous. 

They  were  useless.  They  were  not,  they  could  not  be  accept- 
able as  pieces  of  religious  worship  ;  for  they  were  not  required 
nor  authorized  by  the  great  object  of  worship.  As  religious  ser- 
vices, they  were  utterly  "  vain."  They  could  serve  no  good  pur- 
pose. This  sentiment  our  Lord  ex})resses  by  quoting  a  passage 
irom  the  book  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  and  asserting  that  it  is  a 
prophetic  description  and  condemnation  of  the  very  practice 
which  they  so  highly  approved,  and  for  the  neglect  of  which 
they  were  disposed  so  severely  to  censure  his  disciples.  "  Well," 
said  he,  "  hath  Esaias  prophesied  of  j^ou  hypocrites."  It  is  as  if 
lie  had  said,  *  Ye  are  iiypocrites ;'  i.  e.,  '  you  assume  a  character 
that  does  not  at  all  belong  to  you :  you  profess  to  be  very  zeal- 
ous for  the  law  and  honor  of  Jehovah — and  how  do  you  show 
your  zeal  7  While  insisting  on  observauces,  as  necessary  parts  of 
religious  duty,  which  lie  has  never  requiretl,  and  in  conforming 
to  which,  not  His  honor,  but  the  hojior  of  you  and  your  Rabbis 

it."  ^anriafibg — as  used  by  Aluttliew — according  to  the  same  very  learned  inter- 
preter— "is,  as  at  ilcb.  ix.  10, — Ablution,  waxkiiKj  ^QnaYnWy."  Campbell  would 
render  irvy^ij  "with  a  little  water,"  quasi,  '  witii  u  handful.' 

^  Mark  vii.  5.  •*  Matt.  xv.  3-9.     Mark  vii.  G-13. 


EXP.  IX.]      HUMAN  AUTHOEITY  IN"  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.  413 

is  involved,  and  at  the  same  time  dispensing  with,  wliat  liis  law- 
has  rendered  absolutely  obligator}^,  you  profess  to  acknowledge 
his  authority  ;  but  what  do  you  actually  do  by  these  traditions  ? 
You  usurp  that  authority  equally  by  making  that  a  duty  which 
he  has  not  made  a  duty,  and  by  superseding  the  obligation  of 
that  which  he  has  made  a  duty.  ' '  Esaias  has  prophesied  well  of 
you  hypocrites."  He  has  accurately  described  your  character; 
he  has  strongly  condemned  your  conduct.' 

The  quotation  is  from  Isaiah  xxix,  13.  The  words  are  not  a 
literal  translation  of  the  passage  as  it  stands  in  our  Hebrew 
bibles ;  but  they  accurately  enough  express  the  prophet's  mean- 
ing. Many  expositors  consider  our  Lord's  words  as  merely 
signifying  that  the  terms  in  which  Isaiah  described  certain  per- 
sons in  his  own  times,  were  strictly  applicable  to  those  whom  he 
now  addressed.  I  rather  think  our  Lord  meant  to  say,  that  they 
were  the  very  persons  whom  the  prophet,  in  the  spirit  of  predic- 
tion, describes.  I  apprehend  that  both  the  twenty-eighth  and 
twenty-ninth  chapters  of  the  book  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  have  a 
direct  and  sole  reference  to  the  state  of  the  Jewish  people  imme- 
diately before,  at,  and  after,  the  appearance  of  the  Messiah. 
"  This  people  draw  nigh  unto  me  with  the  mouth,  and  honor  me 
with  the  lip,  but  their  heart  is  far  from  me."*  '  This  people  pro- 
fess a  great  regard  for  my  authority  and  law  ;  but  they  are  desti- 
tute of  that  regard  for  my  authority  and  law  which  tney  profess. 
"  Their  fear  of  me  " — their  religion — "  is  taught  by  the  precept 
of  men  "^^ — 'the  services  they  profess  to  perform  to  me,  are  per- 
formed from  a  regard,  not  to  my  authority,  but  to  the  authority 
of  men.  Their  teachers  impose  their  own  doctrines  as  of  equal, 
as  of  superior,  authority  to  my  commandments ;  and  they  submit 
to  this  impious  usurpation.  What  they  call  the  worship  of  God, 
is  indeed  the  worship  of  men.  What  they  offer  to  me  as  worship, 
must  then  be  vain — "  In  vain  do  they  worship  me."*  It  cannot 
serve  the  purpose  of  worship.  It  cannot  be  acceptable  to  me.  It 
cannot  be  useful  to  them.'  No  religious  service  can  be  accept- 
able to  God  if  he  has  not  enjoined  it ;  and  even  a  religious  ser- 
vice which  he  has  enjoined,  can  be  acceptable  to  him  only  if  it  be 
performed  out  of  regard  to  his  authority,  and  not  from  any  other 
motive. 

But  our  Lord  denounces  these  traditions,  not  only  as  useless, 
but  as  mischievous.  The  hypocrisy  of  the  Jewish  doctors,  in 
pretending  a  supreme  regard  to  the  Divine  authority,  was  mani- 
fested, not  only  in  adding  to,  but  in  taking  from,  the  Divine  law 
— not  only  in  making  that  duty  which  God  had  never  made 
duty,  and  that  sin  which  he  had  never  made  sin — but  in  mak- 
ing that  sin  which  he  had  made  duty,  and  that  duty  which  lie 
had  made  sin.  They  not  only  placed  themselves  on  a  level  with 
Him  by  making  new  laws  in  religion,  but  they  even  placed  them- 
selves above  Him  by  holding  that  when  His  laws  and  theirs  came 
into  collision,  His — not  theirs — must  give  way.     "■  Laying  aside 

1  Matt.  XV.  8.  5  isa,  xxix.  13.  ^  Matt.  xv.  9.     Mark  vii.  7. 


414  HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.      [EXP.  IX. 

the  commandment  of  God,  ye  hold  the  tradition  of  men."  "  Ye 
transgress  the  commandment  of  God  by  your  tradition.'" 

Of  this  our  Lord  gives  a  very  striking  example,  introducing  it 
mth  these  words  of  most  severe  irony — "  Full  well  ye  reject  the 
commandment  of  God,  that  3'^ou  may  keep  your  own  tradition."* 
'  With  Avhat  admirable  consistency  do  you  profess  such  a  high  re- 
gard for  God,  while  you  trample  on  His  authority  to  exalt  your 
own  I'  "  For  Moses  said,  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother  ;  and, 
whoso  curseth  father  or  mother,  let  him  die  the  death :  but  ye 
say,  If  a  man  shall  say  to  his  father  and  mother.  It  is  Corban, 
that  is  to  say,  a  gift,  by  whatsoever  thou  mightest  be  profited  by 
me ;  he  shall  be  free.  And  ye  suffer  him  no  more  to  do  ought 
for  his  father  or  his  mother ;  making  the  word  of  God  of  none 
effect  through  your  tradition."' 

The  general  meaning  of  our  Lord's  words  is  quite  plain. 
'  Filial  duty  is  most  strongly  enjoined  in  the  law  of  God,  and  the 
neglect  of  it  is  represented  as  a  very  great  sin ;  but  by  one  of 
your  traditions  this  part  of  the  Divine  law  is  frustrated — made 
void — as  it  were,  cancelled.' 

The  word  "  honor,"  in  the  fifth  commandment,  is  a  general 
term  for  that  respectful  affection,  and  all  proper  expressions  of  it, 
which  a  child  ought  to  cherish  towards  a  parent.  One  of  the 
proper  modes  of  expressing  this  feeling,  is  for  the  child  to  sup- 
port the  parent,  either  wholly  or  in  part,  when  the  parent's  cir- 
cumstances require,  and  the  child's  permit  this.  To  "  curse  "  a 
parent — to  treat  a  father  or  a  mother  with  disrespect  or  cruelty — 
is  condemned  in  the  strongest  terms  in  the  Divine  law.  Now,  it 
seems  the  Jews  had  a  tradition  of  the  elders,  the  tendency  of 
which  was  to  invalidate  both  what  God  had  enjoined  and  for- 
bidden on  the  subject  of  filial  duty ;  but  what  was  the  precise 
nature  of  that  tradition,  and  how  it  had  the  effect  of  making 
void  the  Divine  law  with  regard  to  filial  duty,  are  points  on  which 
interpreters  are  not  agreed. 

Some  have  supposed  that  the  tradition  referred  to  was  this — 
'  The  support  of  destitute  parents  is  optional,  not  obligatory ; 
it  is  a  gift,  not  a  debt.  He  who  yields  it  is  very  praiseworthy, 
but  he  who  withholds  it  cannot  be  justly  blamed.'  Such  a  tra- 
dition would,  no  doubt,  materially  cancel  the  fifth  commandment. 
But  simple,  and  on  that  account  probable,  as  this  mode  of  in- 
terpretation is,  there  are  insuperable  objections  to  its  adoption. 
We  have  no  reason  to  think  tliat  the  Jews  had  any  such  tradi- 
tion ;  even  although  they  had,  they  could  scarcely  be  said 
by  it  "  not  to  suffer  men  to  do  ought  for  their  })arents ;"  and, 
besides,  this  inter])retation  tloes  not  account  for  the  word  Cor- 
ban, which  properly  signifies  a  sacred  gift, — something  devoted 
to  God. 

Another  class  of  interpreters  suppose  that  this  was  the  tradi- 
tion : — '  If  a  man  declare  that  he  will  devote  to  sacred  purposes 
that  which  otherwise  he  would  have  been  bound  to  devote  to  the 

7  Mark  vii.  8.     Mntt.  xv.  8.  »  Mark  vii.  9.  »  Mark  vii.  10-13. 


EXP.  IX.]      HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.  415 

support  of  his  parents,  lie  is  not  only  freed  from  the  obligation 
to  support  his  parents,  but  he  would  sin  if  he  were  employing 
any  of  his  property  for  this  purpose.'  No  doubt  this,  too,  would 
make  void  the  fifth  commandment ;  and  this  would  indeed  be 
a  refusing  to  suffer  the  man  to  do  aught  for  his  father  and 
mother.  But  there  is  a  want  of  evidence  that  this  was  one  of 
the  ways  in  which  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  "  spoiled  widows' 
houses." 

The  following  appears  to  me  the  most  probable  account  of  the 
matter.  There  seems  to  be  a  reference  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Jewish  rabbis  with  regard  to  vows.  Their  doctrine  on  this  sub- 
ject has  been  thus  stated  by  the  learned  Dr.  Pococke,  one  of  the 
most  accomplished  of  our  rabbinical  scholars: — "A  man  may  be 
so  bound  by  vows  that  he  cannot,  without  great  sin,  do  what 
God  in  his  law  hath  required  to  be  done ;  so  that  if  he  made  a 
vow  which  laid  him  under  the  necessity  of  violating  God's  law 
that  he  might  observe  it,  his  vow  must  stand,  and  the  law  be 
abrogated."  The  words  in  the  11th  verse,  in  Mark's  Gospel,  are 
the  terms  of  the  vow — "It  is  Corban" — or  "let  it  be  Corban 
— ^by  whatsoever  thou  mightest  be  profited  by  me."  Corban 
signifies  what  is  dedicated  to  God,  and  what  cannot  be  turned 
to  any  other  purpose  without  sacrilege.  If  a  Jew  were  about  to 
take  a  vow  against  the  use  of  wine,  he  would  say,  "  Let  this  wine 
be  Corban;  "t.  e.,  'I  vow  I  shall  not  drink  it;  and  if  I  do,  I 
will  incur  the  same  degree  of  guilt  that  I  should  by  violating 
the  sacredness  of  anything  devoted  to  God.'  The  vow  before 
us  is,  '  Let  everything  by  which  I  may  be  profitable  to  my 
parents  be  Corban.  I  vow  that  I  will  not  do  anything  for 
the  support  of  my  parents;  and  if  I  do,  may  I  draw  down 
on  myself  the  punishment  due  to  a  violation  of  sacred  prop- 
erty.' 

Such  a  vow,  in  ordinary  circumstances,  could  only  be  made  in 
a  moment  of  passion.  No  man  could  approve  of  such  a  vow. 
We  have  no  reason  to  think  the  Scribes  or  Pharisees  did  so. 
They  would  readily,  I  have  no  doubt,  have  condemned  it ;  but 
still,  according  to  their  doctrine,  the  vow,  though  a  rash  one, 
was  an  obligatory  one.  To  the  man  who  had  made  such  a  vow, 
they  would  have  said,  '  You  should  not  have  made  it ;  but,  hav- 
ing made  it,  you  must  keep  it.  By  keeping  your  vow,  you  no 
doubt  expose  yourself  to  the  penalty  connected  with  the  breach 
of  the  fifth  commandment ;  but  by  breaking  it,  you  will  expose 
yourself  to  the  punishment  you  have  invoked  on  yourself, — the 
punishment  due  to  the  violation  of  sacred  property, — a  much 
greater  punishment  than  that  due  for  filial  undutifulness.  There 
is  only  a  choice  of  evils ;  but  there  is,  in  this  case,  a  greater  evil 
in  breaking  the  vow  than  in  keeping  the  vow.' 

Such  were  the  absurd  refinements  of  rabbinical  casuistry,  by 
which  they  confounded  the  plainest  moral  distinctions,  and  made 
sin  duty,  and  duty  sin.  The  plain,  scriptural,  common  sense 
decision,    on  such   a  case,  would   be,  '  You  sinned   greatly  in 


416  HUMAN  AUTHOKITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.      [EXP.  IX. 

making  such  a  vow,  and  you  would  sin  still  more  were  you 
keeping  it.  Kepent  of  your  wickedness  in  making  so  rash, 
profane,  and  unnatural  a  vow,  ancT  show  your  repentance  by 
redoubled  assiduity  in  the  performance  of  every  variety  of  filial 
duty.' 

Our  Lord  concluded  his  stringent  address  to  these  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  with  these  words  : — "  And  many  such  like  things 
ye  do.'""  '  This  is  but  a  specimen  of  yowc  traditions ;  and  are 
my  disciples  to  be  censured  for  disregarding  such  traditions — 
which  can  be  of  no  use — which  are  so  mischievous  ?  and  is  it 
for  you,  hypocrites,  to  pretend  zeal  for  the  Divine  authority,  and 
to  manifest  displeasure  at  my  disciples,  as  if  they  disowned  it, 
while  you  set  the  throne  of  human  authority  not  only  on  a  level 
with,  but  above,  the  throne  of  Divine  authority  ?' 

We  are  all  ready  enough  to  condemn  these  Scribes  and  Pha- 
risees for  "  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men," 
and  "making  void  the   commandment  of  God  by  their  tradi- 
tions."    But  let  us  remember  that  this  pestilent  spirit  is  by  no 
means  extinct,  and  let  us  guard  against  its  influence.     In  every 
country  and  age,  men  have  discovered  a  disposition  to  mould  the 
doctrines   and  worship   of  God   according  to   their  own  fancy. 
Whence  but  from  this  came  the  mummeries  of  popish  super- 
stition^ — its  masses  and  penances,  and  fasts  and  festivals,  and  pil- 
grimages?  and  whence  come  the  unauthorized  rites,  and  cere- 
monies, and  office-bearers,  that   are  to  be   found  in   churches 
calling  themselves  reformed  ?     Whence  came  the  unholy  con-    .^^^ 
nection  between   church  and  state,  and  all   its  diversified   and  ^^  ,ry^*#P* 
innumerable   fatal   results?    whence  have  come  those  terms  olj-  \ 
communion,  unsanctioned  by  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ,  t'  '^^jLj*} 
are  to  be  found  in    so  many  societies  which  profess  to  1        ■^  ■ 
churches?     All  these  spring  from  one  "root  of  bittern c  i^      ^»_ 
substituting  tradition  in  the  room  of  revelation — the  aut!     lt>  of  '/; 
man  in  the  room  of  the  authority  of  God.  '    ' 

We  have  great  reason  to  deplore,  and  we  sometimes  tl         j^ 
have  reason  to  wonder,  that  so  little  of  the  Divine  blessing    ,tr  ' 
on  the  ministers  and  churches  of  Christ.     We  should  probaV'i: 
cease  to  wonder,  though  not  to  deplore,  were  we  recollecting  th#'  ^^-nj^ 
Jesus  promises  to  be  always  with  a  ministry  who  teach  men  to"   'l%0 
observe  "  all  things  whatsoever  he  has  commanded,"  and  nothing 
else ;  and  with  churches  Avho  "  walk  in  his  commandments  and 
ordinances  blameless." 

That  will  be  a  happy  day  which  sees  the  empire  of  human  au- 
thority within  the  christian  churcli  completely  overthrown.  "  By 
setting  their  thresholds  by  his  thresholds,  by  setting  their  posts 
by  his  posts,"  there  has  been  a  wall  raised  between  God  and  his 
people.  When  these  are  cast  down,  and  God's  people  made 
thoroughly  "  ashamed  "  of  having  erected  them,  a  voice  will  be 
heard  from  heaven,  "  The  place  of  my  throne,  and  the  place  of 
the  soles  of  my  feet,  and  my  holy  name,  shall  the  house  of 

•»  Mark  vii.  13. 


EXP.  IX.]      HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.  417 

Israel  no  more  defile,"  "  and  I  will  dwell  in  tlie  midst  of  them  for 
ever."" 

Whenever  human  authority  has  found  its  way  into  the  church 
of  God,  it  has  not  rested  satisfied  with  merely  adding  to  the  laws 
and  institutions  of  Christ ;  it  has  always  in  some  measure  altered 
and  annulled  them.  When,  in  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  so 
many  ceremonies  were  added  to  the  simple  rite  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, the  result  was,  that  the  one-half  of  the  original  ordinance  was 
abolished,  by  the  cup  being  denied  to  the  laity.  Wherever  saints' 
days  are  observed  on  human  authority,  the  Lord's  day,  appointed 
by  Divine  authority,  is  neglected.  Whenever  the  ministers  of 
religion  are  supported  by  state  endowments,  the  Divine  financial 
law,  "Let  him  who  is  taught  in  the  word  communicate  to  him 
that  teacheth  in  all  good  things,""  is  superseded,  and,  so  far  as 
man  can  do  it,  repealed.  When  men  introduce  their  own  terms 
of  communion,  Christ's  terms  of  communion  are  sure  to  be  disre- 
garded ;  and  when,  in  the  presbyterian  churches  of  tliis  country, 
a  host  of  unauthorized,  or  at  any  rate  unappointed,  services,  were 
connected  with  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  then  an 
ordinance,  which  in  the  primitive  age  was  observed  every  Lord's 
day,  was  converted  into  an  annual  religious  festival. 

The  christian  church  is  even  yet  but  very  imperfectly  freed 
from  the  unholy  influence,  and  the  mischievous  operation  of  human 
authority.    The  house  requires  to  be  more  careftilly  swept  than  it 
was  at  the  reformation  from  Popery,  and  a  more  thorough  search 
must  be  made  for  the  old  leaven,  that  it  maj  be  completely  cast 
•*  out.    Let  all  individual  Christians,  let  all  christian  churches,  learn 
f'   o.act  on  the  jDrinciple,  that  in  reference  to  christian  faith,  and 
a^w^and  worship,  the  question  is  not,  '  Hov/  thinkest  thou  ?'  but, 
^  t^fjv^j^adest  thou?"  not,  'What  is  use  and  wont?'  but,  "What 
^'"      -^  in  the  law?"  not,  'How  is  it  to  be  arranged  by  us?' 
1  has  it  been  settled  by  our  Master?"     Let  us  "seek 

tjo4"+'!'    oook  of  the  Lord  and  read,"     However  sincere  a  man 
'I  ,   ji  a  creed  or  worship  of  his  own  invention,  or  of  other 
''*-»v  "^  r^ntion,  it  will  profit  him  nothing,     "The  faithful  wit- 
pfouounces  such  a  creed  and  such  a  worship  "  vain,"    May 
v»avv.,^by  the  mighty  power  of  his  truth,  overturn  all  the  altars 
i,^R>!thuman  authority  erected  in  christian  churches  and  christian 
-•hearts;  and  in  the  implicit  belief  of  divine  truth,  because  it  is  di- 
vine— the  unquestioning  obedience  of  divine  precepts,  because 
they  are  divine — and  the  cheerful  observance  of  divine  ordinances, 
because  they  are  divine,  may  "the  Lord  alone  be  exalted." 

The  pharisaic  doctors  could  make  no  reply  to  these  words' of 
holy  rebuke.  They  retired  silenced,  but  not  convinced — covered 
with  shame,  and  full  of  malignity.  As  they  were  retiring,  and 
still  within  hearing,  our  Lord  took  the  opportunity  of  endeavor- 
ing to  lodge  in  the  minds  of  the  multitude,  in  whose  presence  the 
conversation  had  taken  place,  an  important  general  principle  in 
the  form  of  an  apothegmatic  remark,  which  was  well  fitted  to 

"  Ezek.  xliii.  8,  7,  9.  '^  Gal.  vi.  6. 

VOL.  I.  27 


418  HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED,      [EXP.  IX. 

show  the  absurdity  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees 
respecting  the  iincleanness  which  they  asserted  was  contracted  by 
vioLating  the  tradition  of  the  elders  respecting  eating  food  with 
unwashen  hands.  Having  called  the  surrounding  crowd  near 
him,  he  said  to  them,  "  hearken  unto  me  every  one  and  under- 
stand."" 

These  words  are  equivalent  to — '  Give  close  attention,  and 
exert  to  the  utmost  your  faculty  of  mental  perception.  I  am 
about  to  make  a  statement  which  at  once  deserves  and  requires 
attention.  It  is  of  great  importance  that  you  should  rightly  and 
fully  understand  it.  "Without  mental  exertion,  you  cannot  do 
this.     With  mental  exertion,  you  may  do  it.' 

In  endeavoring  thus  to  fix  the  attention,  and  to  engage  in 
active  operation  the  mental  faculties,  of  his  hearers,  our  Lord 
sets  an  example  which  should  be  followed  by  every  religious 
teacher.  There  is  no  pouring  christian  truth  passively  into  the 
minds  of  men.  If  men  will  not  listen,  and  reflect,  and  examine 
the  meaning  of  statements,  the  validity  of  arguments,  and  the 
force  of  motives,  the  best  possible  teaching  will  not  make  them 
wiser  and  bcitter.  It  is  anything  but  a  recommendation  to  a  ser- 
mon, that  it  saves  the  audience  the  trouble  of  thinking. 

According  to  the  evangelist  Mark,  who,  as  we  have  already 
remarked,  gives  us  the  most  circumstantial  account  of  this  dis- 
course, our  Lord,  after  this  solemn  introduction,  proceeded  to 
say,  "  There  is  nothing  from  without  a  man,  that  entering  into 
him  can  defile  him :  but  the  things  which  come  out  of  him,  those 
are  they  that  defile  the  man  ;'"*  and  according  to  Matthew,  "  Not 
that  which  goeth  into  the  mouth  defileth  a  man  ;  but  that  which 
Cometh  out  of  the  mouth,  this  defileth  a  man."" 

I  think  it  probable,  that  our  Lord  used  in  succession,  first  the 
words  recorcled  by  Mark,  and  then  those  recorded  by  Matthew, 
and  that  the  two  statements  are  not  to  be  considered  as  the  dif- 
ferent modes  in  which  two  witnesses  report  the  same  saying. 
The  words  in  Mark  are  the  statement  of  a  general  principle : 
'  It  is  not  anything  extrinsic  and  material,  anything  which  affects 
merely  the  outer  man — the  animal  frame — that,  properly  speak- 
ing, makes  a  man  morally  impure ;  whatever  does  so  must  be 
something  residing  within,  proceeding  fi-om  the  inner  man — the 
spiritual — the  intellectual — the  moral  nature.'  The  words  in 
Matthew  are  the  application  of  the  principle  to  the  case  before 
them :  '  Food,  even  although,  from  being  eaten  with  unwashen 
hands,  not  so  clean  as  it  miglit  l)e,  cannot  make  a  man  morally 
impure;  but  such  "  evil  thoughts,"  or  rather  "  wicked  reasonings," 
as  come  out  of  the  mouths  of  tlie  pharisaic  Scribes,  when  they 
"  make  void  tlie  commandment  of  God  ilirough  their  traditions," 
they  indeed  make  a  man  morally  impur«.\  My  disciples,  in  neg- 
lecting a  mere  human  tradition,  have  incurred  no  guilt,  have 
done  nothing  displeasing  to  God ;  but  these  men,  with  all  their 
pretended  sanctity,  who  would  bring  them  in  guilty  before  God, 

'3  Mark  vii.  ]4     Matt  xv.  10.  "  Mark  vii.  15.  '^  Matt.  xv.  11. 


fiXP.  IX.]      HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.  419 

imiit  for  fellowship  witli  liim,  make  it  evident,  by  tlieir  wicked 
reasonings,  wliich  "  proceed  out  of*  their  mouth,"  that  in  their 
inner  man  they  are  "  full  of  what  is  abomination"  to  Him  who  re- 
quires truth  in  the  hidden  part.' 

It  is  quite  obvious  that  our  Lord,  in  these  words,  has  no  refer- 
ence to  the  Divine  law,  prohibiting  the  use  of  certain  articles  of 
food  to  the  Israelitish  people.  Our  Lord,  when  he  was  "made 
of  a  woman,"  was  "  made  under  the  law,"'"  and  scrupulously  ob- 
served every  one  of  its  requisitions.  He  informs  us,  that  "  till 
all  things  were  fulfilled,"  an  iota  or  a  tittle  of  that  law  was  not 
to  lose  its  authority;  and  he  condemns  the  pharisaic  Scribes  for 
using  unhol}^  freedoms  with  that  law — stating  that  "  whosoever 
shall  break  one  of  these  least  commandments,  and  shall  teach 
men  so,  he  shall  be  called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven: 
but  whosoever  shall  do  and  teach  them,  the  same  shall  be  called 
gi'cat  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.""  For  the  disciples  to  have 
eaten  swine's  flesh,  Avould,  without  doubt,  have  made  them  "un- 
clean;" but  it  would  have  done  so,  not  from  an}'  physical  quality 
in  the  food  itself,  but  in  consequence  of  its  showing  that  the  evil 
thing — indisposition  to  comply  with  the  clearly-revealed  will  of 
God,  in  an  unrepealed  code  of  law — was  within.  Even  in  this 
case  it  would  have  been,  not  so  much  what  went  into  the  mouth, 
but  what  came  from  the  heart,  which  morally  defiled  the  man. 

What   our  Lord   says  here,  however,  seems  just  to  be  this, 

*  Food,  though  physically,  not  ceremonially,  impure,  cannot 
make  a  man  morally  impure ;'  the  reverse  of  which  very  obvi- 
ously true  remark  was  implied  in  the  Pharisees'  insisting  that 
the  use  of  food  permitted  by  God,  unless  attended  by  a  usage  not 
appointed  by  him,  did  make  men  morally  impure,  i.  e.,  guilty,  ob- 
jects of  disgust  to  the  Holy,  Holy,  Holy  One. 

Having  laid  down  this  principle,  and  applied  it  to  the  case  be- 
fore him,  our  Lord  adds,  "  If  any  man  have  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear.""  This  was  a  formula  of  speech  often  employed  by  our 
Lord,  and  is  just  synonymous  with  the  words  with  which  he  in- 
troduced   the    somewhat   enigmatical   statement  he  had  made. 

•  This  statement  may  seem  to  you  strange  ;  but  it  is  true,  and  it 
is  important.  It  deserves,  it  requires,  considerate  attention ;  let  it 
receive  it.' 

Leaving  the  multitude,  our  Lord  retired  with  his  disciples 
into  the  house  where  he  ordinarily  resided ;  and  when  they  were 
by  themselves,  his  disciples  said  to  him,  "  Knowest  thou  that  the 
Pharisees  were  offended  after  they  heard  this  saying?""  The 
Pharisees  were  a  numerous  and  influential  class  among  the  Jews, 
and  the  Scribes  belonging  to  the  party  Avere  their  leaders.  In 
the  partially  enlightened  state  of  the  disciples'  minds,  it  must 
have  appeared  to  them  a  very  desirable  thing  that  these  per- 
sons should  be  induced  to  recognize  the  validity  of  tlieir  Master's 
claims ;  and  that,  therefore,  it  was  advisable  to  avoid,  as  much  as 

's  Gal.  iv.  4.  '7  Matt.  v.  18,  19. 

'8  Mark  vii.  16.  's  Matt.  xv.  12. 


420  HUM.\X  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.      [EXP.  TX. 

possible,  whatever  was  calculated  to  disgust  or  displease  them. 
Such  seems  to  have  been  the  state  of  mind  which  dictated  their 
address  to  their  Master.  Probably  they  heard  the  Scribes  mur- 
muring as  they  retired  :  '  This  can  be  no  true  prophet  who  thus 
pom-s  contempt  on  the  traditions  of  the  elders  ;'  and  their  feeling 
seems  to  have  been,  '  What  a  pity  that  their  prejudices  were  so 
directly  attacked.'  The  import  of  the  question  appears  to  be, 
'  Are  you  aware  of  the  effect  produced  by  "the  saying"  (rather, 
'the  discourse,')  you  have  just  uttered?  Do  you  know  that 
these  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who,  we  hoped,  might  have  become 
thy  disciples,  and  joined  our  company,  were  quite  "offended" 
— ^uite  stumbled  at  it?  However  much  they  might  have  been 
disposed  beforehand  to  become  thy  disciples,  it  is  all  over  with 
them  now.' 

Instead  of  sympathizing  with  these  views  of  his  disciples, — 
instead  of  expressing  anjrthing  like  regret  at  what  he  had  said, 
or  a  wish  that  he  had  been  more  cautious  in  his  language, — he 
replied,  "  Every  plant,  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not 
planted,  shall  be  rooted  up.""  The  only  question  which  affects 
the  interpretation  of  these  words  is.  What  does  the  word  "  plant," 
refer  to  ?  Does  it  refer  to  the  Pharisees,  or  to  their  doctrine, 
which  our  Lord  had  been  condemning  and  exposing  ?  In  the 
first  case  the  meaning  is,  '  The  pharisaic  sect,  numerous  and 
respectable  as  it  is,  is  not  of  divine  institution,  and  therefore  is 
not  to  be  honored  by  being  brought  as  a  body  into  the  number 
of  my  followers.  It  is  to  be  rooted  up,  or  destroyed.'  In  the 
second  case  the  meaning  is,  '  The  doctrine  of  the  Pharisees 
respecting  human  traditions  has  not  the  sanction  of  Divine 
authority ;  and  it  belongs  to  me,  as  the  Great  Prophet  like  unto 
Moses,  not  only  to  water  and  cherish  the  plants  which  my 
heavenlv  Father  has  planted,  and  to  plant  such  other  plants  as 
it  is  his  will  to  have  planted,  but  to  root  up  such  plants  as  he 
has  not  planted ;  in  plain  words,  not  only  to  sanction  former 
revelations  of  the  Divine  will,  and  to  make  new  revelations,  but 
also  to  condemn  and  expose,  and  put  down,  all  opinions  and 
usages  falsely  claiming  to  be  of  Divine  authority.'  It  does  not 
matter  much  which  of  the  views  you  take  of  the  subject,  though 
I  confess  I  feel  rather  disposed  to  prefer  the  last. 

"Let  them  alone,"?',  e.,  I  apprehend,  'Have  nothing  to  do 
with  them.  Do  not  desire  their  patronage  or  co-operation. 
With  all  their  sanctimonious  pretensions  to  ^dsdom  and  piety, 
they  are  the  stupid  and  wicked  teachers  of  a  stu])id  and  wicked 
people.  "  They  are  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.""  It  is  a  very 
foolish  thought,  if  such  a  thought  lurks  in  your  mind,  that  I 
could  make  common  cause  with  them.  I  see  clearly~I  know 
whither  I  am  going — ^and  I  am  the  seeing  guide  of  those  who 
see,  whose  eyes  I  have  opened.  I  will  lead  them  by  the  right 
way  to  the  wealthy  place.  But  these  blind  guides  of  the  blind 
will  precipitate  themselves,  along  with  those  who  have  committed 

M  Matt.  XV.  13.  ^'  Matt.  xv.  16. 


EXP.  IX.]      HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.  421 

themselves  to  their  direction,  into  the  pit  of  perdition.  Have 
nothing  to  do,  then,  with  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees.' 

Our  Lord's  conduct  here  shows  us  that  we  are  not,  from  the 
fear  of  giving  offence  to  influential,  and,  in  a  worldly  point  of 
view,  I'espectable  men,  to  refrain  from  speaking  the  truth,  espe- 
cially with  regard  to  doctrines  and  usages,  unsanctioned  by  Divine 
authority,  which  men  endeavor  to  impose  as  articles  of  faith 
and  religious  ordinances,  and  by  which  they  cast  into  the  shade 
doctrines  plainly  revealed,  and  substantially  make  void  ordi- 
nances clearly  appointed  by  the  Lord.  It  is  no  uncommon 
thing  when  the  truth,  witli  regard  to  the  spirituality  of  our 
Lord's  kingdom — with  regard  to  the  danger  of  building  "  hay 
and  stubble"  on  the  only  foundation — with  regard  to  the  only 
financial  law  of  the  church,  and  the  guilt  and  the  danger  of  neg- 
lecting and  still  more  attempting  to  repeal,  that  law ; — it  is  no 
uncommon  thing,  when  the  truth  on  these  subjects  is  spoken, 
however  calmly,  for  persons  of  great  influence  and  worldly  re- 
spectability to  be  dissatisfied  and  ofiended.  And  some  very  well- 
intentioned  persons,  like  the  disciples,  are  disposed  to  say,  '  It  is 
a  pity, — would  it  not  have  been  better  to  avoid  such  subjects  ?' 
But  is  the  truth  to  be  concealed  ?  This  would  be,  on  the  part  of 
him  who  knows  it,  unkiudness  to  his  mistaken  brethren,  injustice 
to  truth,  treason  against  the  God  of  truth. 

To  all  men,  especially  to  well-meaning  though  mistaken  brethren 
in  Christ,  we  ought  to  avoid  giving  unnecessary  offence.  We 
ought  to  be  ready  to  sacrifice  personal  comfort,  to  a  great  extent, 
rather  than  incur  this  evil.  "  If  meat  make  my  brother  to  fall, 
I  will  eat  no  meat  while  the  world  standeth."  But  we  must  not 
sacrifice  a  jot  or  a  tittle  of  Christ's  truth  to  gain  this  or  any  other 
end,  however  apparently  desirable."''  The  "  teaching  for  doctrines 
the  commandments  of  men," — the  "  making  void  God's  com- 
mandments by  men's  tradition,"  we  must  clearly  expose,  and 
strongly  condemn,  undiverted  from  our  course  by  the  fear  of 
shocking  the  prejudices  even  of  those  genuine  Christians  who 
have,  been  entangled  in  the  snares  of  any  of  those  systems  where 
man  holds  the  place  of  God,  however  much  we  may  love  their 
persons,  and  value  what  is  genuine  in  their  christian  faith  and 
character.  This  is  kindness  to  them,  as  well  as  justice  to  truth. 
With  regard  to  everything  in  the  shape  of  religious  doctrine, 
which  we  cannot  find  in  the  Bible — with  regard  to  ever^^thing  in 
the  shape  of  religious  institution,  unsanctioned  by  its  authority — 
we  must  "lift  up  our  voices  like  a  trumpet,"  and  proclaim, 
whosoever  may  be  ofiended,  "  Every  plant  which  our  heavenly 
Father  hath  not  planted,"  should — must — "  sliall,  be  rooted  up," 

If  the  reference  in  the  figurative  maxim  of  our  Lord  be  not  to 

2i  "  With  regard  to  faith,  I  take  for  my  motto,  '  Cado  luilli.'  I  Lcive  i>lace  to 
none.  I  am,  and  ever  will  be,  stark  aud  stern  ;  and  will  not  one  inch  give  way 
to  any  creature.  Charity  giveth  place,  for  it  'suffereth  all  thiugs,  belicveth  all 
things,  hopetli  all  things,  enduret'.i  all  things;'  but  faith  giveth  no  place." — 

LUTDEII. 


422  HUMAN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION  CONDEMNED.      [EXP.  IX. 

the  doctrine  and  usages  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  respecting 
tradition,  but  to  the  sect  itself" — its  bearing  on  our  duty  is  not 
less  direct  and  important.  God  instituted  no  sects  in  the  Jewish 
church.  Christ  instituted  no  sects  in  the  Christian  church. 
Every  church  which  is  sectarian  in  its  constitution  is  so  far  un- 
christian' — anti-Q\xr\sX\?cci.  Alas !  how  many  churches  are  sec- 
tarian more  or  less  in  their  constitution.  Alas  !  how  few  are  not 
sectarian  in  their  spirit  and  practice. 

In  proportion  as  we  separate  ourselves  from  other  Christians, 
we  bear  marks  of  a  plant  which  our  Master  in  heaven  has  not 
planted.  His  design  was  that  his  disciples  should  be  one.  And 
those  churches  give  best  proof  of  their  being  plants  of  his  own 
right  hand  planting,  who,  in  their  practice  as  well  as  their  prin- 
ciple, to  use  the  words  of  our  excellent  Confession  of  Faith,  "  are 
ever  ready,  as  God  offereth  opportunity,  to  extend  the  communion 
of  saints — that  holy  fellowship  which  consists  in  communion  in 
the  worship  of  God,  and  in  performing  such  others  piritual  ser- 
vices as  tend  to  their  mutual  edification,  as  well  as  in  relieving 
each  other  in  outward  things,  according  to  their  several  abilities 
and  necessities,  to  all  those  who  in  every  place  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;"  and  who  cordially,  in  action  as  well  as 
in  words,  sa}^,  "  Grace  be  with  all  tliem  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity."" 

The  time  will  come — may  the  Lord  hasten  it ! — when  the 
sects  shall  be  utterly  abolished,  Avheii  the  middle  walls  of  parti- 
tion, which  at  such  a  misplaced  expense  have  been  raised  and 
maintained  between  different  churches  of  Christ,  shall  be  pulled 
down,  and  their  materials  employed  in  rebuilding  the  great  wall 
of  partition  between  the  church  and  the  world,  which  has  been 
allowed  to  fall  into  ruins ;  when  there  shall  be  visibly,  as  already 
there  is  really,  but  "  one  flock,"  as  there  is  but  "  one  shepherd," 
and  when  the  united  church,  feeling  the  whole  emphasis  of  mean- 
ing contained  in  the  133d  Psalm,  shall  sing  it  with  grace  in  their 
hearts  to  the  Lord, 

"  Behold,  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to 
dwell  together  in  unity !  It  is  like  the  precious  ointment  upon 
the  head  that  ran  down  the  beard,  even  Aaron's  beard ;  that 
went  down  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments.  As  the  dew  of  Her- 
mon,  and  as  the  dew  that  descended  on  the  mountains  of  Zion : 
for  there  the  Lord  commanded  the  blessing,  even  life  for  ever- 
more."    Or  in  the  words  of  the  ohl  Paraphrast : — 

"  O  bless' (1  estate !  hleas'd  from  above 
When  brethren  join  in  mutual  love ! 
'Tia  like  the  precious  odor  shed 
On  consecrated  Aaron's  head, 
Which  trickled  from  his  head  and  breast, 
Down  to  the  borders  of  his  vest : 


53  Tliis  is  Olshauseri's  exegesis.     "  It  is  a  false  interpretation  to  refer  (jivrsia  to 
the  doctrine  of  the  l'hari.-*ec3.     It  refers  to  tlieiuselves." 
2'  Eph.  vi.  -li. 


EXP.  IX.]  XOTE.  423 

'Tis  like  the  pearls  of  dew  that  drop 

On  Hermon's  ever-fragrant  top, 

Or  which  the  smiling  heavens  distil 

On  happy  Sion's  sacred  hill; 

For  God  hath  there  his  favor  plae'd  » 

And  joy  that  shall  for  ever  last. "25 


Note  A,  p.  411. 

This  discourse  was  preached  immediately  after  the  disruption  in  the 
Established  Church  of  Scotland,  which  led  to  the  formation  of  the  Free 
Church,  in  May  1843.  It  was  published  by  request,  and  had  prefixed 
to  it  the  following  Advertisement : — 

Impurity  in  doctrine,  or  in  worship,  or  in  discipline,  and  sectarianism 
in  constitution  or  in  spirit,  are  the  master  maladies  under  which,  in  vari- 
ous degrees,  all  the  churches  of  Christ  are  laboring.  A  leading  cause  of 
those  evils  is  an  undue  regard  to  human  authority,  a  principle  endlessly 
varied  in  its  forms,  and  rriost  malignantly  efficient  in  its  operation.  The 
only  cure  for  both  these  evils,  which  are  more  closely  connected  than  is 
generally  apprehended,  is  to  fee  found  in  a  return  to  entire  submission  to 
Divine  authority.  That — that  alone — will  bring  back  the  purity  and 
unity  of  the  apostolical  age.  To  promote  this  most  desirable  object,  all 
who  in  any  measure  know  the  truth  on  this  subject,  should  speak  it, — 
and  speak  it  in  its  own  spirit,  which  is  that  of  love.  When  thus  spoken, 
it  will  not  be  spoken  in  vain. 

These  truths  are  of  intrinsic  abiding  irnportance ;  but  circumstances 
may,  at  particular  seasons,  give  them  additional  interest.  When  some- 
thing like  re-organization  is  taking  place  in  one  section  of  the  christian 
body,  the  change  is  likely  to  be  advantageous  or  otherwise  to  those  more 
immediately  concerned,  to  the  church  generally,  and  to  the  world,  just 
in  the  degree  in  which  these  truths  are  understood  and  acted  on,  or  are 
overlooked  and  disregarded.  It  is  by  all  christian  churches  acting  on 
these  principles  themselves,  rather  than  by  one  christian  church  exposing, 
however  justly,  the  deficiencies  and  faults  of  another,  in  reference  to  this 
subject,  that  that  union,  which  to  all  genuine  Christians  is  an  object  of 
earnest  constant  desire,  is  to  be  attained.  Let  us  all  get  close  to  the  one 
Master,  and  we  cannot  remain  far  from  each  other. 

The  preceding  discourse  was  thought,  by  some  who  heard  it,  likely  to 
be  of  some  use  in  fixing  the  mind  on  the  grand  secondary  cause  of  im- 
purity and  sectarianism,  and  on  the  only  means  of  their  cure ;  and  it  is 
in  the  hope  that  it  may,  in  some  degree,  answer  the  purpose  contem- 
plated, that  it  is  given  to  the  public. 

25  Sandys. 


EXPOSITION    X. 


UNLIMITED  INVITATION  TO  PARTICIPATE  IN  THE  BLESSINGS 
OF  SALVATION. 


John  vn.  37,  38. — "  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and 
cried,  saying,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  Jbelly  shall  flow  rivers  of 
living  water." 

What  a  busy,  bustling  scene  is  this  world  of  ours !  "  All 
things  arc  full  of  labor ;  man  cannot  utter  it :  the  eye  is  not 
satisfied  with  seeing,  nor  the  ear  filled  with  hearing."'  The 
endlessly  div^ersificd  forms  of  human  activity,  which  called  forth 
this  emphatic  exclamation  from  the  Israelitish  sage,  and  which 
still  meet  our  observation  in  every  direction,  are  but  different 
expressions  of  one  and  the  same  sentiment — varied  shapes  which, 
according  to  the  different  constitutions,  characters,  and  circum- 
stances of  individuals,  are  assumed  by  one  great  animating  and 
guiding  principle — the  desire  of  liappiness.  It  is  this  which 
makes  the  miser  hoard  wealth,  and  tlie  spendthrift  S(]^uander  it. 
It  is  tliis  which  makes  the  brave  court  danger,  and  the  timid 
shun  it.  The  man  of  business,  the  man  of  pleasure,  the  man  of 
umbition,  the  man  of  letters,  the  man  of  religion,  different  as 
may  be  their  paths,  are  all  moved  by  one  original  principle,  and 
are  all  in  quest  of  one  ultimate  object.  The  language  of  all 
liiunan  ]>ursuit,  to  the  ear  of  reason,  is,  "  Who  will  show  us  what 
is  good?'""     We  need,  we  desire,  we  must  have — happiness. 

How  melanchol}^  the  thouglit,  that  this  universal  activity  pro- 
duces so  little  satisfactory  result,  that,  while  all  seek  happiness, 
so  few,  so  very  few,  find  it !  The  fact  is  equally  indubitable  and 
deplorable.     What  can  be  its  cause? 

It  is  not  that  happiness  is  a  mere  phantom,  and  the  attain- 
ment of  it  an  impossibility.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  real  hap- 
piness, l^hc  Deity  is  perfectly  happy :  He  is  "  the  ever  blessed 
God.'"  Holy  angels  are  happy ;  their  constant  employment  is 
praise.  The  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect  are  happy ;  yes, 
"  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  have  died  in  the  Lord."* 

Nor  is  it  that  happiness  is  placed  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of 
men  in  the  present  state.     As  there  arc  men  in  heaven  who  are 

'  Ecclea.  i.  8.  ^  Psal.  iv.  6. 

3  Rom.  L  25.  *  Rev.  xiv.  18. 


EXP.  X.]  INTRODUCTION.  425 

perfectly  liappy,  so  there  are  men  on  eartli  who  are  really  happy 
— who  have  "  an  enduring  substance" — a  solid  peace — an  in- 
ward and  inexhaustible  source  of  enjoyment— "  a  well  of  living 
water  in  them,  springing  up  unto  everlasting  life."  If  the  de- 
sire of  happiness,  then,  usually  leads  to  useless  labor,  and  ter- 
minates in  painful  disappointment,  the  cause  is  in  man,  not  in 
God. 

What  then  is  the  reason  why,  while  all  wish  for  happiness,  all 
seek  for  happiness — so  few,  so  very  few,  obtain  happiness  ?  This 
lamentable  result  arises  out  of  mistakes — in  many  cases  wilful, 
and  therefore,  criminal;  mistakes — ^i-especting  the  nature  of  hap- 
piness, and  the  means  of  attaining  it.  A  very  large  class  of  men 
are  employed — some  by  very  appropriate,  and  others  by  very 
incongruous,  means — in  seeking  the  attainment  of  objects  which, 
whatever  may  be  their  value  and  use  in  their  own  place,  and 
however  fully  attained,  are  unfit,  both  from  the  nature  of  man 
and  the  appointment  of  God,  to  make  men  happy  ;  and  a  smaller 
class,  with  juster  views  of  what  is  requisite  to  constitute  the  hap- 
piness of  such  a  being  as  man,  under  the  government  of  such  a 
being  as  God,  are  equally  coming  short  of  their  great  object,  in 
consequence  of  seeking  it  in  a  way  in  which  it  cannot  be  found. 
And  how  come  men  to  form  these  mistaken  views,  which  so 
fatally  misdirect  their  aims  and  waste  their  energies?  They  rest 
satisfied  with  inaccurate  and  incomplete  information  on  these 
subjects,  while  they  neglect  or  repudiate  the  only  source  of  uner- 
ring knowledge,  God,  the  author  of  happiness,  can  alone  cer- 
tainly inform  us  what  true  happiness  is,  and  how  true  happiness 
is  to  be  obtained. 

In  the  passage  before  us,  "  God  in  Christ,"  "  God  manifest  in 
flesh,"  appears  unfolding  to  us  the  true  nature  of  happiness — 
informing  us  that  it  is  in  him,  in  him  alone — explaining  to  us 
the  means  by  which  it  may  be  secured — inviting  us  to  come  to 
him  that  we  may  obtain  it,  and  assuring  us  that  if  we  do  come 
to  him  for  this  purpose,  we  shall  not  come  in  vain  : — "  In  the 
last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  say- 
ing. If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink.  He 
that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly 
shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water.'"  What  subject  can  be  more 
truly,  more  universally,,  interesting  than  this?  Oh,  let  us  "  in- 
cline our  ear  and  come  to  Him  ;  let  us  hear  that  our  souls  may 
live!" 

The  interesting  discourse  of  which  our  text  obviously  contains 
only  the  outline,  was,  like  most  of  our  Lord's  discourses,  of  an 
occasional  character.  It  arose  out  of  the  circumstances  in  which 
he  was  placed  at  the  time  he  uttered  it.  With  his  usual  rever- 
ence for  Divine  institutions,  he  had  gone  up  to  Jerusalem  to 
observe  the  feasts  of  tabernacle  and  ingathering,  which,  com- 
bined, formed  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  the  Jewish  festi- 
val-seasons.    The   last  day,  the  eighth  day,  of  the  feast,  was 

5  John  vii.  37,  38. 


426  THE  GOSPEL  CALL.  [EXP.  X. 

come.  That  is  called  here,  "  the  great  day  of  the  feast."  So 
far  as  the  number  of  sacrifices  was  concerned,  the  last  day  of  the 
feast  had  no  claim  to  be  thus  distinguished,  for  the  oblations  on 
that  day  were  fewer  than  on  any  of  the  preceding  days.  It 
seems  to  be  thus  characterized,  because  on  that  day  there  was 
a  general  solemn  convocation  of  the  whole  worshippers  in  the 
temple.  It  was  what  is  termed  in  the  Old  Testament  a  "  day  of 
assembly" — and  it  deserves  notice  that  the  ancient  Greek  trans- 
lator uses  this  very  term,  in  Isaiah  i.  13,  for  "the  calling  of 
assemblies,"  or  the  solemnly  summoned  assemblies.  The  same 
phrase  is  used  bv  our  evangelist  with  regard  to  the  paschal  Sab- 
bath—"a  high  day."'^ 

The  feast  of  tabernacles  and  ingatherings,  which  was  the  last 
festive  meeting  in  the  Jewish  year,  Avas  celebrated  with  peculiar 
pomp  and  splendor.  To  the  numerous  ceremonies  appointed 
in  the  Divine  law,  others  had  been  added  through  the  caprice  of 
the  Eabbins.  To  one  of  the  most  remarkable  of  tliese,  it  seems, 
to  say  the  least,  highly  probable  that  our  Lord  has  a  reference  in 
the  words  before  us. 

On  every  one  of  the  eight  days  of  the  feast,  at  the  time  of  the 
morning  sacrifice,  one  of  the  priests  brought  into  the  temple  a 
golden  vessel  full  of  water  drawn  from  the  fountain  of  Siloah, 
which  sprang  up  at  the  bottom  of  the  mountain  on  which  the 
temple  was  built,  and  conveying  this  water  into  the  inner  court, 
mingled  it  with  wine,  and  then  poured  out  the  mixture  as  a  liba- 
tion on  the  altar.  The  performance  of  this  ceremony  was  ac- 
companied with  solemn  instrmnental  and  vocal  music, — a  party 
of  priests  sounding  the  trumpets  and  cymbals,  and  another  party 
singing  as  an  anthem  the  words  of  Isaiah,  "  With  joy  shall  ye 
draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation."''  Whether  this  im- 
pressive, though  uncommanded,  ceremonial  rite,  was  intended  to 
be  commemorative  of  the  miraculous  supply  of  the  Israelites 
Avith  water  while  they  abode  in  tents  during  their  sojourn  in  the 
Arabian  deserts,  or  to  be  emblematical  of  the  streams  of  truth 
and  grace — that  abundant  blessedness  of  which  they  expected 
copiously  to  partake  during  the  days  of  Messiah  the  Prince — we 
cannot  certainly  say.  This  we  know,  that  in  no  ceremony  did 
the  Jews  take  a  deeper  interest ;  so  that  it  was  a.  common  saying 
among  them,  that  "he  avIio  had  never  Avitncssed  the  rejoicing  at 
the  pouring  out  of  water,  did  not  knoAV  Avhat  I'cjoicing  meant."* 

It  seems  to  haA^e  been  immediately  after  the  performance  of 
this  ceremony,  that  our  Lord  uttered  the  words  noAv  before  us. 
The  courts  of  the  temple  Avere  croAvded  Avith  a\  orshippers ;  the 
impressive  rite  had  been  perfoi-med  ;  the  music  of  the  priests  had 
ceased ;  tlie  loud  plaudits  of  the  multitude  had  sunk  in  silence! 
Occupying  some  elevated  position  Avithin  the  sacred  precincts, 
the  mysterious  man  of  Nazareth  stood,  and  drew  the  attention  of 
the  multitude  by  proclaiming  in  a  loud  voice,  "  If  any  man  thirst, 

6  John  xix.  31. — i/v  yap  /ieyu'/.ri  1/  f/fupa  iKelvov  rov  aaGOdrov.  ">  Isa.  xii.  3. 

8  Suecah.  v.  1,  apud  Wctsteiii.     LakemachcT  Ob8.  Sac.  Lib.  i.,  p.  18-78. 


PART  I.]  THE   INVITATION.  427 

let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."  How  full  of  majesty  are 
these  words — ^how  full  of  mercy !  Our  Lord  here  obviously 
holds  up  himself  as  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  under  the  emblem 
of  a  copious,  ever-full,  ever-flowing  fountain,  open  to  all.  It  is 
as  if  he  had  said,  '  I  am  the  water  of  life.  I  am  the  source  of 
blessedness,  of  which  the  streams  that,  bursting  from  the  rock 
struck  by  Moses'  mystic  rod,  refreshed  your  fathers  in  the  wilder- 
ness, were  a  figure.  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me, 
and  drink." ' 

I. — THE   INVITATION. 

For  the  right  understanding  of  these  "  words  of  grace,"  it  will 
be  necessary  to  attend  to  the  corresponding  figurative  descrip- 
tions of  the  persons  invited — the  thirsty ;  of  the  Saviour  as  a 
fountain  of  water ;  and  of  the  manner  in  which  sinners  are  to 
obtain  the  blessings  of  Christ's  salvation' — ^they  are  to  come  to 
him,  and  drink ;  and  then  to  consider  the  free  and  unrestricted 
character  of  the  invitation  given  to  them  to  accept  of  the  happi- 
ness he  has  to  bestow,  in  the  appointed  way — "  If  any  man  thirst, 
let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 

§  1.   The  persons  invited — the  thirsty. 

They  who  are  invited  are  "  the  thirsty."  Thirst,  as  well  as 
hunger,  is  in  all  languages,  I  believe,  employed  figuratively  to 
signify  a  state  of  destitution  and  desire, — deep  destitution,  in- 
tense desire.  Some  interpreters  have  considered  the  words  be- 
fore us  as  equivalent  to — '  Whosoever,  feeling  his  ignorance,  is 
desirous  of  true  knowledge;'  others,  as  equivalent  to — 'Whoso- 
ever is  desirous  of  the  blessings  which  are  to  be  bestowed  by  the 
Messiah,' — whosoever  "  hungers  and  thirsts  after  righteousness." 
But  both  these  modes  of  interpretation  unduly  limit  the  signifi- 
cation of  the  term.  "  He  who  thirsts"  is  just  the  man  who  is 
conscious  that  he  needs  something  to  make  him  happy,  and  who 
is  desirous  of  obtaining  it.  It  does  not  matter  whether  he  be 
right  or  wrong  in  the  estimate  he  has  formed  of  that,  the  want  of 
which,  he  thinks,  is  the  cause  of  the  uneasiness  he  feels,  and  the 
attainment  of  which,  he  thinks,  would  remove  that  uneasiness. 
He  may  be  thirsting  for  that  which,  instead  of  quenching,  would 
inflame,  his  thirst.  He  may  be  desiring  and  seeking  that  which, 
were  he  to  obtain  it,  would  make  him  still  more  miserable.  To 
bring  him  within  the  range  of  our  Lord's  invitation,  it  is  enough 
that  he  thirsts — that  he  is  destitute,  and  desirous,  of  happiness. 

A  more  comprehensive  description  of  human  beings,  I  believe, 
could  not  be  conceived.  "  If  any  man  thirst,"  is  just  equal  to, 
'  Whosoever  wishes  to  be  happy.'  If  a  man  can  be  found  who  is 
perfectly  happy,  or  who  has  no  wish  to  be  happy,  that  man  is  not 
invited.  Till  such  a  person  is  found,  we  must  hold  that  the  invi- 
tation has  no  limits. 


428  THE   GOSPEL  CALL.  [EXP.  X. 


§  2.   The  fountain  to  which,  the  thirsty  are  invited — Me. 

Our  Lord  invites  the  thirsty  ones  to  come  to  him,  as  a  fountain 
of  living  waters,  full  and  flowing,  from  which  they  may  drink  in 
abundance,  and  thus  quench  their  thirst.  As  "  thirst,"  signi- 
fies conscious  need  and  enrnest  desire  ;  so,  to  have  thirst  quenched, 
denotes  to  be  no  longer  in  destitution — to  be  delivered  from  a 
state  of  painful  desire — to  have  what  is  necessary  to  hajDpiness, 
and  to  be  satisfied  with  it. 

Whcu  our  Lord  represents  himself  as  the  fountain  which  can 
quench  the  thirst  for  happiness  of  all  mankind,  he  intimates  that 
he  is  capable  of  making  men,  however  miserable,  truly  happy, — 
that  he  can  supply  all  the  wants,  satisfy  all  the  desires,  of  the 
human  soul.  Distinctly  to  apprehend  this  thought,  our  minds 
must  be  turned  to  tlie  various  wants  which  make  man  the  desti- 
tute being  he  naturally  is. 

Man  has  a  mi7id,  and,  as  an  intellectual  being,  he  is  naturally 
destitute  of  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  about  God,  which  is  ne- 
cessar}'  to  the  true  happiness  of  a  being  constituted  as  he  is.  Jesus 
is  the  great  revealer  of  God  ;  he  is  the  truth.  No  man  knows  the 
Father,  but  he  to  whom  the  Son  reveals  him.  He  makes  them 
who  were  darkness,  light  in  the  Lord.  "  Christ  is  of  God  made  " 
to  such  "  wisdom," 

Man  has  a  conscience  ;  and,  as  an  accountable,  guilty  being,  he 
needs  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God.  "  The  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  clcanseth  from  all  sin."  "  He  has  brought  in  an  everlast- 
ing righteousness."  "  In  him  "  the  guilty  sinner  finds  "  the  for- 
giveness of  sins,"  and  is  "  made  accepted  in  the  Beloved."  *'  Christ 
is  made  of  God  to  him  righteousness." 

Man  has  a  heart;  and  he  needs  a  suitable  object  on  which  to 
place  the  affections  of  supreme  veneration,  and  love  and  confi- 
dence ;  and  God  in  Christ, — God  in  his  redeeming  character, — 
manifested  in  the  person  and  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  suitable 
and  satisfying  portion  of  the  heart,  the  appropriate  object  of  the 
supreme  esteem  and  entire  confidence. 

Man  is  depraved^  and  he  needs  sanctification.  Jesus  saves  us 
by  turning  every  one  of  us  from  our  iniquities.  "  Christ  is  of 
God  made  to  us  sanctification." 

Man  is  weak^  and  he  needs  S:trength ;  and  Christ  can 
"strengthen,  witli  all  might  in  the  inner  man,"  he  can  make 
his  "  strength  perfect  in  weakness." 

Man  is  mortal^  and  he  needs  deliverance  from  death,  and  the 
grave ;  and  Jesus  is  "  the-  resurrection  and  the  life." 

Man  is  immortal,  and  being  guilty,  he  is  doomed  to  endless 
misery,  and  he  needs  eternal  life  to  make  him  happy.  Now 
Jesus  "  delivers  from  the  wrath  to  come" — "  I  give  to  my 
sheep  eternal  life" — "  Christ  is  made  to  them  redemption." 

Our  Lord  is  thus  an  all-acc(jmplishcd  Saviour.  He  has  all 
the  merit,  power,  authority,  knowledge,  wisdom,  kindness,  and 


PAKT  I.]  THE   INVITATION.  •  429 

sympathy,  that  are  requisite  for  supplying  in  the  best  manner, 
and  most  abundant  measure,  all  our  need,  and  for  making  "all 
grace  to  abound  toward  us."  "It  pleased  the  Father  that  in 
him  should  all  fulness  dwell."  His  glory  is  that  of  "  the  Only 
Begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth :"  and  "  out  of 
his  fulness"  may  all  the  indigent  receive  "  grace  for  grace,'"' 
abundance  of  every  kind  of  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings. 
There  can  be  no  doubt,  then,  that  our  Lord  is  just  the  kind  of 
Saviour  which  man  needs.  He  is  the  fountain  of  "  the  water  of 
life,"  of  which,  "  if  a  man  drink  he  shall  never  thirst,  but  it  shall 
be  in  him  a  well  of  living  water,  springing  up  to  eternal  life." 

§  3.  The  double  call — "  come — drink." 

But  an  important  question  meets  us  here,  How  are  men  to 
obtain  from  this  Saviour  the  blessings  they  need,  and  he  has  to 
bestow  ?  That  question  is  answered  in  the  words  of  our  Lord. 
He  is  not  a  well  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed, — "If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."'" 

The  whole  language  is  figurative,  and  therefore  it  is  necessary 
to  inquire,  what  are  those  mental  exercises  with  regard  to  spirit- 
ual blessings,  which  are  described  under  the  metaphors  of  the 
bodily  motion  of  coming,  and  the  animal  function  of  drinking 

(1.)  "Cbme." 

It  has  often  been  said  that  to  come  to  Christ,  is  just  the  same 
thing  as  to  believe  in  Christ,  and  the  folloAving  passage  is  gener- 
ally quoted  as  satisfactorily  proving  this, — "  He  that  cometh  to 
me  shall  never  hunger,  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never 
thirst."  But  these  words  only  prove  that  he  who  cometh  to 
Christ,  and  he  that  believeth  on  Christ,  is  the  same  individual, 
not  that  coming  to  Christ  and  believing  on  him  are  the  same 
thing.  The  following  passage  seems  to  intimate  that  they  differ 
as  the  end  does  from  the  means, — "  He  that  cometh  to  God, 
must  believe  that  he  is."  It  is  by  believing  the  truth  about  God, 
that  we  are  enabled  to  come  to  him.  It  is  by  believing  the 
truth  about  Christ,  that  we  are  enabled  to  come  to  him.  Com- 
ing to  Christ,,  then,  is  just  a  figurative  expression  for  those  exer- 
cises of  the  mind  and  heart  in  reference  to  him,  which  naturally 
rise  out  of  the  belief  of  the  truth  respecting  him,  the  movement 
of  the  thoughts  and  affections  towards  him. 

To  come  to  Christ  as  the  fountain  of  living  waters  for  the 

9  "  Augustine  (Ep.  cxciv.  ad  Sixtum)  has  given  U3  the  hint,  at  least,  of  the  right 
explanation,  which  so  many  even  now  miss,  of  that  difficult  X''^P'-'^  "^^'  Xupiroc 
(John  i.  16),  that  it  means  one  grace  heaped  upon,  or  a  better  grace  coming  in 
some  sort  in  the  room  of  (uktI)  a  preceding: — an  uninterrupted  stream  of  God's 
gifts  in  Clirist,  which  are  ever  succeeding,  and,  so  to  speak,  replacing  one 
another." — Tre.vch. 

lu  «'  ]Nfova  et  plausibilis  est  intcrpunctio  / ui'  ric  ^uj'v,  fpx^'y^^<J  ■^I'uc  /^^ '  «<^'  ttlvetu 
— 6  marevcjv  e/j-  i/xi'  itaOu^  ei-ev  kt?..  sed  ;i'iaff/zdr  durior  esset  sitiens  veniat ;  bibat 
credens.     Post  imperativum  imperativus  vim  futuri  habeat." — Benobl. 


430  THE   GOSPEL  CALL.  [EXP.  X. 

thirsty  soul,  is  for  man,  as  an  ignorant  and  erring  creature,  in 
the  faith  of  the  truth  respecting  Jesus  as  the  great  revealer  of 
God,  impHcitly  to  receive  his  testimony  in  his  "word ;  it  is  for 
maa,  as  a  guiltv  creatiire,  beheving  the  truth  respecting  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  gi-eat  sacrifice  and  High  Priest,  to  place  an  un- 
doubting  reliance  on  his  atonement  and  intercession ;  it  is  for 
man,  as  a  depraved  creature,  believing  the  truth  about  Jesus 
Christ,  as  redeeming  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law  that  we  may- 
receive  the  promised  Spirit, — giving  himself  for  us  that  he  might 
redeem  us  from  all  iniquity, — to  depend  on  his  faithful  promise, 
to  shed  forth  his  Spirit  on  us  abundantly,  that  we  may  be  sancti- 
fied wholly  in  the  whole  man,  soul,  body,  and  spirit ;  it  is  for 
man,  as  a  dying,  yet  immortal  being,  in  the  belief  of  the  truth 
respecting  Jesus,  as  having  by  death  destroyed  death  and  him 
who  had  the  power  of  death,  and  as  He  who  has  the  keys  of  the 
unseen  world  and  of  death,  to  exercise  a  firm  confidence  in  him 
for  support  in  death,  restoration  from  the  grave,  and  everlasting 
happiness.  This  is  to  come  to  our  Lord  as  the  fountain  of 
blessings. 

(2.)  ''Drink:' 

Now,  what  are  we  to  understand  by  " drinking"  of  that  foun- 
tain ?  The  phrase  seems  to  indicate  participation  of  the  blessings 
which  the  Saviour  has  to  bestow, — '  Let  him,  under  the  influence 
of  the  faith  of  the  truth,  in  the  exercise  of  those  mental  affections 
which  naturally  grow  out  of  it,  become  a  partaker  of  those  bless- 
ings which  will  supply  his  need,  and  satisfy  his  desire.  He  will 
thus  quench  his  thirst.  Coming  to  Jesus,  "the  great  Prophet,  he 
will  obtain  relief  from  the  uncertainties  of  doubt,  and  find,  in  the 
full  assurance  of  faith,  the  rest  which  the  mind  seeks.  Coming  to 
Jesus,  the  great  High  Priest,  he  will  obtain  relief  from  the  agonies 
of  remorse,  and  enjoy  the  peace  of  a  conscience  sprinkled  Avith 
the  blood  of  an  all-perfect  atoning  sacrifice.  Coming  to  Jesus  as 
a  king,  he  will  obtain  deliverance  from  the  tyranny  of  his  spirit- 
ual foes,  and  protection,  and  guidance,  and  final  salvation.  Com- 
ing to  the  fountain  of  all  blessedness,  he  will  obtain  all  he  needs, 
all  grace  will  be  made  to  abound  towards  him,  and  he  will  be 
constrained  to  say — I  have  all  and  abound — I  am  complete  in 
Christ  Jesus — I  need  no  other  Saviour — I  Avant  no  other  salva- 
tion.' 

§  4.  The  unlimited  extent  of  the  invitation — "  If  any  manJ'' 

The  free  and  unrestricted  nature  of  the  invitation,  now  deserves 
notice.  Not  only  is  the  descriptive  character  of  those  invited, 
"those  who  thirst,"  common  to  all  human  beings,  but  tlie  invita- 
tion is  so  fashioned,  that,  no  human  being  can  find  the  shadow  of 
a  reason  for  thinking  himself  excluded.  '  If  any  man  thirst — any 
human  being,  however  mean,  guilty,  depraved,  and  wretched, 
wish  to  be  happy — let  him,  in  the  belief  of  the  truth  about  me, 


PART  II.]         RESULTS  OF  ACCEPTING  THE  INVITATION.  431 

exercise  the  aflfections  which"  that  truth  believed  naturally  pro- 
duces, and  he  shall  be  happy.'  It  is  not,  '  If  any  man  be  deeply 
sensible  of  his  guilt,  depravity,  and  wretchedness,  let  him  come 
to  me  and  drink.'  Such  are  invited;  but  if  that  were  all,  as  sqine 
have  taught,  thus,  however  unintentionally,  clogging  with  condi- 
tions the  unhampered  offer  of  a  free  salvation,  men  might  think 
that  till  they  had  brought  themselves,  or  were  in  some  way  or 
other  brought,  into  a  state  of  deep  contrition,  and  earnest  seeking 
after  pardon,  and  holiness,  and  salvation,  it  would  be  presump- 
tion in  them  to  come  to  Christ,  or  even  look  towards  the  Saviour 
for  salvation.  But  the  invitation  is,  '  "Whosoever  wishes  to  be 
happy,  let  him  come  to  me,  sinful  and  miserable  as  he  is,  and  in 
me  he  shall  find  salvation.  If  thou  art  not  a  brute,  if  thou  art 
not  a  devil — however  like  the  one  in  sensuality,  or  the  other  in 
malignity' — thou  art  invited.  If  thou  art  on  earth,  not  in  hell, 
thou  art  in\dted."' 

This  is  indeed  just  "  the  Gospel  which  was  promised  afore  by 
the  prophets  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,'"^  many  centuries  before 
Messiah's  birth.  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money :  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea, 
come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money,  and  without  price." 
What  follows  shows  plainly  that  the  invitation  of  the  Gospel  is 
not  limited  to  "sensible  sinners:"  "Wherefore  do  ye  spend 
money  for  that  which  is  not  bread  ?  and  your  labor  for  that  which 
satisfieth  not  ?  hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which 
is  good,  and  let  yoj.rr  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness.  Incline  your 
ear,  and  come  unto  me :  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live ;  and  I 
will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies 
ofDa^dd." 

It  is  quite  in  accordance  with  other  invitations  given  by  our 
Lord,  "Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest."  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  nowise 
cast  out."  "  I  will  give  to  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  water  of  life 
freely."  "  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  come.  And  let  him 
that  heareth  say,  come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst,  come.  And 
whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  The  bless- 
ings of  the  christian  salvation  are  thus  exactly  suitable  to  our 
case,  absolutely  necessary  to  our  happiness,  and  so  abundant  in 
measure,  that  there  is  enough  for  all,  and  to  spare.  The  invita- 
tion is  addressed  to  us,  as  well  as  to  those  who  originally  listened 
to  it.  Have  we  comphed  with  it  ?  K  we  have  not,  0  !  let  us  com- 
ply with  it  now.  If  we  have,  let  us  continue  to  comply  with  it 
— we  constantly  need  to  come  to  him  and  drink :  "all  our  springs 
are  in  Him." 

U. — THE   CONSEQUENCES  OF  ACCEPTING  THE  INVITATION. 

Our  Lord  goes  on  to  say,  that  they  who  come  to  him  and 
drink  shall  not  only  have  their  thirst  quenched,  but  that  they 
'1  Bunyan's  Jerusalem-sinner  saved,  '2  Rom.  i  1,  2. 


432  THE   GOSPEL   CALL.  [EXP.  X, 

shall  become  secondary  fountains  for  quenching  the  thirst  of 
others.  They  shall  not  only  obtain  happiness  to  themselves,  but 
they  shall  become  instrumental  in  making  others  happy.  "  He 
that  belie veth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly 
shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water.'"' 

There  is  a  difficulty  in  these  words  which  must  be  disposed  of 
before  we  can  enter  with  advantage  on  the  illustration  of  the 
sentiment  they  are  meant  to  convey.  There  is  an  apparent 
quotation  of  certain  words  as  an  excerpt  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures,  while  no  such  words  are  to  be  fovmd  there. 
This  difficulty,  which  everybody  must  see,  has  been  met  in  va- 
rious ways. 

Some  interpreters  hold  that  there  is  no  quotation  intended 
here.  To  prove  this,  one  class  alters  the  division  of  the  words, 
while  another  only  slightly  changes  the  construction  of  the  sen- 
tence. The  former  class  connect  the  first  part  of  the  38th  verse 
with  the  37th — thus :  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me," 
and,  "  believing,  let  him  drink,  as  the  Scripture  says,"  or  com- 
mands— referring  to  such  passages  as,  "  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,"  &c.  In  this  case,  the  following  words  stand  as  a  sen-' 
tence  by  themselves,  and  are  the  words,  not  of  the  Old  Testament 
Scriptures,  but  of  Jesus  himself.  This  makes  good  enough  sense, 
and  gets  clear  of  the  difficulty  ;  but  it  is  at  the  expense  of  doing 
violence  to  the  idiom  of  the  original  language.  The  words 
could  not  have  suggested  these  ideas  to  those  to  whom  they 
were  addressed. 

The  other  class  of  interpreters,  following  the  ordinary  division  of 
the  verses,  slightly  change  the  construction  of  the  sentence. 
They  consider  the  words,  "  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,"  as  modi- 
fying the  expression,  "  he  that  believeth  on  me,"  instead  of  re- 
ferring to  the  words  which  follow,  thus — ^"  He  that  believeth  on 
me"  in  the  manner  which  the  Scripture  requires,  "  out  of  his 
belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  In  this  case,  also,  there 
is  no  quotation — the  words  throughout  are  the  words  of  our 
Lord.  This,  too,  gets  rid  of  the  difficulty,  and  is  plausible  ;  but 
the  expression,  "as  the  Scripture  hath  said,"'*  is  never  used  in 
the  New  Testament  in  this  sense ;  it  imiformly  introduces  a 
quotation. 

Holding,  then,  that  the  words  are  a  quotation,  how  are  we  to 
account  for  the  undoubted  fact  that  these  words  arc  nowhere 
to  be  found  in  Scripture?  Some  have  rashly  maintained,  that 
though  these  words  arc  not  now  in  the  Old  Testament  Scrip- 
ture, they  were  once  tlicre ;  but  though  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely 
that  many  divine  revelations  were  never  recorded,  there  is  not 
the  slightest  evidence  that  any  recorded  revelation  has  been  lost ; 
and  we  have  all  the  proof  which  can  well  be  imagined — certainly 
more  tiian,  with  regard  t(^  such  ancient  writings,  might  have 
been  ex])ected — that  everything  that  was  contained  in  the  Jewish 
canon  has  come  down  to  us. 

'3  John  vii.  88.  '^  Kadi^c  dncv  ?/  ypaf^. 


PART  II.]        RESULTS  OF  ACCEPTING  THE  INVITATION.  433 

Others  have  supposed  that  the  reference  is  not  to  the  words 

but  to  the  sense  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures ;  not  to  the 
express  terms  of  any  particular  ancient  oracle,  but  to  the  import 
of  a  variety  of  them.  They  suppose  the  reference  to  be  to  such 
passages  as  Joel  iii.  28 ;  Zech.  xiv.  8 ;  Ezek.  xlvii.  1-12  ;  just 
as  they  suppose  that  the  words,  "  He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene," 
Matt.  ii.  23,  which  are  said  to  be  "spoken  by  the  prophets," 
though  these  terms  are  not  to  be  found  in  any  of  the  prophets, 
are  a  general  reference  to  those  passages  of  prophetic  Scripture 
where  it  is  predicted  that  the  Messiah  should  be  an  object  of 
general  contempt  and  scorn :  such  as  Psalm  xxii.  6 ;  Isaiah  liii. 
3.  But  in  every  other  place  where  the  phrase,  "  as  the  Scripture 
says,"  is  used,  the  reference  is  to  some  particular  passage. 

To  what  passage,  then,  is  the  reference  here?  Some  learned 
men  have  supposed  that  the  reference  is  to  Balaam's  prophecy, 
Numb.  xsiv.  7,  which  they  render,  "  Out  of  his  heart  waters 
shall  flow  forth."  But  it  may  be  doubted  how  far  the  original 
terms  will  bear  this  rendering ;  and,  at  any  rate,  that  prediction 
refers  to  the  increase  and  prosperity  of  Israel  as  a  nation,  not  to 
the  spiritual  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  reign.  I  cannot  doubt 
that  the  reference  is  to  a  particular  passage,  and  that  that  passage 
is  Isaiah  Iviii.  11,  "Thou,"  Zion  blessed  with  the  presence  and 
grace  of  thy  God  and  king,  "shalt  be  like  a  spring  of  water  whose 
Avaters  fail  not."  This  prophetic  oracle  refers  to  the  days  of  the 
Messiah,  and  intimates  that  his  people  should  be  a  source  of  bless- 
ings to  mankind.  The  words  are  not  the  same,  but  the  sentiment 
is  identical — "  As  to  him  that  believeth  in  me" — the  ancient 
oracle  will  be  fulfilled  in  Him :  He  shall  be  "  a  spring  of  water 
whose  waters  fail  not :"  "  Out  of  his  belly'"* — out  of  him — out  of 
his  heart — "shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water." 

These  may  seem  rather  uninteresting  discussions,  but  they  are 
necessary.  The  shell  must  be  broken  in  order  to  get  at  the  ker- 
nel. We  have  now  got  at  the  kernel  here ;  and  I  trust  we  shall 
find  it  like  that  of  the  cocoa  nut,  sweet  and  nutritious — pleasant 
to  the  taste,  and  good  for  food — yielding  milk  for  babes,  and 
solid  food  for  those  who  are  full  of  age — even  for  those  "  who,  by 
reason  of  use,  have  their  senses  exercised  to  discern  both  good 
and  evil."  If  we  do  not,  I  am  afraid  it  must  be  because  we  are 
neither  babes  nor  strong  men  "  in  Christ"' — neither  desiring  the 
sincere  milk  of  the  word,  nor  hungering  after  that  bread  of  life 
which  came  down  from  heaven,  and  is  the  life  of  the  world. 

The  general  sentiment  is,  '  He  who  comes  to  me  and  drinks, 
shall  not  only  obtain  such  draughts  as  shall  quench  his  own 
thirst,  but,'  as  our  Lord  elsewhere  says,  '  the  water  which  he 
gives  shall  be,  in  him  who  drinks  it,  "a  well  of  living  water, 
springing  up  to  everlasting  life,"  so  that  he  shall  never  thirst, 
and  so  that  from  him,  as  a  secondary  fountain,  shall  flow  streams 
to  refresh  and  quench  the  thirst  of  others.     He  who,  in  the  belief 

'5  Kot/lta,  like  ("i^s)  beten,  and  (^"ip)  kereb,  is  used  for  the  inward  part  of  man. 
Prov.  XX.  27.     Job  xxxviii.  18.     Venter  interioris  liomini.s,  conscientia  cordis  est, 
VOL.    I.  'JS 


434  THE   GOSPEL  CALL.  [EXP.  X. 

of  the  trutli,  exercises  towards  me  apjiropriate  affections  of  mind 
and  licart,  sliall  derive  from  me,  in  such  rich  abundance,  the 
blessings  of  salvation,  as  that  he  shall  not  only  be  a  holy,  happy, 
man  himself,  but  he  shall  become  the  means  of  diffusing  holiness 
and  happiness  among  his  fellow-men."'  Let  us  look  at  this  im- 
portant and  delightful  truth  a  little  more  closely. 

"  He  that  belie veth  in  me,"  is  a  phrase  plainly  descriptive  of 
the  same  person  as  the  phrase,  "  He  that  cometh  to  me  and 
drinketh."  But  though  the  phrases  describe  the  same  person, 
they  do  not,  as  we  have  seen,  mean  the  same  thing.  Every  one 
who  believes  in  Christ  comes  to  him.  No  man  can  come  to  him 
who  does  not  believe  in  him.  They  are  not,  however,  the  same 
thing :  the  one  is  the  cause,  the  other  the  effect ;  the  one  the 
means,  the  other  the  end.  He  that  believes  in  Christ,  is  either 
he  that  believes  that  Christ  is  a  divine  teacher,  and  therefore 
credits  his  testimony,  or,  which  comes  materially  to  the  same 
thing,  he  who  credits  the  truth  about  Christ.  He  who  believes  in 
Christ,  is  he  who,  apprehending  the  meaning  of  the  testimony 
given  in  the  Scriptures  about  Christ,  is  fully  persuaded  of  its 
truth — knows,  and  is  sure  of  it — counts  it  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worth}^  of  all  acceptation — sets  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true.  Such 
a  person  cannot  but  come  to  Christ  as  the  fountain,  or  great  res- 
ervoir, of  saving  blessings,  and  drink.  He  cannot  but  exercise, 
in  the  measure  of  his  faith,  appropriate  affections  of  mind  and . 
heart  towards  the  Saviour ;  and,  in  doing  so,  he  cannot  but,  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  his  liiith,  and  its  effects,  participate  in 
the  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings  of  his  salvation :  according 
to  the  ancient  oracle,  "  Out  of  his  belly  flow  rivers  of  living," 
life-giving,  salutary,  "  water." 

§  1.  He  who  accepts  the  invitation  obtains  ahundant permanent 
hajjpiness. 

The  first  idea  suggested  here  is, — '  He  who  accepts  the  invita- 
tion, obtains  large,  continued  draughts  from  Jesus  Christ,  as  the 
fovmtain  of  blessings.'  There  is  no  setting  bounds  to  the  measure" 
of  holy  hapjuncss  any  man  may  obtain  from  Jesus  Christ — ■"  Ac- 
cording to  his  faitli  it  shall  be  to  him."  If  he  continues  to  have 
any  s})iritual  wants,  it  is  not  because  the  fountain  is  not  full  and 
flowing ;  nor  is  it  because  continued  access  to  it  is  denied  him ; 
it  is  sim[)ly  because,  not  believing,  he  does  not  come  and  drink. 
In  a  persevering,  ever-growing  faith,  the  believer  may  obtain  a 

•6  Tliis  is,  n8  to  substiincc,  Lutlier'a  exegesis :  "  '  Out  of  him  rivers  eluill  flow, 
■waters  tlint  t;ive  life.'  Whoso  coiiios  to  me,  1  will  so  fiisliioii  him,  that  lie  shall 
not  only  be  cheered  and  rofi'cshed  in  his  own  persmi,  so  that  he  may  (juench  his 
thirst  tind  i)ceome  free  from  tliirst ;  but  1  will  make  him  into  a  sfronic  stone  ves- 
sel, will  ^;ivc  him  the  Holy  Oiiost  and  his  tjifts,  so  tlwit  he  shall  flow  forili  upon 
others,  shall  ifive  them  to  drink,  siiall  comfort  and  8trenjj;thon  them,  aiul  shall 
help  many  as  he  hath  been  helped  by  \uv;  as  I'anl  saith  in  J  Cor.  i.  4.  Thus  our 
Lord  Christ  will  make  ant)ther  man  o(  him  who  comes  to  iiim  than  Moses  could 
make." — Exposition  of  the  Sixtlu,  IScvfHt/i-,  and  EiylUh  Chapters  of  tSt.  John, 


PAET  II.]         RESULTS  OF  ACCEPTING  THE  INVITATION.  435 

stead}^,  ever-increasini?,  holy  happiness.     If  he  is  straitened,  it  is 
in  himself,  not  in  his  Saviour.     But  this  is  not  all. 

§  2.  He  loho  accepts  the  invitation  manifests  his  happiness. 

The  second  idea  is, — '  He  who  accepts  the  invitation  shall  not 
only  obtain  a  constant,  abundant,  supply  of  holy  happiness,  but 
his  holy  happiness  shall  be  manifest.'  He  shall  be  fall  to  an 
overflow.  The  stream  proves  the  reality  of  the  spring,  and  the 
abundance  of  its  waters  the  strength  of  the  spring.  ^  The  holy 
happiness,  dwelling  in  the  heart,  will  manifest  itself  in  cheerful 
obedience.     Nor  is  even  this  all. 

§  3.  He  loho  accepts  the  invitation  becomes  the  means  of  communi- 
cating happiness  to  otJiers. 

There  is  a  third  idea  suggested  by  the  words, — '  He  who  ac- 
cepts the  invitation  shall  be  the  means  of  communicating  holy 
happiness  to  others.'  He  shall  become  a  secondary  fountain.  The 
same  general  truth  is  brought  before  the  mind,  in  various  ways, 
in  the  Holy  Scriptnres.  \Vlien  Zion  is  enlightened,  she  shines," 
"Ye  arc,''  saj^s  our  Lord,  the  "light  of  the  world.'"'  When 
Christians  are  shone  upon  by  tlie  Sun  of  Righteousness,  the 
true  light  of  the  world,  they,  though  naturall}^  dark  bodies,  be- 
come luminous,  and,  shining  as  lights  in  the  world,  show  forth 
to  men  around  them  the  glories  of  Him  who  called  them.  What 
they  have  received  they  communicate.  Acting  as  mirrors,  in 
reference  to  Grod  in  Christ,  who  is  holy  love,  they  are  changed 
into  the  same  image,  by  that  which  is  glorious,  into  that  wliich  is 
glorious.  God  shines  in  and  on  them  ;  and  they  thus  become  fit 
for  imparting  to  others  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the 
face  of  his  Son.'"  To  use  another  figure,  they  are  saved  them- 
selves, through  Christ,  from  that  state  of  moral  putrefaction, 
which  is  the  natural  state  of  all  men  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  satu- 
rated, as  it  were,  with  the  moral  antiseptic,  they  become  "  the 
salt  of  the  earth.'""  Christians  become  the  means  of  communi- 
cating to  others  the  knowledge,  the  holiness,  the  peace,  the  hope, 
the  joy,  they  have  obtained  from  the  Saviour :  "  Freely  they  have 
received,  freely  "  they  "  give." 

So  it  should  be.  So,  to  a  certain  extent,  wherever  there  is  true 
Christianity,  it  actually  is.  A  useless  Christian  is  a  contradiction 
in  terms.  He  who  has  got  good  from  the  Saviour  cannot  help 
doing  good  to  his  fellow-men ;  and  the  degree  of  the  desire  to 
communicate,  is  the  measure  of  the  degree  in  which  good  has 
been  received.  This  is  as  natural  as  for  the  stream  to  flow  from 
•the  Ibuntain-liead,  when  it  is  surcharged  with  waters.  He,  from 
whom  flow  out  no  streams  of  living,  life-giving  waters,  lias  reason 
to  fear  he  has  never  yet  come  to  the  Fountain  of  life,  and  drunk. 

'7  Isa  Ix.  1.  ''  Matt.  v.  16. 

'3  2  Cor.  iii.  18  ;  iv.  6.  ♦"  Matt.  v.  12. 


436  THE  GOSPEL  CALL.  [EXP,  X. 

How  illustriously  was  this  declaration  fulfilled  in  the  case  of  the 
apostles  and  primitive  Christians!  Andrew  brings  Peter,  and 
Philip  Nathanael,  to  Jesus."  The  woman  of  Samaria,  having 
tasted  the  living  waters,  invites  her  townsmen  to  "  come  and 
drink.""  And  what  a  deep,  broad,  rapid,  river  of  life  proceeded 
out  of  Jerusalem,  carrying  fertility  and  beauty  throughout  the 
heathen  world  !  Indeed,  in  every  case  of  genuine  conversion,  the 
saying  is  verified, — Every  one  who,  believing,  comes  to  Christ 
and  drinks,  "  out  of  his  belly  proceed  rivers  of  living  waters." 

There  is  one  great  important  practical  truth,  which  this  sub- 
ject brings  strongly  out,  and  which  I  desire  to  press  on  your  at- 
tention in  the  close  of  this  discourse.  If  we  would  be  savingly 
useful  to  others,  we  must  receive  saving  blessings  for  ourselves. 
If  we  would  have  rivers  of  waters  flow  out  of  us  to  refresh  and 
cleanse  others,  we  must  believingly  come  to  Jesus,  the  fountain 
of  life,  and  drink.  If  we  would  give  freely,  we  must  receive 
freely.  If  we  would  be  instrumental  in  obtaining  for  other  men 
the  Hol}^  Spirit,  we  must  be  primarily  desirous  and  diligent  in 
obtaining  the  Holy  Spirit  for  ourselves.  If  we  be,  as  I  trust  we 
are,  really  desirous  of  succeeding  in  the  good  work  of  endeavor- 
ing to  make  others,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  holy  and  happy  in 
the  enjoyment  of  "  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  let  us  seek  for  ourselves  a  larger  measure  of  Divine  in- 
fluence, and  of  that  holy  happiness  which  it  produces.  This  wfll 
secure  purity  in  our  aims,  constancy  and  perseverance  in  our 
exertions.  This,  too,  will  draw  down  the  blessing  of  God  on  our 
exertions, — for  then  they  will  be  indeed,  not  only  exertions  for 
what  is  generally  agreeable  to  his  will,  but  exertions  rising  from 
the  principles,  and  directed  and  regulated  in  the  manner,  which 
he  approves.  It  would  be  rash  to  say,  that  an  unconverted  man 
cannot  be  made  the  instrument  of  producing  in  others  a  blessed 
change,  to  which  he  himself  is  a  stranger.  Such  an  event  is  not 
impossible,  and  may  actually  have  taken  place ;  but  the  reason 
of  the  thing,  the  history  of  the  church,  and  the  declaration  of 
Scripture,  unite  in  support  of  the  principle,  that  it  is  converted 
men  who  are  to  convert  unconverted  men, — that  it  is  religious 
men  who  arc  to  make  other  men  religious, — that  it  is  the  possess- 
ors of  holy  happiness,  who  are  to  be  the  diffusers  of  holy  happi- 
ness,— that  it  is  those  who  have  drunk  deep  of  the  fountain  of 
saving  blessings,  "  out  of  whose  hearts  are  to  flow  rivers  of  living 
waters."  And  admitting  that  an  unconverted  christian  pro- 
fessor, or  an  unconverted  christian  minister, — what  an  incongru- 
ous combination  of  terms  I  though,  alas,  the  still  more  monstrous 
realit}^  they  designate  has,  we  are  afraid,  been  no  rarity  in  any 
age  of  the  churcli, — may  become  the  instrument  of  conversion  to 
others, — he  surely  is  among  the  sons  of  perdition,  the  most' 
utterly  lost, — who  perishes  of  thirst  while  leading  others  to  the 
Fountain  of  living  waters ;  who,  after  conducting  others  to  the 
regions  of  eternal  light,  when  "  the  door  ia  shut,"  finds  his  lot 

-'  John  i.  42,  46.  ^'^  John  iv.  39. 


APP.]  EXPOSITORY  NOTE.  437 

assigned  him  among  the  hypocrites  "in  outer  darkness," — "the 
blackness  of  darkness  for  ever,"  "  There  shall  be  weeping  and 
crnashing  of  teeth." 


APPENDIX  TO  EXPOSITION  IX. 

EXPOSITORY  NOTE  OF  THE  EVANGELIST.      CONNECTION  BETWEEN 
THE  GIVING  OF  THE  SPIRIT,  AND  THE  GLORIFICATION  OF  CHRIST. 

John  vn.  39. 

The  evangelist  subjoins  an  expository  note  on  this  statement  of 
our  Lord,  which  now  calls  for  consideration.  "  But  this  spake  he 
of*'  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive : 
for  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given ;  because  that  Jesus  was 
not 'yet  glorified.'"^* 

This  saying  about  "rivers  of  living  water,"  had  a  reference  to 
that  dispensation  of  Divine  influence,  which  was  to  commence  on 
•  our  Lord's  return  to  his  Father,  to  be  "  glorified  with  the  glory  he 
had  with  Him,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

It  has  been  made  a  question  whether,  in  this  declaration,  our 
Lord  refers  to  the  extraordinary,  or  to  the  ordinary,  influences 
and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  whether  the  declaration  in  the 
38th  verse  refers  exclusively  to  the  apostles  and  Christians  of  the 
primitive  age,  or  to  Christians  in  every  age.  We  are  not  called, 
by  anything  in  the  words,  or  their  connection,  to  narrow  their 
reference  ;  and,  therefore,  we  hold  that  there  is  a  reference  to  the 
Spirit's  influence  and  gifts,  of  whatever  kind,  which  were  to  be 
given  after  Christ  was  glorified.  It  was  not  the  kind,  but  the 
measure,  of  divine  influence  and  gifts,  which  was  to  distinguish 
the  New  Testament.  There  Avere  extraordinary  spiritual  gifts  un- 
der the  Old  Testament — for  example,  the  gift  of  prophecy.  There 
were  ordinary  spiritual  gifts  also.  How  else  were  men  sanctified  ? 
But  under  the  New  Testament  dispensation,  both  the  ordinary 
and  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  were  to  be  more  extensively 
and  more  abundantly  communicated.  There  were,  probably,  more 
inspired  men  during  the  last  half  of  the  first  century,  than  during 
the  whole  period  of  the  old  economy.  Certainly,  far  more  clear 
information  respecting  the  character  of  God,  and  the  wa}^  of  sal- 
vation, was  communicated  in  the  course  of  these  fifty  or  sixty 
years,  than  had  been  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. 

The  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  intended  for 
the  benefit  of  the  church  in  all  ages.  We  derive,  and  so  will  the 
latest  generation  of  Christians,  important  advantages  from  the 
revelations  made  under  the  inspiring  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  the  primitive  age,  and  the  miraculous  confirmations  given  of 
these  revelations  by  his  mighty  energy.  It  is  through  that  truth, 
revealed  and  confirmed  by  this  miraculous  agency,  as  well  as  by 

23  Tcpj,  in  relation  to.     Robinson,  I.  c.  **  John  vii.  89. 


438  THE   GOSPEL  CALL.  [EXP.  X. 

an  influence  over  every  individual  mind,  opening  it  to  apprehend 
the  meaning  and  evidence  of  that  truth,  that  men  are  made  holy 
and  happy,  and  are  made  the  instruments  of  making  others  holy 
and  happy  ;  that  they  are  induced  to  come  to  Jesus,  the  Fountain 
of  living  waters,  and  drink ;  and  that  out  of  their  bellies  are  made 
to  flow  rivers  of  living  water.  The  statement  is  a  general  one, 
and  holds  true  of  every  one  believing  under  the  New  Testament 
dispensation. 

When  these  words  were  uttered,  that  dispensation  had  not  com- 
menced,— Jesus  was  yet  on  the  earth.  It  is  under  divine  influence 
that  men  are  led  to  believe  in  Jesus ;  and  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  by  means  of  the  truth  believed,  puts  men  in  possession  of 
holy  happiness,  and  qualifies  and  disposes  them  to  be  useful  to 
others  in  making  them  holy  and  happy.  Under  the  former  econo- 
my, men  were  partakers  of  divine  influence  but  in  a  limited  meas- 
ure, corresponding  Avith  the  limited  and  obscure  character  of  the 
revelation  then  given."*  In  the  degree  in  which  that  divine  in- 
fluence was  enjoyed,  it  made  those  who  possessed  it  holy  and 
happy,  and  disposed  them  to  make  others  holy  and  happy.  This 
is  very  evident  from  the  words  of  the  psalmist,  "  Cast  me  not 
away  from  thy  presence ;  and  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me. 
Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation ;  and  uphold  me  with 
thy  free  Spirit :  then  will  I  teach  transgressors  thy  ways ;  and  sin- 
ners shall  be  converted  unto  thee.'"'^  But  our  Lord's  words  refer 
to  that  more  abundant  communication  of  divine  influence  which 
was  to  characterize  the  new  economy ;  a  communication  corre- 
sponding in  its  abundance  to  the  extensive  and  clear  revelation 
given  under  it. 

When  a  man,  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  led 
to  believe  the  complete  revelation  of  God  in  the  person  and 
word  of  his  incarnate  Son,  as  found  in  the  apostolic  testimony, 
and  by  divine  influence  operating  through  that  truth  understood 
and  believed,  was  put  in  possession  of  the  heavenly  and  spiritual 
blessings  of  the  christian  salvation,  and  made  at  once  capable, 
and  disposed,  to  become  the  instrument  of  conveying  these  bless- 
ings to  others, — then  were  the  words  of  our  Lord  fulfilled — that 
man,  believing,  had  come  to  him  and  drunk,  and  out  of  his  belly 
were  flowing  rivers  of  living  water.  Under  the  new  dispensa- 
tion, the  people  of  God  were  thus  to  be  blessed,  and  made  bless- 
ings, in  a  measure  far  exceeding  that  in  which  they  were  blessed, 
and  made  blessings,  under  the  former  dispensation.  The  fuller, 
clearer  revelation,  understood  and  believed,  accompanied  with  a 
correspondingly  enlarged   measure  of  divine   influence,  fills  the 

^  "  Ab  the  Son  operated  in  mankind  long  before  liis  incarnation,  so  also  the 
Spirit  was  manifested  long  before  the  outpouring.  But  as  the  fulness  of  life 
belonging  to  the  Son  was  not  reveabid  until  his  incarnation,  so  also  the  Spirit 
was  not  displayed  in  his  full  ])o\ver  till  the  out  i)oui-ing  at  Pcuteeost.  The  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit,  therefore,  is  the  same  circnnistunce  in  his  development  as 
the  incarnation  is  in  the  development  of  the  Sou.  It  might  be  said  that,  until  the 
glorification  of  Christ,  the  Ki>ev/i'i  uymv  operated  as  i'i'()(uOe7()i>,  and  after  this  as 
npoipopiKov." — 0L8HA^JSK^f.  'is  Psal.  li.  11-13. 


APP.]  EXPOSITORY  NOTE.  439 

believer's  heart  to  an  overflow  witli  holy  happiness,  and  at  once 
fits  and  inclines  him  to  make  others  holy  and  happy. 

The  language  of  the  latter  part  of  this  verse  is  somewhat  re- 
markable. Literally,  "The  Spirit,""  or  "the  Holy  Spirit,  was 
not  yet,^* — because  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified."  The  Holy 
Spirit,  here,  is  plainly  not  the  Holy  vSpirit  personally.  He  is 
"  the  eternal  Spirit."  It  might  be  said  of  him  equally  with  the 
Word — "  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the  world  was  made  by  him, 
and  the  world  knew  him  not."  He  brooded  over  the  chaos.  He 
garnished  the  heavens.  He  gave  and  sustained  created  intelli- 
gence and  active  power.  He  inspired  the  prophets.  He  sanc- 
tified the  Old  Testament  saints.  "  Without  the  Spirit  of  Grod, 
as  the  perfective  principle,  nature  would  not  have  been  nature. 
All  things  would  not  have  been  good — very  good — 'but  by  the 
communication  of  his  goodness ;  and  without  some  special  oper- 
ations of  the  Spirit,  the  godly,  before  Christ's  coming  into  the 
flesh,  could  not  have  been  godly,  nor  in  any  present  capacity  for 
glory.'"*  He  formed  the  human  nature  of  our  Lord.  He  was, 
ahd  is,  and  is  to  come.  "  The  Holy  Spirit"  here,  obviously  de- 
notes, the  influence,  operations,  gifts,  of  the  Holy  Spirit — ^and 
not  his  influence  generally — but  that  measure  and  kind  of  influ- 
ence by  which  the  Ncav  Testament  dispensation  was  to  be  char- 
acterized, the  Spirit  which  they  who  believe  on  Jesus  Christ — 
that  is,  true  Christians — should  receive.  It  is  in  the  same 
sense,  the  disciples  at  Ephesus  said,  that  they  had  "  not  so  much 
as  heard  whether  there  were  any  Holy  Ghost ;"™  not  that  they 
were  ignorant  of  the  divine  agent  called  the  Holy  Ghost,  but 
that  they  had  not  heard  anything  of  that  remarkable  effusion  of 
divine  influence,  which  the  prophets  had  led  them  to  expect 
under  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  and  which  they  were  in  the 
habit  of  calling  the  Holy  Ghost.  That  divine  influence  had  not 
yet  been  put  forth,  and  it  was  not  till  that  diAdne  influence  was  put 
forth,  that  our  Lord's  words,  in  all  their  extent  of  meaning,  could 
be  fulfilled. 

"The  Spirit,"  in  this  sense,  began  to  be  "shed  forth  abun- 
dantly" on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  The  results  of  that  abundant 
communication  are  embodied,  and  made  permanent,  in  the  apos- 
tolical epistles,  which  are  the  voice  of  Jesus  Christ  speaking  by 
his  Spirit,  from  his  throne  in  the  heavens ;  and,  since  that  pe- 
riod, divine  influence,  attending  that  truth,  has  led  in  innumera- 
ble instances,  to  the  verification  of  our  Lord's  declaration. 

The  reason  assigned  for  the  Spirit  not  being  yet  given,  at  the 

27  uyiov  is  excluded  from  the  text  by  later  critical  editors. 

**  "  ovTTG)  i/v.  At  the  time  that  Christ  preached,  he  promised  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
and,  therefore,  '  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet' — not  that  he  did  not  yet  exist  essen- 
tially in  heaven  ;  but  'he  was  nut  yet'  in  liis  manifestation  and  working.  For 
this  is  the  peculiar  work  and  office  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  manifest  and  glorify 
Christ,  to  preach  and  bear  witness  of  him :  One  must  not  fall  into  such  senseless 
thoughts  as  to  suppose  that  the  liolj'  Ghost  was  only  created  after  Christ's  resur- 
rection from  the  dead :  What  is  here  written  is,  '  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet,' 
that  is,  was  not  in  his  office." — Lutiieu. 

2^  Baxter.  ^^  Acts  xix.  2. 


440  THE   GOSPEL   CALL.  [EXP.  X. 

time  our  Lord  uttered  these  words,  is,  that  "  Jesus  was  not  yet 
o'lorified."  The  same  sentiment  is  contained  more  at  large  in 
our  Lord's  words  to  his  disciples : — "  Nevertheless  I  tell  you  the 
truth :  it  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away ;  for  if  I  go  not 
away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you ;  but  if  I  depart,  I 
mil  send  him  unto  you,"" 

The  glorification  of  our  Lord  is  obviously  his  being  exalted, 
receiving  "  a  name  above  every  name,  a  name  at  which  every 
knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue  confess,  receiving  power  over 
all  flesh,  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth," — in  one  word,  his 
being  made  "Lord  of  all,"  as  the  reward  of  his  having,  in  obe- 
dience to  the  will  of  his  Father,  "humbled  himself,  and  become 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross." 

There  seems  to  be  a  double  connection  between  Christ's  glori- 
fication, and  the  giving  of  the  Spirit.  The  power  of  dispensing 
divine  influence  formed  an  important  part  of  our  Lord's  media- 
torial reward, — a  reward  peculiarly  appropriate  to  his  holy  benev- 
olent cliaracter ;  and  there  was  an  obvious  propriety  that  the 
work  should  be  accomphshed  before  the  reward  was  conferred. 
It  was  becoming  that  he  should  have  "  finished  the  work  the 
Father  had  given  him  to  do,"  before,  in  the  exercise  of  that  un- 
limited power  in  heaven  and  earth  conferred  on  him  by  the 
Father,  he  sliould  "shed  forth  on  men  abundantly  the  Holy 
Spirit." 

But  this  is  not  the  only  connection.  The  Spirit  works  by 
means  of  the  truth,  in  satisfying  the  spiritual  thirst  of  men,  and 
in  qualifying  and  disposing  them  to  quench  the  spiritual  thirst  of 
others.  Now,  as  the  saving  truth  is  just  a  plain  account  of  what 
the  incarnate  Son  did  and  suffered  to  expiate  human  guilt,  and 
open  a  way  for  the  communication  of  divine  influence,  and  its 
results — true  holiness  and  happiness  to  men,  it  is  obvious  that 
the  revelation  of  that  truth  could  not  be  complete  till  the  work 
was  accomplished.  The  history  could  not  be  written  till  the 
events  had  taken  place.  The  Spirit  was  not  sent  till  the  instru- 
ment for  making  men  holy  and  happy,  in  the  degree  which  was 
to  characterize  the  new  dispensation,  was  prepared  for  him. 

It  was  not,  then,  so  wonderful  that  men  should  at  that  time 
continue  in  a  state  of  spiritual  thirst,  destitution,  and  painful  de- 
sire; Jesus  was  not  glorified,  and  therefore,  "the  Spirit  was  not 
yet."  But  is  it  not  natural  to  put,  with  some  degree  of  astonish- 
ment, the  question.  Why  should  men  to  whom  the  word  of  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel  is  come — why  sliould  they  continue  thirsty  ? 
why  should  they  not  drink,  and  become  fountains  of  waters? 
Jesus  is  glorified — the  Spirit  is  given — all  things  are  ready.  All 
the  obstacles  which  the  holy  character  and  the  righteous  law  of 
God  seemed  to  place  in  the  way  of  sinful  man's  happiness,  are 
removed.  Jesus  has  done  all — Jesus  possesses  all — Jesus  is  ready 
to  give  all  that  is  necessary  to  man's  true  permanent  happiness. 
The  Spirit  has  been  poured  out — the  Spirit  is  even  still  shed  forth 

31  John  xvi.  7. 


APP.]  EXPOSITORY  NOTE.  441 

abundantly — the  promise  is  every  clay  receiving  new  confirmation 
by  additional  fulfilments.  "  Your  Father  in  heaven  will  give  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  who  ask  him."  "  Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive, 
seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  to  you. 
Every  one  that  asketh  receiveth  ;  every  one  that  seeketh  findeth  ; 
to  every  one  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened." 

If  we  have  not  the  Spirit,  and  if  we  have  not  the  holy  happi- 
ness which  he  only  can  give,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  discovering 
the  true  reason.  It  is  not  in  God.  God  is  not, — cannot  be,  un- 
willing to  give  that,  to  make  the  giving  of  which  consistent  with 
his  tnith  and  justice,  he  freely  gave  his  Son.  He  is  not  unwilling 
to  give  the  Holy  Spirit.  No,  the  cause, — 'the  guilty  cause,  is  in 
ourselves:  "We  have  not,  because  we  ask  not,  or  because  we 
ask  amiss." 

Jesus  Christ  alone  can  satisfy  the  thirst  for  happiness.  They 
who  will  not  come  to  him,  and  drink,  must  for  ever  suffer  the 
torments  of  unquenchable  thirst,  without  even  a  drop  of  cold 
water  to  cool  their  tongue,  tormented  in  the  flame  which  cannot 
be  extinguished.  He  now  invites  you — he  has  long  invited  you 
— he  still  invites  you ;  but  he  will  not  invite  you  for  ever.  0, 
listen  to  his  voice — comply  with  his  invitation.  Then  will  he 
not  only  lead  you  to  the  still  waters  to  refresh  you,  amid  the  toils 
and  exhaustion  of  the  wilderness,  but  in  due  time,  in  the  paradise 
above,  as  the  Lamb  once  slain,  but  now  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  "  he  will  feed  you,  and  lead  you  to  living  fountains  of 
waters,  and  God  will  wipe  away  all  tears  from  your  eyes." 


EXPOSITION   XI. 


MISCELLANEOUS.— CHRIST  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD— TRUE 
LIBERTY— REAL  SLAVERY— SPIRITUAL  PATERNITY  OF  THE  JEWS 
— PRE-EXISTENCE  AND   DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST. 

JonN,  vin.  12-5^'. 

The  law  of  Christ,  in  its  spirit  and  precepts,  is  illustrated  and 
exemplified,  in  the  character  and  conduct  of  its  divine  Author,  to 
an  extent,  and  with  a  minuteness,  which  is  indeed  wonderful. 

Christians  are  commanded  to  "  redeem  the  time" — ^to  be  dili- 
gent in  their  business,  the  service  of  the  Lord — to  "  be  instant 
in  season,  and  out  of  season" — to  "  do  good  to  all  as  thej  have 
opportunity" — never  to  be  "  weary  in  well-doing,"  but  to  be 
"stedfast  and  unmovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord."  In  this  respect,  as  in  every  other,  Jesus,  our  Master, 
has  "  left  us  an  example,  that  we  should  follow  his  steps." 

To  be,  and  to  do,  all  this,  we  have  only  to  imitate  him. 
"  Follow  me,"  is  a  command  of  very  comprehensive  import. 
Never  was  there  a  life  of  such  laborious,  incessant,  untiring, 
dutiful  exertion,  as  the  public  life  of  Jesus  Christ.  "  He  went 
about  continually  doing  good."  It  was  his  "  meat  to  do  the  will 
of  his  Father,  and  to  finish  his  work ;"  and  the  language  of  his 
conduct  was,  "  I  must  work  the  works  of  Him  who  sent  me 
while  it  is  da}^ ;  the  night  is  coming,  in  which  no  man  can  work." 
Never,  probably,  was  so  much  thought,  feeling,  and  active  exer- 
tion, crowded  into  the  same  space  of  time,  as  in  the  ministry  of 
our  Lord.  The  intervals  of  rest  which  he  allowed  himself  were 
few  and  far  between.  Day  after  day,  week  after  week,  month 
after  month,  year  after  year,  unterrified  by  the  threats,  undis- 
mayed by  the  obstinacy,  unalienated  by  the  unkindness,  of  his 
countrymen,  he  continued  to  labor,  even  to  fatigue,  in  healing 
their  bodily  diseases,  and  ministering  to  their  spiritual  necessities. 
He  scarcely  took  time  lor  the  necessary  refreshment  of  food  and 
sleep,  and  seems  to  have  grudged  every  moment  which  was  not 
directly  devoted  to  the  promotion  of  the  Divine  glory  and  human 
happiness. 

Into  this  track  of  thought  we  have  been  led  by  the  passage  of 
sacred  history  now  lying  before  us  for  exposition.  After  a 
fatiguing  journey  from  (.Talilcc,  Jesus  had  been  constantly''  en- 
gaged, during  the  concluding  days  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  in 


EXP.  XI.]  INTRODUCTION.  448 

teaching  the  people  in  the  temple.  On  the  evening  of  the  last 
day  of  the  festival,  while  all  the  people  "  went  unto  their  own 
houses,"  "  Jesus,"  who  had  no  home  to  go  to,  "  went  unto  the 
Mount  of  Olives,"'  where  it  is  not  unlikely  he  spent  the  night 
in  solitary  devotion ;  and,  instead  of  repairing  to  the  hospitable 
house  of  his  friend  Lazarus,  at  Bethany,  to  refresh  himself  by  a 
cessation  from  labor,  "  early  in  the  morning  he  came  again  into 
the  temple,  and  all  the  j)eople  came  unto  him  ;  and  he  sat  down, 
and  taught  them."^ 

This  was  redeeming  the  time — this  was  diligence  in  his  busi- 
ness— this  was  being  instant  in  season  and  out  of  season — this 
was  doing  good  to  all,  as  he  had  opportunity — ^this  was  not 
wearying  in  Arell-doing — ^this  was  being  stedfast  and  unmovable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

Our  Lord  chose  so  early  an  hour,  probably,  that  he  might 
have  an  opportunity  of  once  more  addressing  his  countrymen, 
before  they  left  Jerusalem  to  retire  to  their  respective  homes, 
especially  the  more  devout  portion  of  them,  who,  previously  to 
commencing  their  journey,  -thought  it  right  to  go  up  to  the  temple 
to  perform  their  devotions.  On  his  appearing  within  the  sacred 
precincts,  "  all  the  people" — that  is,  either  a  great  crowd,  or  all 
the  people  who,  at  that  early  hour,  were  in  the  temple — gathered 
round  him,  and  he,  assuming  the  ordinary  attitude  of  teaching 
among  the  Jews,  sat  down,  and  began  to  discourse  to  them. 

Among  the  causes  which  prevent  a  man,  who  is  really  desirous 
of  devoting  his  time  and  energies  to  their  proper  purposes,  from 
being  useful  in  the  degree  in  which  he  wishes  to  be  so,  must  be 
placed  the  unexpected  and  unpleasant  in,terruptions  which  he 
often  meets  with.  These  interruptions  operate  in  a  twofold  way 
in  producing  this  effect.  They  occupy  time,  which  might  be 
better  employed ;  but  that  is  not  all :  they  distract  the  attention, 
they  break  the  train  of  thought,  they  cool  the  ardor  of  pursuit, 
they  sometimes  ruffle  the  temper,  and,  in  these  waj^s,  they  both 
lessen  the  quantity,  and  deteriorate  the  quality,  of  our  work ;  we 

1  John  viii.  1.     This  should  have  closed  chap.  vii. 

2  John  viii.  2. — In  these  introductory  reinai'ks,  I  proceed  on  the  hypothesis  that 
the  paragraph,  chap.  vii.  53 — viii.  11,  is  gouxiine,  or,  at  all  events,  authentic.  It 
is  universally  known  among  scholars,  that  its  genuineness  has  long  been  a  subject 
of  controversy  among  critics  and  interpreters.  Much  may  be  said,  much  has 
been  said,  on  both  sides  of  the  question — so  much,  indeed,  as  to  make  many  stand 
in  doubt  as  to  its  riglit  resolution.  If  the  matter  is  to  be  determined  by  the 
number  and  weight  of  names,  it  will  not  l^e  easy  to  settle  it;  foi",  on  the  side  of 
the  genuineness  of  the  paragi-aph,  we  find  Seldeu,  jSIill,  Bengel,  Whitby,  Calmet, 
Capellus,  Osiander,  Lampc,  Michselis,  Ston*,  Hug,  Kuinoel,  and  Scholz ;  and  on 
the  opposite  side,  we  find  Erasmus,  Calvin,  Beza,  Grotius,  Le  Clerc,  Wetstein, 
Morus,  Olshausen,  Liicke,  De  Wette.  Griesbach  marks  it  as  doubtful — probably 
spurious.  Tischendorf  omits  it  altogether.  Such  names  being  to  be  found  on 
opposite  sides,  shows,  what  personal  examination  of  the  evidence  will  confirm, 
that  it  would  be  rash  to  treat  the  paragraph  as  a  mere  poetic  invention ;  and,  to 
say  the  least,  it  seems,  whether  proceeding  from  John's  pen  or  not,  to  be,  what 
Tholuek  terms  it,  "a  genuine  evangelical  tradition."  A  full  statement  of  the  evi- 
dence on  both  sides  is  to  be  found  in  Stiiudlein's  "  Prolusio,"  of  which  Kuinoel 
gives  an  abridgement;  and  a  shorter,  yet  clear  state  of  the  (question,  is  given  in 
Tholuck's  notes. 


444  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

not  only  do  not  do  so  much,  but  what  we  do  is  not  so  well  done, 
as  had  we  been  secured  from  these  teasing  intrusions. 

It  is  the  part  of  a  wise  man  to  guard  himself,  as  far  as  prac- 
ticable, from  such  interruptions.  In  the  present  state  of  things, 
to  keep  entirely  free  of  them  is,  I  believe,  impossible.  Our 
business  should  be,  when  they  occur,  to  get  rid  of  them  with  as 
little  delay  as  possible ;  and  especially  to  endeavor  to  preserve 
our  minds  in  such  a  state,  as  that,  when  the  impertinent  intru- 
sion is  over,  we  ma}^  be  able  to  resume  our  proper  employment, 
as  if  it  had  not  been  interrupted,  and  prosecute  it  with  as  much 
alacrity  and  self-possession,  as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to  break 
in  upon  our  thoughts,  or  disturb  our  feelings. 

The  principle  announced  b}^  us  on  beginning  these  observa- 
tions is  applicable  to  this  case  also.  Here,  as  in  almost  every 
situation  of  difficulty  in  which  we  can  be  placed,  our  Lord  has 
set  us  an  example,  and  we  should  follow  in  his  steps.  When 
employed  in  his  favorite  work  of  teaching  the  people — ^a  work 
delightful  to  himself,  and  most  useful  to  his  auditors — he  met 
with  a  very  impertinent  and  disagreeable  interruption.  His 
enemies,  the  Pharisees,  entered,  and  endeavored  to  engage  him 
in  a  work  altogether  alien  from  the  design  of  his  mission,  with 
the  intention  of  entrapping  him  into  some  statement  which  might 
be  turned  to  account  by  them  in  securing  his  destruction,  either 
by  awakening  the  prejudices  of  the  populace  or  the  jealousies  of 
the  government.  Though  perfectly  aware  of  their  malignant  in- 
tention, "  in  patience  he  possessed  his  soul ;"  with  admirable 
prudence  he  eluded  the  snare  they  had  laid  for  him,  and  en- 
tangled his  unprincipled  opponents  in  the  net  they  themselves 
had  woven ;  and,  having  dismissed  them  overwhelmed  with  dis- 
appointment and  shame,  he,  without  exhibiting  the  slightest  ap- 
pearance of  being  agitated  with  passion,  or  led  away  from  the 
subject  he  was  discussing,  immediately  recurs  to  the  agreeable 
and  useful  work  in  which  the  Pharisees  had  found  him  engaged, 
and  prosecutes  it  just  as  if  nothing  had  occurred. 


I. — CHRIST   "THE   LIGHT  OF  THE   WORLD." 
John  vm.  1 2-29. 

Your  attention  has  repeatedly  been  called  to  tlie  remark,  that 
our  Lord,  in  his  discourses,  usually  borrowed  his  illustrations 
from  present  incidents  and  surrounding  objects.  Of  this,  we 
seem  to  have  an  instance  in  the  case  now  before  us.  Our  Lord 
had  returned,  early  in  the  morning,  from  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
where  he  had  spent  the  night.  It  is  higlily  probable,  then,  that 
it  was  in  allusion  to  the  rising  sun  making  his  appearance  above 
the  horizon,  and  investing  all  nature  with  light  and  beauty,  that 
in   the  commencement  of  .that  discourse,  on  the  illustration  of 


PART  I.]  CHRIST  "THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD,"         "  445 

whicli  we  are  about  to  enter,  he  represents  Hmself  as  "  the  true 
Sun,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  the  Light  of  men.'"  * 

§  1.   The  Claim. 

"Then  spake  Jesus  again  unto  them,  saying,  I  am  the  liglit 
of  the  world :  he  that  folio weth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 
but  shall  have  the  light  of  life.'" 

Light,  in  Scripture,  is  the  emblem  of  true  knowledge,  of  true 
holiness,  of  true  happiness, — just  as  darkness  is  the  emblem  of 
Ignorance  and  error,  guilt  and  depravity,  privation  and  misery. 
When  Jesus  calls  himself  "the  light,"  he  means  that  he,  that 
he  alone, — for  there  is  but  one  Sun  in  the  spiritual  as  in  the 
natural  world, — is  the  Author  of  wisdom,  pardon,  sanctification, 
happiness,  in  all  the  extent  of  that  word.  '  I  can^ — I  alone  can 
— enlighten  the  darkness  of  benighted  man ;  I  am,  in  the  moral 
world,  what  the  sun  is  in  the  natural  world, — the  source  of  light, 
and  heat,  and  health,  and  beauty.' 

It  is  very  unduly  to  narrow  the  meaning  of  the  words,  to  con- 
sider them  as  merely  equivalent  to — '  I  am  the  great  Teacher. 
They  include  this ;  but  they  include  a  great  deal  more  than  this. 
They  are  equivalent  to — 'I  am  the  Saviour;'  and  ignorance  and 
error  are  by  no  means  the  only  evils  man  requires  to  be  delivered 
from. 

But  he  calls  himself  not  only  "the  light,"  but  "the  light  of 
the  world," — not  only  the  Saviour,  but  the  Saviour  of  men.  The 
Jews  expected  the  Messiah  to  be  "the  light  of  Israel ;"  but  our 
Lord  intimates  that  the  blessings  he  had  in  store,  and  was  sent 
to  communicate,  were  intended  for  mankind  at  large.  He  was  to 
be  "  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,"  as  well  as  "  the  glory  of  God's 
people  Israel."* 

"  He  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall 
have  the  light  of  life."  Let  us  endeavor,  first,  to  apprehend 
the  figure,  and  then  seek  its  meaning.  He  who  follows  a  moving 
luminous  body  enjoys  its  Hght ; — were  a  person  following  the  sun, 
there  would  be  no  night  to  him.  That  is  the  figure ;  now  what 
is  its  meaning? 

What  is  it  to  follow  Christ  "  as  the  light  of  the  world  "?  and 
what  is  it  to  "have  the  light  of  life  "?  In  order  to  answer  the 
first  of  these  questions,  we  must  put  another.  Following  a  lumin- 
ous body  is  that  which,  according  to  the  constitution  of  the 
natural  world,  is  necessary  in  order  to  enjoy  its  light.     Now,  what 

^  Tlie  reference  has  been  otherwise  explained  by  some  very  learned  interpreters. 
They  consider  the  words  to  have  been  spoken  "on  the  last  and  great  day  of  the 
feast,"  and  find  in  one  of  its  ceremonies  what  naturally  suggested  the  figurative 
representation.  "In  the  court  of  the  women  there  stood  two  colossal  candle- 
sticks, decorated  with  a  multitude  of  lamps:  towards  the  evening,  these  were 
lighted  up,  and  the  people  danced  around  them  with  great  rejoicing."  In  allusion 
to  this  light  of  the  temple,  they  consider  our  Lord  as  saying,  "  I  am  the  light  of 
the  world." —  Vide  Olshausen. 

<  John  viii.  12.  =  Luke  ii.  32.  »  See  Note  A- 


446  •  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI, 

is  that  "which,  according  to  the  constitution  of  the  spiritual  world, 
is  necessary  in  order  to  our  enjoying  the  blessings  which  Christ 
has  to  communicate  ?  It  is  obviously  faith — faith  of  the  truth 
with  regard  to  him,  as  the  light  of  the  world — the  Saviour  of 
men.  Whosoever  believes  the  truth  respecting  Christ  Jesus  as 
the  Saviour  of  men,  he  shall — ^he  alone  can — participate  in  the 
blessings  of  his  salvation  ;  "he  shall  have  the  light  of  life,"  the 
life-giving  light.  I  can  scarcely  doubt  that  the  reference  here 
is  to  the  beautiful  prediction  of  the  prophet  Malachi :  "  Unto 
you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the  Sun  of  Eighteousness  arise  witli 
healing  in  his  wings.""  The  true  Sun,  of  which  the  sun  in  the 
firmament  is  but  a  figure,  rises ;  and  by  his  wings  we  are  to  un- 
derstand his  rays,  or  rather,  perhaps,  the  refreshing  breeze  which, . 
in  tropical  climates,  often  accompanies  the  rising  of  the  sun,  dif- 
fusing health  all  around.  "  The  light  of  life"  here  refers,  not  to 
Christ  personally,  as  "  the  light  of  the  world"  does,  but  is  de- 
scriptive of  his  benefits — the  knowledge,  hohngss,  and  happiness 
which  he  communicates. 

The  general  statement  is,  '  He  who  believes  the  truth,  in  refer- 
ence to  Christ,  he,  and  he  alone,  whoever  he  may  be,  whether 
Jew  or  Gentile,  enjoys  the  blessings  of  Christ's  salvation.  If  a 
man  do  not  follow  the  sun,  he  must  walk  in  darkness.  If  a  man 
do  not  believe  the  truth  about  Christ,  he  must  continue  in  the 
darkness  of  ignorance,  error,  guilt,  pollution,  and  misery ;  and  the 
longer  he  remains  in  unbelief,  the  deeper  does  the  darkness  grow, 
till  it  becomes  tliat  darkness  that  may  be  felt — the  blackness  of 
darkness  for  ever  and  ever.  On  the  other  hand,  he  who  follows 
the  sun  must  enjoy  his  light.  He  that  believes  the  truth  about 
Christ,  just  in  the  measure  in  which  he  believes  it,  enjoys,  and 
cannot  but  enjoy,  the  blessings  of  his  salvation  ;  the  knowledge, 
the  peace,  the  holiness,  the  hope,  the  happiness,  which  he,  and  he 
alone,  can  communicate.' 

Like  many  of  the  other  figurative  representations  of  this  truth, 
this  beautiful  metaphor  conveys  the  important  idea,  that  con- 
tinued faith  is  the  appointed  means  of  the  continued  enjoyment 
of  the  christian  salvation.  It  is  not  he  who  has  believed — it  is 
he  who  believeth — who  habitually  believes,  that  shall  be  saved. 
"We  must  follow  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  if  we  would  constantly 
enjoy  the  healing  which  is  under  his  wings.  If  we  follow  Christ, 
we  shall  be  happy  in  both  worlds  ;  if  we  follow  Christ  on  earth, 
we  shall  follow  him  to  heaven. 

§  2.  The  claim  vindicated. 

This  declaration  was  not  i)robably  understood  in  its  full  extent 
by  any  of  our  Lord's  hearei's,  though  it  likely  was  considered  as 
a  claim  of  being  a  prophet,  if  not  the  Messiah.  In  the  minds  of 
such  of  the  Pharisees  as  were  present,  it  excited  that  disposition 
to  cavil  by  which  they  were  so  remarkably  characterized.    "  The 

*  Mai,  iv.  2. 


PART  I.]  CHRIST  "THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."  447 

Pharisees  tlierefore  said  unto  him,  Thou  bearest  record  of  thyself; 
thy  record  is  not  true."^  In  these  words  the  Pharisees  seem  plain- 
ly to  have  had  a  reference  to  what  our  Lord  himself  had  said  on 
a  former  occasion ;  and,  apparently,  they  meant  to  accuse  him  of 
self-contradiction,  as  well  as  falsehood.  He  had  said,  "if  I  bear 
witness  of  myself,  my  witness  is  not  true;"*  that  is,  is  not  trust- 
worthy— is  not  to  be  credited  unless  supported  by  other  evidence. 
It  is  just,  then,  as  if  the  Pharisees  had  said, — 'How  do  you  recon- 
cile what  you  say  now  with  what  you  said  so  lately  ?  "We  have 
only  your  word  for  your  being  the  light  of  the  world.  How  can 
you  expect  us  to  believe  such  a  declaration,  or  to  trust  to  the 
promises  which  are  founded  on  it?' 

Our  Lord's  answer  to  this  cavil  is  contained  in  the  verses  which 
follow : — "  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Though  1  bear 
record  of  myself,  3"et  my  record  is  true ;  for  I  know  whence  I 
came,  and  whither  I  go ;  but  ye  cannot  tell  whence  I  come,  and 
whither  I  go,*  Ye  judge  after  the  flesh;  I  judge  no  man.  And 
yet  if  I  judge,  my  judgment  is  true ;  for  I  am  not  alone,  but  I 
and  the  Father  that  sent  me.  It  is  also  written  in  your  law,  that 
the  testimony  of  two  men  is  true.  I  am  one  that  bear  witness  of 
myself,  and  the  Father  that  sent  me  beareth  witness  of  me.""" 

There  is  some  difficulty  in  the  passage,  but  so  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  apprehend  it,  this  is  the  train  of  thought : — '  In  this  declar- 
ation I  have  just  made,  no  doubt  I  have  uttered  a  testimony  con- 
cerning myself  This  testimony  is  not,  however,  on  that  account 
to  be  rejected  as  of  no  value.  Indeed,  from  the  circumstances  of 
the  case,  I  must  testify  of  myself,  else  the  truth  about  me  could 
not  be  known,"  I  know  the  truth,  and  can  declare  it.  You  do 
not  know  the  truth  about  me,  and  unless  I  state  the  truth,  you 
must  remain  ignorant  of  it.  But  my  testimony  is  not  unsupport- 
ed testimony — my  testimony  is  indeed  my  Father's  testimony,  as 
is  abundantly  established,  and  his  testimony  is  worthy  of  all  ac- 
ceptation,'    Let  us  look  at  the  words  somewhat  more  closely, 

"  Though  I  bear  record  of  myself,  my  record  is  true  ;"  that  is, 
'  It  is  not  reasonable  or  safe  in  you  to  set  aside  my  testimony,  to 
treat  it  as  if  it  were  not  true,  merely  because  it  is  mine,'  They 
seemed  to  go  on  the  obviously  false  principle,  '  The  thing  cannot 
be  true,  because  he  says  it,'  His  reply  to  them  is,  '  It  is  true ; 
and  though  I  say  it,  it  deserves  to  be  credited,  I  am  a  divine 
messenger ;  who  can  deliver  the  message,  but  he  who  has  re- 
ceived it  ?  I  know  whence  I  came,  and  whither  I  go,  I  came 
from  the  Father,  I  return  to  the  Father.  I  am  come  to  dehver 
a  message,  and  I  go  to  give  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
I  have  delivered  it.  You  are  utterly  ignorant  as  to  whence  I 
came,  and  whither  I  go,  and  what  is  the  message  with  which  I 

7  John  viii.  13.  s  John  v.  31. 

9  "  noOev — TTov  :  unde — quo.  Ad  hsec  duo  capita  potest  referri  doctrina  de 
Christo.     De  illo  agitur,  v.  16,  et  eeqq. ;   de  hoc,  v.  21,  et  seqq." — Bengel. 

"J  John  viii.  14-18. 

"  "Lumen  et  alia  demonstrat  et  seipsum.  Testimonium  sibi  perhibet  lux, 
aperit  Banos  oculos,  et  sibi  ipsi  testis  est." — Augustlv. 


448  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

am  entrusted.  If  you  knew  whence  I  came,  and  whither  I  go, 
you  could  not  for  a  moment  doubt  but  that  I  was  warranted  to 
give  testimony  of  myself,  and  that  that  testimony,  when  given, 
was  most  worthy  of  credit. 

'  But  your  false  principles  of  judgment  prevent  you  from  per- 
ceiving the  truth  on  this  subject.  "  You  judge  after  the  flesh  ;" 
you  form  your  judgments  of  me,  according  to  the  carnal  notions 
of  your  nation  respecting  the  Messiah,  as  a  temporal  prince  and 
a  national  deliverer ;  and  therefore  you  cannot  leceive  the  truth 
respecting  me.  I  am  not  the  kind  of  person  you  were  anticipat- 
ing as  the  Messiah,  and  you  reject  my  testimony,  not  because  it 
is  not  true,  but  because  it  does  not  coincide  with  your  carnal 
views.  That  is  the  true  reason  why  you  refuse  to  credit  it.  Let 
a  person  come  with  the  temporal  power  and  splendor  you  wish 
and  expect,  and  you  would  be  ready  enough  to  receive  his  testi- 
mony respecting  himself,  even  though  unsupported  by  such  evi- 
dences as  I  produce.' 

"I  judge  no  man."  These  words  have  been  variously  inter- 
preted. The  statement,  though  unlimited,  must  plainly  be  quali- 
fied ;  for  no  doubt,  so  far  from  being  true  that  our  Lord  judges  no 
man,  he  is  judge  of  all ;  all  must  stand  at  his  judgment  seat." 

Some  understand  it  as  equivalent  to  '  I  am  not  a  civil  or  crim- 
inal judge.'  Others  understand  it  thus,  'I  do  not  now  judge. 
My  business  now,  and  here,  is  to  suffer  and  save.  I  will  reign 
and  judge,  and  condemn  and  punish,  elsewhere  and  hereafter.' 
These  are  both  truths,  but  they  seem  to  have  no  bearing  on  what 
is  our  Lord's  object. 

It  is  natural  to  seek  the  limitation  in  the  context.  Of  those 
who  do  so,  some  look  back,  and  others  look  forward.  Those  who 
look  back,  understand  it  as  equivalent  to,  '  I  do  not  judge  any 
man  after  the  flesh.'  Those  who  look  forward,  understand  it  as 
equivalent  to,  '  I  am  not  alone  in  my  judgment.  When  I  judge 
a  man,  the  Father  judges  him  also.  My  judgment  is  not  so 
much  mine,  as  his  who  sent  me.'  The  first  of  these  seems  to  me 
the  more  probable  interpretation.  'You  judge  generally,  and  in 
particular  you  judge  me  "  after  the  flesh."  You  form  your 
opinion  of  me  according  to  carnal  principles.  I  do  not  judge 
you,  nor  any  man,  in  that  way.  I  judge  on  spiritual  principles, 
i  judge  of  men  and  things,  not  from  their  appearance,  but  from 
the  reality.  My  opinion  is  regulated,  not  by  men's  judgment, 
but  by  God's  judgment ;  "  and  yet  if  1  judge," — or  rather,  "  and 
when  I  judge,"" — "  my  judgment  is  true,  for  I  am  not  alone,  but 
I  and  the  Father  that  sent  me."  Whatever  judgment  I  form  or 
utter,  is  according  to  truth ;  ibr  it  is  not  merely  my  judgment, 
it  is  the  judgment  of  my  Father,  whose  messenger  I  am.' 

I  apprehend  we  have  here,  repeated,  the  claim  made  by  our 

12  Rom.  xiv.  10.     2  Cor.  v.  10. 

'3  The  use  of  iuv,  as  equivalent  to  "  wlieii,"  is  not  unfrequent  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. John  xii.  32;  xiv.  3.  1  John  iii.  2.  The  Hebrew  DN  is  used  in  the 
same  way  Gen.  xxxviiL  9 — where  the  LXX.  has  drav. 


PART  I.]  CHRIST  "  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."  449 

Lord  in  the  fifth  chapter,  of  so  close  a  connection  between  him 
and  his  divine  Father,  as  that,  whatever  he  sajs  is  to  be  con- 
sidered as  said  by  the  Father ;  whatever  he  does  is  to  be  con- 
sidered as  done  bv  the  Father.  He  speaks  bv  the  divine  Avisdom, 
which  is  common  to  the  Father  and  to  the  Son.  He  works  bv 
the  divine  power,  which  is  common  to  the  Father  and  the  Son. 
If  so,  how  could  his  judgment  be  but  true?  It  was  a  matter  of 
very  little  importance  to  him  how  they  judged  him.  It  was  a 
matter  of  infinite  importance  to  them  how  he  judged  them. 
How  different  are  things  in  reality,  to  things  in  appearance  ! 

Our  Lord  then  goes  on  to  state,  that  his  testimony  was  not  un- 
supported testimony.  It  was  the  testimony  of  the  Father,  as  well 
as  of  himself  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  There  are  two  witnesses 
here,  which  the  Mosaic  law  required."*  This  is  not  a  case  to 
which  the  principle  of  the  Jewish  law  is  strictly  applicable,  but 
the  circumstances  are  more  in  accordance  with  it  than  at  first 
sight  they  might  appear  to  be.  '  I  am  one  that  bears  witness  of 
myself,  and  the  Father  that  sent  me  beareth  witness  of  me.'  How 
the  Father  bare  witness  of  our  Lord,  is  fully  unfolded  in  the  fifth 
chapter,'*  and  has  been  already  illustrated.  He  bare  witness  to 
him  by  the  miracles  he  enabled  him  to  work.  These  miracles 
could  have  been  performed  by  no  power  inferior  to  divine.  He 
bare  witness  to  him  by  the  supernatural  voice  and  glorious  ap- 
pearance that  distinguislicd  his  baptism ;  he  bare  witness  to  him 
in  those  ancient  predictions  which  were  so  wonderfully  fulfilled 
in  his  character,  and  doctrine,  and  actions,  and  sufferings.  The 
argument  seems  to  be,  '  Two  men's  testimonj'  is  considered  as 
satisfactory  evidence.  Here  are  two  testimonies — and  testimonies, 
each  of  them  infinitely  outweighing  all  human  testimony.' 

With  "  obtuse  haughtiness,"""  or,  perhaps,  \v-ith  an  intention  to 
induce  him  to  utter  some  stronger  and  plainer  declaration,  which 
might  lay  a  foundation  for  a  charge  of  blasphem}^  to  inflame  the 
people,  or  of  sedition  to  alarm  the  government,  "  they  said  to  him. 
Where  is  thy  Father?"  as  if  they  had  said,  'Bring  forward  this 
witness,  whose  testimony  is  so  good,  as  not  only  to  be  worthy  of 
credit  itself,  but  even  able  to  make  your  incredible  and  unintel- 
ligible statements  worthy  of  belief.  We  should  like  to  see  this 
Father  of  yours.' 

Our  Lord's  reply  is  worthy  of  his  divine  mission.  "  Ye  neither 
know  me,  nor  my  Father :  if  ye  had  known  me,  ye  should  have 
known  my  Father  also :""  as  if  he  had  said,  *  My  Father  is  he 
whom  you  call  your  God  ;  ye  think  ye  know  him,  but  in  truth  )^ou 
are  equally  ignorant  of  m}'  true  character  and  His.  If  3'e  had  known 
me  to  be  what  I  am,— the  Son  of  the  Father, — the  Only-begotten, 
who  was  in  his  bosom  from  eternity,  and  who  has  been  made  flesli 
for  the  express  purpose  of  revealing  him  that  his  glory  may  be  seen 
in  my  face, — if  you  had  known  the  truth  about  me,  and  received 
me  in  my  true  character,  jon  would  have  known  the  Father,  tor 

»  Deut.  xvii.  6.  '^  John  v.  32-39. 

•6  Tholuck.  "  John  viii.  19. 

VOL.  I.  29 


450  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

r  should  have  revealed  him  to  you,  and,  indeed,  in  knowing  me 
you  would  have  known  him,  for  "  he  has  seen  the  Father  that  has 
seen  the  Son  ;"  for  he  is  "  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,"  "  the 
brightness  of  his  glory,  the  express  image  of  his  person."  ' 

These  words  were  spoken  by  our  Lord  in  that  part  of  the  tem- 
ple buildings  that  was  called  the  treasury."  This  was  in  the 
court  of  the  women,  where  there  were  placed  thirteen  treasure- 
chests,  which  served  as  repositories  for  the  free-wUl  offerings  of 
money,  and  for  the  yearly  tribute  for  the  support  of  the  temple." 
This  was  a  place  where  there  was  usually  a  concourse  of  people. 
Vitringa  supposes  that  the  temple  synagogue  was  in  this  place, 
but  this  is  uncertain. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Pharisee  Avere  greatly  incensed 
at  our  Lord's  discourse,  but  though  unprotected  by  any  human 
guard,  "  no  man  laid  hands  on  him."  The  unseen  shield  of  his 
Father  was  around  him.  "  His  hour  was  not  yet  come  ;"  and  till 
it  arrived,  he  was  immortal.  "  The  hand  of  the  Lord,"  as  Olshau- 
sen  says,  "  protected  the  Beloved,  until  the  hour  of  the  great 
sacrifice." 

"  Then  said  Jesus  again  unto  them,  I  go  my  way,  and  ye  shall 
seek  me,  and  shall  die  in  your  sins :  whither  I  go,  ye  cannot 
come."^"  He  said  it  "again;"  he  had  said  it  before."  The  train 
of  thought  seems  to  be  this,  '  It  is  your  interest  immediately  to 
attend  to,  and  believe,  my  statements.  It  is  thus  only  you  can 
escape  impending  destruction.  There  is  no  time  to  lose — •!  wiU 
not  continue  with  you  always,  I  will  not  continue  with  you  long ; 
a  time  is  coming,  it  is  near  at  hand,  Avhen  you  will  eagerly  seek 
Him  whom  you  now  reject,  but  seek  him  in  vain.' 

"  I  go  my  way."  This  is  a  declaration  of  the  same  import  as 
that  addressed  to  the  Jewish  rulers:  "Then  said  Jesus  unto 
them.  Yet  a  little  while  am  I  with  you,  and  then  I  go  unto  him 
that  sent  me.  Ye  shall  seek  me,  and  shall  not  find  me :  and 
where  I  am,  thither  ye  cannot  come.""  And  to  the  disciples — 
"Little  children,  yet  a  little  while  I  am  with  you.  Ye  shall  seek 
me :  and  as  I  said  unto  the  Jews,  Whither  I  go,  ye  cannot  come  ; 
so  now  I  say  to  you.""  And  again — "  I  came  forth  from  the 
Father,  and  am  come  into  the  world :  again,  I  leave  the  world, 
and  go  to  the  Father.""  The  words  in  themselves  signify  merely, 
'  I  am  about  to  leave  you ;'  but,  from  other  passages,  we  know- 
that  he  was  to  leave  them,  not  by  removing  to  some  other  place 
on  earth,  but  by  leaving  earth  and  rising  to  heaven. 

"  Ye  shall  seek  me."  After  our  Lord  had  left  the  earth  and 
gone  to  heaven,  the  Jewish  people  were  to  be  involved  in  deep 
distress.  In  their  distress  they  would  seek,  earnestly  desire,  the 
presence  and  help  of  the  Messiah,  and  Jesus  was  He.  But  their 
desires  would  be  unavailing.  They  would  not  find  him.  He 
had  been  on  earth — they  rejected  him.     He  has  gone  to  heaven  ; 

"*  John  viii.  20.  '*  Mark  «iL  4L — Vide  Lightfoot  and  llelandi,  Aiitiq.  Heb. 

«"  John  viii.  21.  2' John  vii.  83.  2«John  vii.  33,  34. 

*3  John  xiiL  33.  ^i  John  xvL  28. 


PART  I.]  CHRIST  "THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."  451 

and  he  will  not  return  to  cartli  to  help  those  in  the  day  of  their 
distress,  who,  when  he  was  with  them,  treated  him  with  neglect 
and  contumely.  The  words  are  equivalent  to,  '  The  Messiah  will 
not  interfere  on  your  behalf 

On  the  contrary,  "  Ye  shall  die  in  your  sins."  These  words 
admit  of  two  meanings — '  You  shall  die  under  guilt — ^unforgiven. 
You  shall  go  to  the  judgment-seat  with  all  your  sins  uncancelled ; 
and,  in  this  case,  what  can  await  you  but  hopeless  condemnation 
and  unending  punishment  ?'  Or,  '  Ye  shall  die ;  ye  shall  be 
punished  on  account  of  your  sins.'  The  last  seems  llie  meaning 
in  the  passages  in  the  prophecies  of  Ezekiel,  from  wliich  the 
phrase  seems  to  be  borrowed — "The  soul  that  siniuili,  it  shall 
die.  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father,  neither 
shall  the  father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  son :  the  righteousness  of 
the  righteous  shall  be  upon  him,  and  the  wickedness  of  the 
wicked  shall  be  upon  him.""  "  When  I  saj^  unto  the  wicked, 
O  wicked  man,  thou  shalt  surel}^  die ;  if  thou  dost  not  speak  to 
Avarn  the  wicked  from  his  way,  that  wicked  man  shall  die  in  his 
iniquity  ;  but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand.  Neverthe- 
less, if  thou  warn  the  wicked  of  his  way  to  turn  from  it ;  if  he  do 
not  turn  from  his  way,  he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity  ;  but  thou  hast 
delivered  thy  soul.  When  I  shall  say  to  the  righteous,  that  he 
shall  surely  live  ;  if  he  trust  to  his  own  righteousness,  and  com- 
mit iniquity,  all  his  righteousness  shall  not  be  remembered  ;  but 
for  his  iniquity  that  he  hath  committed,  he  shall  die  for  it." 
"  When  the  righteous  turneth  from  his  righteousness,  and  com- 
mitteth  iniquity,  he  shall  even  die  thereby. ""°  '  The  Messiah  mil 
not  interpose  for  jour  relief,  and  the  wrath  due  to  your  sin  Avill 
come  upon  you  to  the  uttermost.' 

"  Whither  I  go,  ye  cannot  come."  '  I  go  to  heaven,  you 
cannot  come  thither ;  hell — not  heaven — will  be  your  habitation, 
when  ye  die  in  your  sins' — are  driven  away  in  your  wickedness.' 

To  these  solemn  warnings  of  our  Lord,  which  must  have  been 
at  least  partially  understood  by  his  opponents,  tlic}^  reply  with 
profane  levity,  and  with  an  impious  sneer.  "  Then  said  the 
Jews,  Will  he  kill  himself?  because  he  saith,  Whither  I  go,  ye 
cannot  come."*' 

Self-murder  was  by  the  Jews  accounted  the  greatest  of  all 
crimes.  Josephus,  in  dissuading  his  companions  in  war  from 
self-destruction,  to  Avhatever  sufferings  they  might  be  exposed, 
says  strikingly  of  suicides — "  A  darker  hell  receives  the  souls  of 
such  ;'"'*  a  passage  which  probably  suggested  the  still  more  strik- 
ing words  of  the  poet  of  the  "  Grave :" — 

"These  herd  together; 
The  common  damned  shun  their  society, 
And  look  upon  themselves  as  fiends  less  foul." 

25  Ezek.  xviii.  20.  26  Ezek.  xxxiii.  8,  9,  13,  18. 

27  John  viii.  22. — "  Volunt  dicere,  se  eum  ubique  posse  invenire." — Bengkl; 
g.  d.,  "He  will  not  find  it  easy  to  escape  beyond  our  reaoli.  There  is  but  one 
way — Will  he  take  that  ?" 

w  TovTuv  jxiv  u67}(  dixe'di  Taf  ipv^uc  (JKOTujTepor.     De  bello  Jud.  i.  3,  8,  5. 


452  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

They  resent  the  intimation  contained  in  our  Lord's  words, 
that,  perishing  in  their  unbelief  and  impenitence,  hell  must  be 
their  final  and  everlasting  abode,  and  endeavor  to  cast  back  the 
reproach,  as  if  they  had  said,  '  What  can  the  man  mean  ?  Does 
he  intend  to  destroy  himself^  and  thus  to  secure  for  himself  a 
mansion  in  Gehenna,  of  which  few  will  be  anxioas  to  be  joint- 
tenants?  In  this  case  he  is  quite  correct,  "  Whither  he  goes,  we 
shall  never  come." ' 

Our  Lord  meets  this  impious  sneer  with  an  elevated  serious- 
ness. He  takes  no  direct  notice  of  it,  but  he  repeats,  explains, 
and  enforces  his  former  statements.  "  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Ye  are  from  beneath ;  I  am  from  above :  ye  are  of  this  world  ;  I 
am  not  of  this  world.  I  said  therefore  unto  you,  that  ye  shall 
die  in  your  sins :  for  if  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die 
in  your  sins.'"' 

The  force  of  the  23d  verse  seems  to  be  this, — '  The  true  cause 
of  your  constantly  misapprehending  and  misrepresenting  me,  is 
to  be  found  in  the  incongruity  which  exists  between  your  carnal 
minds  and  my  spiritual  doctrines.'  In  this  case,  his  words  suggest 
the  same  idea  as  that  expressed  more  clearly  in  the  words  of  the 
apostle:  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God :  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know 
them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.'""  Or,  perhaps,  these 
words  are  explanatory  of  the  assertion,  "  Whither  I  go,  ye  cannot 
come ;"  '  while  you  continue  earthly  in  your  character,  how  could 
you  dwell  with  me  in  heaven  ?'  He  who  feels  this  world  to  be 
his  home,  could  never  feel  himself  at  home  in  that  world,  into 
v/hich  our  Lord  was  about  to  enter.  While  men  continue  unre- 
generate,  "  not  having  the  Spirit,"  mere  "  natural ""  men,  "  con- 
formed to  this  world,"  untransformed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds, 
it  is  in  the  nature  of  things  impossible  that  they  should  come 
where  Christ  is — that  they  should  enjoy  along  with  him  holy 
spiritual  happiness  in  lieaven. 

This  view  of  the  words  seem  better  to  connect  them  with  what  fol- 
lows— "  I  said  therefore  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins." 
'  This  is  the  reason  wliy  1  have  strongly  affirmed  that,  instead  of 
coming  where  I  am  going,  you  must  die  for  your  sins.  With  your 
present  character,  so  directly  opposed  to  mine,  you  cannot  be  saved 
— you  must  perish.'  Our  Lord  seems  here  to  assert  the  same 
[»rinciple  which  he  stated  to  Nicodemus,  "Except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  " — he  cannot  enter  into — "  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"**  A  man  must  have  a  heavenly  <;liaractcr  to  fit  him  for 
iieaven.  He  must  learn  to  tliink  witli  Christ,  to  will  with  Christ, 
to  enjoy  with  Christ,  in  order  to  his  dwelling  with  Christ. 

And  the  belief  of  the  truth  with  regard  to  Him,  is  the  only  way 
of  effecting  this  change  of  character,  which  is  necessarily  connect- 
ed with  escaping  destruction,  and  getting  to  heaven.  "  For,"  adds 
our  Lord,  '*  if  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he  " — or  rather,  "  If  ye 
believe  not  what  I  am,"" — the  truth  about  me — "ye  shall  die  in 

'i'J  John  viiL  23,  24.  *  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  3i  rjnxiKoi.  »« John  iii.  3, 


PAET  I.]  CHRIST  "Tllli  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."  453 

your  sins."  The  belief  of  the  truth  respecting  Christ  is,  by  Divine 
appointment,  absoh^telJ  necessary  in  order  to  escape  destruction, 
and  obtain  eternal  life ;  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  "  He  that  believeth  on  him  is 
not  condemned;  but  lie  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already, 
because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God.""  And  farther,  it  is  through  the  belief  of  the  truth 
that  the  (;arnal  man  becomes  spiritual,  the  earthly  man  heavenly, 
so  as  to  be  qualified  to  be  with  Christ,  where  he  is,  to  behold  his 
glory,  and  to  share  in  his  happiness. 

On  our  Lord  saying,  "  If  ye  believe  not  what  I  am,  ye  shall  die 
in  your  sins,"  the  Jews  contemptuously  asked,  "  Who  art  tliou  ?"'* 
— a  question  "  full  of  insolence,  and  of  malevolent  ridicule,"^' 
equivalent  to  that  proposed  by  them  afterwards,  ''  Whom  makest 
thou  thyself?""  It  was  probably  their  intention  to  entrap  our 
Lord  into  some  statement  as  to  his  Messiahship,  of  which  they 
might  have  availed  themselves,  in  making  him  an  object  of  sus- 
picion and  jealous}-  to  the  Koman  government. 

With  admirable  wisdom  our  Lord  avoided  the  snare  laid  for 
him,  and  replied,  "  Even  the  same  that  I  said  unto  you  from  the 
beginning."'*  "The  beginning"  ma}^  refer  to  the  beginning  of 
this  discourse,  in  which  case  the  answer  is  equivalent  to,  "I  am 
the  light  of  the  world," — '  I  am  the  author  of  knowledge,  and 
holiness,  and  happiness,  to  mankind ;'  or  it  may  refer  to  the  be- 
ginning of  his  ministry.  In  this  case  it  is  equivalent  to,  '  I  am 
the  person  I  have  always  represented  myself  to  be ;  and  if  you 
were  really  desirous  of  knowing  who  I  am,  you  could  have  no 
difficulty  in  finding  out  the  truth,"'  For  though  our  Lord  in 
very  few  instances,  in  so  many  words,  declared  that  he  was  the 
Messiah — and  it  is  easy  to  perceive  that  there  were  important 
reasons  for  this  caution — yet  no  intelligent  hearer  of  his  discourse 
could  have  any  doubt  that  he  did  lay  claim  to  be  the  divine,  and 
divinely  qualified,  appointed,  and  accredited,  spiritual  deliverer 
promised  to  the  lathers. 

Our  Lord  proceeds  to  remark — '•  I  have  many  things  to  say 
and  to  judge  of  you:  but  he  that  sent  me  is  true;  and  I  speak 
to  the  world  those  things  which  I  have  heard  of  him.""  To 
remove  the  appearance  of  abruptness  from  these  words,  and  to 

'•^'■>  "With  Grotius,  I  understand  on  =  6,  ri,  which  is  the  same  as  rt,  quid,  what." 
— Cami'bell.  "The  reading  6,  ti.  is,  according  to  all  critical  autliorities,  to  be 
preferred." — Olsuausen. 

3'  John  iii.  16,  18. 

•*j  John  viii.  25. — av  r«f  el  refers  to  6  tl  kyu  elfie.  3s  Tholuck. 

•'•  John  viii.  53. — Luther  paraphrases  it  very  characteristically:  "They  speak 
very  pointedly,  as  if  they  had  said,  '  Aha !  and  shall  it  indeed  he  so,  then  ?  And 
pray  who  are  you,  good  squire  Jesus?'  " 

3^  John  viii.  25. — "pA'')'^  for  hut  dpx'iv.  This  is  the  simplest  and  most  satisfac- 
tory exegesis  of  this  verbmn  vcxatum.  "  Non  valet  oXi.)<;  omnino  scd  proprie  in 
principio." — Bengel. 

3s  "  It  is  certain  that  ryv  dpx'/^  is  to  be  taken  adverbially,  like  ih(/ii/i\  Matt.  xv. 
16 ;  and  that  ti,  ti  is  to  be  read  and  written  as  a  relative." — Tholuck.     See  Note  B. 

w  John  viii.  26. 


454  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

free  tliem  from  obseuritv,  it  is  necessary  to  call  \ip  to  our  minds, 
the  effect  Avliich  our  Lord's  answer  must  have  produced  ou  his 
opponents.  "We  cannot  doubt  that  their  countenances  were  ex- 
pressive of  sarcastic  incredulity,  and  it  is  not  unlikely  some  of 
them  gave  utterance  to  this  sentiment  in  appropriately  bitter  and 
contemptuous  words.  On  this  supposition,  our  Lord's  words  are 
equivalent  to — '  Your  behaviour  lays  a  foundation  for  much 
oondenniatory  remark.  I  have  many  things  to  say  about  you, 
and  to  condenm' — for  that  is  obviously  the  force  of  the  word 
rendered  ''judge,''" — 'but  youi'  contemptuous  incredulity  does 
not  dishearten  me.  Whether  you  believe  what  I  say  or  not,  I 
know  most  certainly  that  it  is  true.  He  who  sent  me  is  true — 
He  cannot  be  deceived,  He  cannot  deceive ;  and  I  have  in  this 
case,  a^  in  every  other,  just  delivered  his  message.  "I  speak  to 
the  world,"  or  in  the  world."  those  things,  and  nothing  but  those 
things,  which  I  have  heard  of  him.  I  deliver  my  message,  neither 
more  nor  less,  just  as  I  received  it;  and  I  know  that  it  is  true,  for 
its  Author  cannot  lie." 

The  evangelist  remarks,  ".They  understood  not  that  he  spake 
to  them  of  the  Father.''"  Some  of  them— for  it  is  scarcely  pos- 
sible to  suppose  that  they  could  all  be  so  stupid — did.  not  under- 
stand, who  it  was  that  our  Lord  referred  to  when  he  spake  of  him 
who  sent  him, — they  were  not  aware  that  it  was  God  the  Father 
of  whom  he  spoke. 

Our  Lord  then  proceeds  to  say  to  them — "  "When  ye  have 
lifted  up  the  Son  of  man,  then"  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  he,"  or 
what  I  am,  "  and  that  I  do  nothing  of  myself;  but  as  my  Father 
hath  taught  me,  I  speak  these  things.""  That  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  lifting  up  of  the  Son  of  man  of  our  Lord's  crucifixion, 
is  plain  from  his  own  words  on  another  occasion,  as  explained  by 
the  evangelist :  "  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will 
draw  all  men  unto  me.'"  The  inspired  annotation  is,  "  This  he 
said,  signifying  what  tleath  lie  should  die.""  The  passage  before 
us  is  a  prediction  that,  after  his  erucilixion,  many  of  those  who 
had  taken  an  active  }>art  in  it  should  come  to  be  persuaded  that 
he  was  indeed  the  Messiah, — that  all  his  claims  were  well-founded, 
— and  that,  as  a  faithful  messenger,  he  had  just  done  and  said 
what  he  had  been  commissioned  to  do  and  say  by  his  Father, 
who  sent  him."  Uow  gloriously  wa.s  this  prediction  fulfilled, 
when  multitudes  of  Jews  believed  on  the  day  of  Pentecost! 
Three  thousa<id"  believed, — among  whom  were,  probably,  not  a 
few  of  those  who  had  "lifted  him  up," — were  constrained  to 
acknowledge  that  that  ''Jesus  wiiom  they  had  hanged  ou  a 
tree,"  was  not  only  "  a  man  approved  of  God  by  miracles, 
and    signs,   and  wonders,"  but  being   "  raised   from  the  dead, 

"  Kpivu  is  often  —  naTOKpiiu.     Koni.  ii.  27  ;  xiv.  "JJ.  James  iv.  11,  \i.     John 
rii.  61.     Luke  xix.  22.     Acts  xiii.  2^7. 
<*  Mark  i.   8'.>. — r/c  '""f  ffi;»a)<j)uf. 

*'  John  viii.  27.                       **  "Tore,  tunc,  non  prius.  1  Cor.  ii.  8." — Bkngkl. 

«  John  viii.  28.  «  John  xii.  o2,  33. 

*'  Matt  ixvii.  64.     Lukt'  xxiii.  47,  48.  «  Acta  ii.  41. 


PART  II.]  TRUE   LIBERTY — REAL  SLAVERY.  455 

and  set  on  the   riglit   band   of   God,"   was    "both    Lord    and 
Christ."*' 

Our  Lord  added,  "  And  lie  tliat  sent  me  is  with  me :  the 
Father  hath  not  left  me  alone  ;'"  for,"  as  I  said  to  you  from  the 
beginning,  "I  do  always  those  things  which  please  him.""  The 
Father  was  with  him  most  intimately,  by  that  common  natun- 
of  which  they  were  possessed.  "  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  in  me ;"  "  the  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he  doeth  the 
works."^^  Here,  however,  from  the  connection,  it  is  plain  that 
it  is  the  Father's  presence,  in  his  guiding,  protecting,  comforting 
influence,  that  is  referred  to,  as  when  it  is  said,  "  Ye  shall  be 
scattered,  every  man  to  his  own,  and  shall  leave  me  alone :  and 
yet  I  am  not  alone,  because  the  Father  is  with  me.""  This  is 
evident  from  what  follows, — "  For  I  do  always  those  things  that 
please  him."  '  In  everything  I  conform  mj'-self  to  the  Father's 
will.  "My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  who  sent  me,  and  to 
finish  his  work." '  Whatever  opinion  men  might  form,  of  his 
doctrines  or  his  conduct,  he  knew  that  in  all  he  said,  and  all  he 
did,  he  was  the  Father's  elect  servant,  upheld  and  delighted  in  by 
Him — "  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  was  well  pleased." 


II. — TRUE   LIBERTY — REAL  SLAVERY. 
John  vm.  30-36. 

These  statements,  in  connection  with  the  miracles  which  he 
had  performed,  made  a  great  impression  on  the  minds  of  many 
of  the  hearers.  We  are  informed  that,  "  as  he  spake  these  words, 
many  believed  on  him."" 

They  could  not  help  thinking  that  he  must  be  the  Messiah ; 
and  they  seem  to  have  intimated  so  much  to  himself.  They 
professed  themselves  his  disciples.  The  bulk  of  these  men  do 
not  seem,  at  this  time,  to  have  been  believers  to  the  saving  of 
the  soul.  The  character  of  faith  is  to  be  learned  from  the  object 
of  faith.  Not  only  may  men  profess  to  beheve  the  truth  about 
Christ — not  only  may  they  think  that  they  believd  the  truth 
about  Christ — not  only  may  they  really  believe  much  about 
Clirist  which  is  not  true, — but  they  may  even  believe  much 
about  him  which  is  true,  while  yet  they  do  not  believe  "  that 
truth  "  about  him,  which  cannot  be  believed  without  the  believer 
being  saved  by  it.  Men  may  believe  a  proposition  which,  rightly 
understood,  implies  the  saving  truth,  but  which,  as  understood 
by  them,  does  not  imply  it,  naj^,  implies  the  reverse  of  it.  Such 
was  the  case  before  us.  These  men  likely  believed  Jesus  to  be 
the  Messiah;  but  then  their  notions  of  the  person  of  the  Messiah, 
the  design  of  his  mission,  and  the  nature  of  his  kingdom,  were 

«  Acts  ii.  22-36. 

so  "The  Father  hath  never  forsateii  me." — Lynok  ap.  Tholuck. 
51  John  viii.  29.  ^^  John  xiv.  10. 

53  John  xvi.  32.  ^'  John  viii.  30. 


456  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

not  only  exceedingly  defective,  but  essentially  erroneous.  In 
one  point  of  view,  the}''  believed  the  truth  about  him,  for  he  was 
the  Messiah.  In  another  and  more  important  point  of  view,  they 
did  not  believe  the  truth, — they  believed  falsehood,  about  him ; 
for  they  believed  that  he,  as  the  Messiah,  would  soon  take  to  him- 
self his  great  power,  and  reign  as  a  temporal  prince,  and  employ 
himself  in  rescuing  them  from  their  subjection  to  the  Romans, 
restoring  the  kingdom  to  Israel,  establishing  a  universal  empire, 
and  giving  the  chosen  people  rule  over  the  Gentile  nations.  And 
there  can  be  no  doubt,  as  to  most  of  them,  that  on  finding  that 
he  was  not  the  kind  of  Messiah  they  expected,  they  would  not 
have  renounced  their  preconceived  notions,  and  held  fast  by  the 
faith  they  had  professed,  but  they  would  have  concluded  that 
they  had  been  in  a  mistake  about  him,  and  that  he  was  not  the 
Messiah  at  all. 

Our  Lord  never  availed  himself  of  the  mistaken  opinions  of 
men  to  secure  professed  adherents,  and  thus  to  swell  the  number 
of  his  followers.  He  took  good  care  that  if  any  mistake  was 
committed  in  joining  his  standard,  the  cause  of  that  mistake 
should  not  be  with  him.  lie  wished  to  entrap  no  man  into  dis- 
cipleship.  Instead  of  expressing  himself  as  gratified  by  their  ad- 
hesion, he  informs  them  that  something  more  is  necessary  than 
merely  calling  him  Lord,  in  order  to  being  recognized  by  him  as 
genuine  disciples — "disciples  indeed;"  and  while  he  promises 
them  most  important  blessings  if  they  become  his  genuine  dis- 
ciples, he  intimates,  that  these  blessings,  though  of  far  higher  . 
value,  were  entirely  of  a  different  kind  from  those  which  the  Jews 
generally  were  expecting  from  their  Messiah. 

"  Then  said  Jesus  to  those  Jews  which  believed  on  liim,  If  ye 
continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed ;  and  ye 
shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free."^^  In 
t,hese  words,  our  Lord  intimates  that  he  was  a  teacher  of  truth, 
not  a  temporal  prince  (just  as  when  he  said  to  Pilate,  "  I  am  a 
king;  but  my  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world:"  "I  was  born," — I 
came  into  this  world, — "  to  bear  witness  of  the  truth ;  every  one 
that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my  voice  ") ;  and  that,  if  they  would 
1)0,  not  merely  nominally,  but  really,  his  disciples,  they  must 
''  continue  in  his  word."  The  "  word"  of  Christ  is  his  doctrine;" 
and  to  "  continue  in  his  word,"  is  to  persevere  in  receiving  his 
doctrine,  holding  fast  as  true  whatever  he  had  said  to  them, 
j-eadily  admitting  as  true  whatever  he  might  yet  say  to  them,  and 
perseveringly  Ibllowing  out  their  professed  faith  to  its  practical 

I'CSUltS. 

Such  persons  as  thus  continued  in  his  word — such  persons 
alone — would  he  acknowledge  as  genuine  disci])les ;  and  all  such 
genuine  disciples  would  "  know  tlie  truth."     To  know  the  truth 

'5  John  viii.  31,  .'52. — For  the  illustrntion  of  the  nature  of  true  spiritual  freedom, 
the  following  jjassagcs  may  be  consulted: — John  viii.  3(5 ;  xvii.  17.  2  Cor.  xiii.  7. 
1  Pet.  ii.  10.  James  i.  25;  ii.  12.  Kom.  vi.  18;  viii.  21.  Gal.  v.  1,  13;  iv.  26, 
31.     Rom.  vii.  G.  ^«  John  xvii.  0,  14,  17,  20;  v.  47  ;  vi.  G3,  68;  xv.  7. 


FART  II.]  TRUE   LIBERTY — REAL   SLAVERY.  457 

is  something  more  definite  than  to  know  what  is  true ;  it  is  to 
understand  that  revelation  with  regard  to  the  salvation  of  men, 
through  the  mediation  of  the  incarnate  Son,  which  is  so  often  in 
the  New  Testament  called,  by  way  of  eminence,  "the  truth," — 
the  truth  of  truths, — the  most  important  of  all  truths, — tlie  truth 
of  which  he  was  full,' — the  truth  that  came  by  him,  as  the  law 
came  by  Moses, — the  truth,  the  realit}^,  in  opposition  to  the 
shadows,  the  emblems,  of  the  introductory  economy, — what 
Paul  calls  "the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  " — "the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus.""  Our  Lord's  manner  of  using  the  phrase  ap- 
pears from  chaps,  xiv.  17  ;  xv.  26 ;  xvii.  17,  19.  He  assures  these 
Jews,  that  such  of  them  as  were  characterized  by  a  persevering 
faith  in  him  as  a  divine  teacher,  would,  in  due  time,  be  made  to 
understand  that  truth,  the  knowledge  and  faith  of  which  were  at 
once  necessary  and  sufficient  for  their  salvation.  By  attending 
to  his  discourses,  it  would  g»adually  open  upon  their  minds,  for 
he  would  unfold  it  to  them  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it.  Events 
would  develop  it ;  and,  at  the  appointed  season,  the  great  monitor 
and  instructor,  the  Holy  Spirit,  would  be  given  them,  who  would 
"teach  them  all  things,"  and  "  guide  them  into  all  truth," — or 
rather,  all  the  truth.'^ 

Our  Lord  adds,  "  And  the  truth,"  this  truth,  "  shall  make 
you  free."  *  It  will  give  you  spiritual  liberty, — freedom  from  the 
fetters  of  ignorance,  error,  guilt,  and  depravity :  in  plain  words, 
it  will  make  you  wise,  good,  happy.'  It  is  just  as  if  he  had  said, 
'  Expect  not  from  me  civil  enfranchisement, — temporal  freedom. 
If  you  profess  j^ourselves  my  disciples  in  this  expectation,  you 
shall  assuredly  be  disappointed.  But  if  you  will  permanently 
subject  yourselves  to  my  teaching,  you  shall  have  your  minds 
opened  to  a  system  of  saving  truth  which  will  emancipate  you 
from  a  worse  slavery  than  man  can  impose  on  man,  and  invest 
you  with  a  freedom  incomparably  superior  to  any  which  man  can 
bestow  on  man, — a  freedom  which  will  end  in  "  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  children  of  God"  in  heaven.' 

This  was  not  at  all  what  they  either  wished  for  or  expected. 
Instead  of  thankfully  accepting  the  proffered  blessing,  some  of 
those  who  had  just  professed  to  be  his  disciples  (for  the  words 
naturally  refer  to  them,  and  not  to  others  in  the  crowd  who  had 
made  no  profession  of  faith)  were  offended,  and  began  to  carp  at 
his  lang-uage,  as  if  it  implied  an  unfounded  reproach  on  the  hol}^ 
nation,  as  if  it  represented  them  as  a  set  of  slaves.  "  They  an- 
swered him.  We  be  Abraham's  seed,  and  were  never  in  bondage 
to  any  man:  how  sayest  thou.  Ye  shall  be  made  free?"^'  As  if 
they  had  said,  '  You  seem  to  think  us  a  body  of  slaves ;  you  are 
mistaken.  As  Abraham's  descendants,  we  possess  honors  and 
immuilities  suj^erior  to  those  of  any  other  nation  on  earth ;  and, 
besides,  we  are  not  the  slaves — we  never  were  the  slaves — of  any 
individual  or  nation.     We  are  both  in  right  and  in  fact  freemen.' 

As  to  the  truth  of  the  first  statement,  there  could  be  no  doubt. 
57  Phil.  iii.  8.     Col.  i.  5.  ss  Johu  xvi.  13.  59  joh^  viii.  33. 


458  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

They,  as  Abraham's  descendants,  had  many  and  important  privi- 
leges. They  had  "  much  advantage  every  way :  chiefly,  be- 
cause that  unto  them  were  committed  the  oracles  of  God." 
"  To  them  pertained  the  adoption,  and  the  glor}^,  and  the  cov- 
enants, and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service  of  Gocl,  and  the 
promises;  theirs  were  the  fathers,  and" — what  was  more  than 
all — "  of  them,  as  concerning  the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over 
all,  God  blessed  for  ever,"'"  As  to  the  second  statement,  whether 
you  consider  it  as  referring  to  the  Jewish  peo]3le  during  the 
whole  period  of  their  historj^,  or  to  the  existing  generation,  it  is, 
to  say  tlie  least,  a  very  questionable  one.  Though  the  Jews 
continued  a  distinct  people,  governed  by  their  own  laws  and 
rulers, — ^to  a  certain  extent,  even  in  Egypt, — ^to  a  greater  ex- 
tent, certainly,  in  Babylon,  and  under  the  Syro-Macedonian  and 
Eoman  dominion, — yet  surely  it  could  not  be  said  in  truth  that 
the  people  who,  in  Egypt,  "  sighed  by  reason  of  their  bondage," 
— who  "served  the  king  of  Mesopotamia  eight  _years," — who 
were  "  sold  into  the  hand  of  Jabin,  king  of  Canaan." — who  were 
"  delivered  into  the  hand  of  Midian  seven  years,"  and  "into  the 
hand  of  the  Philistines  forty  years," — who  were  "  carried  captive 
to  Babylon,"  and  continued  in  captivity  seventy  years, — 'of  whom 
Ezra  says,  even  after  their  return  to  their  own  land,  "  "We  are 
bondmen," — and  who,  in  a  solemn  address  to  God,  make  use  of 
this  language,  "Behold,  we  are  servants  this  day;  and  for  the 
land  that  thou  gavest  unto  our  fathers,  to  eat  the  fruit  thereof, 
and  the  good  thereof,  behold,  we  are  servants  in  it :  and  it  yield- 
eth  much  increase  unto  the  kings  wliom  thou  hast  set  over  us 
because  of  our  sins :  also  they  have  dominion  over  our  bodies, 
and  over  our  cattle,  at  their  pleasure ;  and  we  are  in  great  dis- 
tress,'""— who  were  repeatedly  subdued  by  the  Syro  and  Egypto- 
Alacedonian  kings, — and  who  at  this  moment  were  tributaries 
to  the  Romans,  and  verj^  impatient  of  their  yoke, — surely  it 
could  not  be  truly  said,  that  they  "were  never  in  bondage  to 
any  man," 

But  even  if  both  the  statements  had  been  true,  they  were  ob- 
viously irrelevant.  The  liberty  our  Lord  spoke  of  was  plainly 
not  a  civil  privilege,  but  a  spiritual  blessing.  It  was  a  liberty  to 
be  produced  by  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  of  which  those  who 
had  all  the  immunities  of  Israehtes,  and  were  free  from  any  human 
yoke,  might  yet  be  destitute.  They  spurn  the  oifer  of  spiritual 
liberty,  on  the  plea  that  they  were  never  in  temporal  thraldom,  as 
if,  though  they  had  never  been  in  bondage  to  any  man,  it  follow- 
ed that  they  never  were  in  bondage  to  any  lust.  Henry's  note  is 
good: — "Carnal  hearts  arc  sensible  of  no  other  grievances  but 
those  which  molest  the  body  and  distress  tlieir  secular  atfairs. 
Talk  to  them  of  encroacliments  on  their  civil  liberty  and  ])roper- 
ty, — tell  them  of  waste  committed  on  their  lands,  or  damage  done 
to  their  houses, — and  they  understand  you  very  well,  and  can 

*°  Rom.  iii.  J,  2  ;  ix.  4,  o. 

6'  Exod.  ii.  23.     .Judges  iii.  8;  iv.  2;  vi.  1  ;  xiii.  1.     Ez.  ix.  'X     Neh.  ix.  ,36,  37. 


PART  II.]  TRUE   LIBERTY — REAL   SLAVERY.  459 

give  you  a  sensible  answer — tlie  tiling  touches  tliem,  and  affects 
them ;  but  discourse  to  them  of  the  bondage  of  sin,  of  captivity 
to  Satan,  and  of  liberty  by  Christ, — tell  them  of  wrong  done  to 
their  precious  souls,  and  the  hazard  of  their  eternal  welfare, — 
and  you  '  bring  certain  strange  things  to  their  ears ;'  they  say,  as 
Ezekiel's  hearers,  '  Doth  he  not  speak  parables  ?"^  This  here  was 
somewhat  like  the  blunder  Nicodemus  made  about  being  born 
again ;  but  it  seems  in  this  case  to  have  been  rather  a  cavil  than 
a  blunder." 

Their  sole  object  seems,  indeed,  to  have  been  to  cavil ;  and 
when  persons  are  determined  to  find  fault,  it  is  easy  to  obtain  an 
occasion.  Our  Lord  replies  to  both  their  cavils,  beginning  with 
the  last — "We  were  never  in  bondage  to  any  man."  The  answer 
to  this  is  in  the  34th  verse :  "  Jesus  answered  them,  Yerily,  veri- 
ly, I  say  unto  you.  Whosoever  committeth  sin  is  the  servant  of 
sin."  As  if  he"^had  said,  '  What  though  it  were  true,  that  you  are 
not,  that  you  never  were,  in  bondage  to  any  man?  you  may  not 
the  less  for  that  be  slaves ;  you  may  not  the  less  need  the  liberty 
which  my  true  disciples  obtain,  through  means  of  the  truth: 
"  Whosoever  committeth  sin  is  the  servant"  or  slave  "  of  sin." ' 

The  phrase,  "He  who  commits  sin,"  describes  not  the  man  who 
occasionally  falls  into  sin — "who  is  overtaken  in  a  fault "°' — 
who,  under  the  influence  of  "the  law  in  his  members,"  violates 
but  too  often  "the  law  of  his  mind" — does  not  what  he  wills — 
does  what  lie  hates.^*  It  is  the  man  who,  being  in  the  flesh,  walks 
after  the  flesh — ^the  man  who  habitually  sins."  The  habitual  sin- 
ner is  a  slave — the  slave  of  sin.  Depraved  principle  is  dominant 
in  his  mind — "  Sin  has  dominion  "  over  him.  It  "  reigns  over  his 
mortal  body ;"  he  "  obeys  it "  by  the  desires  and  appetites  of  that 
body ;  and'  he  "  yields  his  members  to  it  as  instruments  of  un- 
righteousness."'° 

It  is  common  in  all  languages,  I  believe,  to  personify  depraved 
principle,  and  to  represent  the  man  who  is  habitually  influenced 
by  it,  instead  of  being  guided  by  truth  and  righteousness,  as  its 
servant  or  slave :  thus  we  speak  of  the  slave  of  ambition,  avarice, 
or  lust."  This  is  the  most  degrading,  if  not  the  most  galling,  of 
all  slaveries.  Sin  is  the  worst  of  all  tyrants ;  his  work  is  pollu- 
tion ;  his  wages  destruction.  Sin  exercises  a  double  power  over 
the  habitual  sinner — ^the  power  to  condemn,  and  the  power  to  de- 
prave. Sooner  or  later  men  must  be  ashamed  of  his  service,  and 
"  the  end  of  these  things  is  death." 

Our  Lord  does  not  say,  in  so  many  words,  but  his  language  ob- 
viously was  intended  to  suggest  the  thought,  'You  are  such 
slaves ;  surely,  then,  you  require  to  be  emancipated.  The  liberty 
which  the  truth  gives,  is  a  species  of  freedom,  of  which  you  stand 
very  much  in  need.' 

The  reply  to  the  second  cavil,  "  We  are  Abraham's  seed,"  is  to 
be  found  in  the  two  following  verses : — "  And,"  or  moreover, 

62  Ezek.  XX.  49.  ^^  gal.  vi.  L  ^^  Horn.  vii.  14,  ad  finera. 

55  1  Johu  iii.  8.  ««  Rom.  vi.  12,  18.  "  Rom.  vi.  6.    2  Pet.  ii.  I'J. 


460  MISCELLANEOUS,  [KXP.  XI. 

"the  servant  ubidctli  not  in  the  house  ibr  ever;  but  the  Son 
abideth  ever.  If  the  Son  therefore  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall 
be  free  indeed."""' 

It  lias  been  common  to  consider  these  words  as  just  a  following 
out  of  tiie  idea  ex])ressed  in  the  34th  verse — "the  servant,"  in 
the  35tii  verse,  being  supposed  to  be  the  same  as  "  the  servant 
of  sin,"  in  tlie  34th  verse.  It  appears  to  be  im])o,ssible  to  extract 
a  satisfactory  meaning  out  of  the  words  on  this  principle.  "  The 
servant,"  and  "the  Son"  are  contrasted.  If  it  be  the  servant 
of  sin,  it  must  be  the  son  of  sin — and  what  does  that  mean  ?  and 
whose  house  is  spoken  of?  and  what  is  the  meaning  of  the  ser- 
vant of  sin  not  remaining  in  the  house  for  ever,  while  the  son  of 
sin  remains  for  ever  ? 

Viewed  even  as  a  reply  to  the  cavil,  "  We  are  Abraham's 
seed,"  they  are  not  without  difficulty;  but  it  is  possible,  in  this 
vyay,  to  extract  a  coherent  and  apj)ropriat(^  sense  out  of  them. 
The  term  "  house"  here,  as  in  so  many  other  places  of  Scripture, 
does  not  signify  edifice,  or  mansion,  but  family ;""  as,  when  we 
say,  the  House  of  Stuart — the  House  of  Hanover — the  House  of 
Bourbon.  It  is  true,  as  a  general  principle,  that  servants  have 
but  a  temporary  place  in  a  family — a  son  has  a  permanent  place 
in  it.  But  the  reference  here  is  not  to  a  family  generally,  but  to 
a  particular  liimily — the  holy  family — the  family  of  Abraham. 
"  We  are  Abraliarn's  seed  :"  '  We  belong  to  the  holy  family,  and 
arc  possessed  of  all  its  immunities.'  '  Well,'  says  our  Lord, 
'  admitting  that  3'^ou  belong  to  Abraham's  family — the  holy 
family — the  peculiar  people  of  God — in  that  family  the  servant 
abideth  not  for  ever;  it  is  the  Son  only  who  abides  for  ever.' 
The  reference  may  be  to  the  facts  in  Aoraham's  history,  which 
the  Prophet  Isaiah,'"  and  the  Apostle  Paul,"  employ  allegorically 
to  illustrate  the  character  and  fates  of  the  external,  cariud,  Israel- 
itish  church  and  its  members,  in  contrast  with  those  of  the  spiritual 
church  and  its  members.  Abraham  had  two  sons,  one  by  Hagar,  a 
bond-woman,  Avho,  as  children,  take  their  i)olitical  status  from  their 
mother,"  was,  as  it  were,  a  slave-son  ;  and  another  by  Sarah,  a 
free- woman,  who  was  a  free  son,  and  because  of  this  is  called  his 
only  son.  The  slave-son  did  not  continue  in  the  family  always  ; 
for,  mocking  his  free-born  brother,  he  and  his  mother  were  ex- 
j^ellcd  the  family,  Avhile  the  free-born  son  continued  in  the  family, 
and  succeeded  to  the  inheritance. 

If  the  allusion  be  to  this,  then  the  force  of  the  words  is,  '  Ye 
are,  no  doubt,  Abraham's  seed, — i.  e.,  Abraham's  descendants; 
ye,  no  doubt,  arc  in  the  family,  but  it  does  not  follow  from  that, 
that  ye  do  not  need  to  be  free  ;  you  may  be'- — in  truth  they  were 
— 'in  the  family,  as  Ishmael  was  in  the  family.'  And,  possessed 
of  Ishmael's   character,  they  were  soon  to  meet  with  Ishmael's 

••^  John  viii.  36,  36. — oirwf  hero  lias  a  force  eiiuilar  to  u?.r)Oivi)r  in  other  places — 
"free  in  the  highest  senae  of  tlio  word." 

"'•>  llxoiL  i.  "21.  1  Sara.  xxv.  '28.  2  Sum.  iii.  1.  I'siil.  cxv.  12.  Isa.  vii.  2. 
Luke  ii.  4.     ilel).  ii.   2-0. 

'"  Isa.  liv.  1,  &c.  ''  Gal.  iv.  22,  die.  *'  "  Veutrem  senuitur  imrtus." 


PART  n.]  TRUE  LIBERTY — REAL  SLAVERY.  461 

fate.  They  only  who  were  in  the  family  as  Isaac  was — v/ho 
were  "  not  of  the  circumcision  only,  but  who  walked  in  the  steps 
of  the  faith  of  their  father  Abraham''"— they  only  were  the  free 
children  of  the  family,  who  were  never  to  be  cast  out,  but  enjoy 
the  inheritance.  '  There  is  a  freedom,  then,  which  ye,  though 
descendants  of  Abraham,  need;  and  that  is  the  freedom  which 
my  true  disciples  obtain  through  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.' 

"^In  this  mode  of  interpretation,  I  should  have  been  disposed  to 
acquiesce,  had  the  36th  verse  not  followed:  "If  the  Son  therefore 
shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed."'*  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  "the  Son,"  in  this  verse,  signifies  our  Lord  himself; 
and  it  seems  very  harsh  to  give  the  term  a  different  reference,  in 
the  verse  immediately  preceding.  This  makes  me  seek  the  in- 
terpretation of  this  passage,  not  in  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  and  the 
Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  but  in  the  Book  of  Numbers,'*  and  the 
Epi.stle  to  the  Hebrews."  In  the  tliird  chapter  of  that  epistle,  we 
find  Moses  and  Christ  represented  as  placed  in  succession  over 
"  the  house,"  or  the  family,  "  of  God ;"  and  Christ  is  represented 
as  worthy  of  much  more  honor  than  Moses,  as  the  founder  of 
the  family  deserves  the  highest  place  in  it ;  and,  while  Moses  is 
represented  as  a  servant  over  the  family  of  his  Master,  Christ  is 
represented  as  a  Son  over  his  Father's  Family,  whicb  is  also  his 
own.  Supposing  our  Lord,  in  whose  mind  lay  all  the  truth 
afterv/ards  unfolded  by  his  apostles,  to  have  had  this  view  of  the 
matter  before  him  (and  we  know  that  the  Holy  Spirit  only  took 
of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  showed  them  to  the  apostlesj,  a  con- 
sistent and  beautiful  meaning  comes  out  of  the  two  verses.  '  You 
are  Abraham's  seed ;  you  are  in  Abraham's  family,  which  is  in- 
deed God's  family ;  but  you  belong  only  to  Abraham's  natural 
descendants.  You  have  pri\'ilege3,  but  they  are  all  external 
j>r>/ileges ;  and  not  only  so,  they  are  but  temporary-  privileges, 
\'ya  hold  under  Moses^  the  servant,  who  is  not  to  continue  for 
ever:  the  economy  under  v/hich  you  enjoy  free  privileges  is 
hastening  to  an  end.  Moses,  the  servant,  as  a  ruler,  is  soon  to 
go  out  of  the  family,  and  all  the  privileges  which  belong  to  that 
order  of  things  are  about  to  vanish  away.  There  is  a  spiritual 
family  of  God,  of  which  the  Son  is  the  founder  and  the  head ; 
that  family  has  higher  and  more  enduring  immunities.  The  Son 
continues  ever,  and  so  do  all  who  hold  a  place  in  the  family 
under  him.  Though  you  have  all  the  privileges  the  serv-ant  can 
give  you,  what  will  these  avail,  when  he  goes  out  of  the  family  ? 
There  is  a  higher  set  of  immunitias  belonging  to  those  who  hold 
their  place  in  the  family  under  the  Son,  and  he  onlv  can  confer 
them.  The  Son  has  a  freedom  to  bestow,  of  which  ye,  though 
free  under  the  servant,  stand  'in  need  ;  and  if  He  make  you  free, 
ye  shall  be  free  indeed.'" 

'-  Bom.  iv.  12. 

''  "The  ''-rcjf  i'/.ev0ep'/r  stands  in  opposition  to  the  imaginary  freedom,  which 
the  Jew3  supposed  they  possessed  as  diescendants  of  Abrahiam." — <^;lshacses. 
T'  Numb.  xiL  7,  8.  '''  Heh.  iii.  6,  6. 

'"  I  find  that  this  ia  sobstaatially  the  view  taken  by  Chrysostom,  the  beat  in- 


462  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

The  freedom  here  referred  to,  is  the  superior  state  of  privilege 
to  be  enjoyed  under  the  new  and  better  covenant,  of  which  the 
Son  is  the  mediator.  This  consists  in  a  clearer  view  of  the  truth 
with  regard  to  the  divine  character  of  the  Father,  as  manifested 
in  the  person  and  work  of  the  Son  ;  in  a  generous  childlike 
frame  of  temper  and  disposition,  growing  out  of  the  faith  of  this 
truth ;  and  in  the  possession  of  a  simple  and  rational,  spiritual 
and  easj^,  system  of  worship  corresponding  at  once  to  this  revela- 
tion— "the  truth,"  and  to  the  character  which  results  from  the 
belief  of  it.  They  whom  the  Son  makes  free,  believing  the 
revelation  of  the  Father,  made  in,  and  by,  the  Son,  "  receive  not 
the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear;  but  receive  the  spuit  of 
adoption,  whereby  they  cry,  Abba,  Father.'"*  Under  the  influ- 
ence of  this  spirit,  they  "  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace." 
They  are  the  true  "circumcision,  which  worship  God  in  the 
spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the 
flesh."  They  "  walk  at  liberty,  keei^ing  God's  commandments," 
serving  him  "  in  newness  of  spirit,  and  not  in  the  olduess  of  the 
letter" — serving  "him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness 
before  him,  all  the  days  of  their  life.""  It  is  the  Son  who  gives 
this  freedom,  and  he  gives  it  through  the  knowledge  or  faith  of 
the  truth.  "  As  many  as  receive  him,  to  them  gives  he  power" 
— the  privilege — "  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that 
believe  on  his  name."  "  And  if  sons,"  then  free  men  indeed, — 
"  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ."*" 

Our  Lord's  answer  to  the  cavils  of  the  Jews,  seems,  then, 
equivalent  to,  '  Ye  need  to  be  emancipated,  both  from  the  slavery 
of  sin,  and  from  the  servitude  of  the  Mosaic  institutions.' 

But  what  are  these  things  to  us  ?  Our  Lord's  words  to  the 
Jews,  are  really  as  applicable  to  us,  as  they  were  to  them.  We 
all  profess  to  have  believed  in  Christ.  Mere  apparent — mere 
professed — discipleship  will  do  us  as  little  good  as  it  did  them  : 
we  must  continue  in  his  word  ;  we  must  know  the  truth  ;  then 
will  we  be  truly  his  disciples, — then  will  we  be  made  free  indeed. 

How  glorious  is  this  liberty!  How  happy  they  who  are  pos- 
sessed of  it ! 

"  He  is  the  freeman  whom  the  truth  makes  free, 
And  all  are  slaves  beside. 
He  is  indeed  a  freeman.     Free  by  birth, 
Of  no  mean  city  ;  jtlann'd  or  ere  the  hills 
Were  liuilt,  the  fountains  open'd,  or  the  sea 
With  all  his  roaring  multitude  of  waves. 
His  freedom  is  the  same  in  every  state; 
And  no  condition  of  this  chnnj^eful  life, 
So  manifold  in  cares,  whose  ev'ry  day 
Brings  its  own  evil  with  it,  makes  it  less : 


terpreter  among  the  fathers.  It  is  no  valid  objection  that  it  was  not  possible  that 
the  Jews  could  //«<«  understand  our  Lord's  words.  Many  of  our  Lord's  sayings 
were  intentionally  enigmatical — intended  not  to  be  understood  at  the  time,  but 
lodged  in  the  mind,  and  to  be  called  up  again  when  events  had  given  meaning  to 
them.  ''^  Rom.  viii.  15. 

79  Heb.  iv.  16.     Phil.  iii.  3.     Rom.  vii.  G.     I'sal.  cxix.  45.     Luke  i.  14,  76. 

""  John  L  12.     Rom.  viii.  17. 


PART  II.]  TRUE   LIBERTY — REAL  SLAVERY.  463 

For  he  has  wings,  that  neither  sickness,  pain, 
Nor  penury,  can  cripple  or  confine. 
No  nook  so  narrow,  but  he  spreads  them  there 
With  ease,  and  is  at  hirge.     Tli'  oppressor  holds 
His  body  bound,  but  knows  not  what  a  range 
His  spirit  takes,  unconscious  of  a  chain  ; 
And  that  to  bind  him  is  a  vain  attempt, 
Whom  God  delights  in,  and  in  whom  he  dwells. 

lliis  is  a  liberty  unsung 

By  poets,  and  by  senators  unprais'd, 

Which  monarehs  cannot  grant,  nor  all  the  pow'rs 

Of  earth  and  hell  confed'rate,  take  away  : 

A  liberty,  which  persecution,  fraud. 

Oppression,  prisons,  have  no  power  to  bind ; 

Which  whoso  tastes  can  be  enslav'd  no  more. 

'Tis  liberty  of  heart  derived  from  heaven. 

Bought  with  his  blood,  who  gave  it  to  mankind, 

And  sealed  with  the  same  token.     It  is  held 

By  charter,  and  that  charter  sanction'd  sure 

By  th'  uninipeachal)le  and  awful  oath 

And  promise  of  a  God.     His  other  gifts 

All  bear  the  royal  stamp,  that  speaks  them  his. 

And  are  august ;  but  this  transcends  them  all." 

This  liberty  is  the  earnest  of  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  for  which  the  whole  creation  is  groaning  and 
travailing  in  pain : — 

"  A  flight  into  God's  arms, 
Ere  yet  mortality's  fine  threads  give  way  ; 
A  clear  escape  from  tyrannizing  lust, 
And  full  immunity  from  penal  wo." — Cowper,  "  Task,"  v. 

How  degraded  and  miserable  the  state  of  those  who  are  the 
slaves  of  sin !  Are  there  no  such  slaves  among  us  ?  "Would 
God  it  were  so.  But  no.  There  are  many  "  committing  sin," 
and  the  faithful  witness  proclaims,  "  these  are  the  slaves  of  sin." 
We  all  were  once  such  bondmen,  and  some  of  us,  it  is  to  be 
feared,  are  in  shackles  still.  Oh,  that  they  would  but  open  their 
eyes  to  their  true  character,  and  see,  that,  if  doers  of  iniquity, 
they  are  without  question  slaves — and  if  they  remain  unenfran- 
chised by  the  Son,  "  stripes  and  a  dungeon  must  be  their  portion 
for  ever." 

liCt  us  all  remember  that  there  is  still  both  an  external  and  a 
spiritual  church — a  church  into  which  men  can  give  entrance, 
and  a  church  into  which  none  but  he  who  opens,  and  no  man 
shuts,  and  who  shuts,  and  no  man  opens,  can  give  entrance. 
The  privileges  of  the  one  are  of  little  value,  when  compared  to 
those  of  the  other — worse  than  useless  if  disjoined  from  them. 
And  at  best,  they  are  but  of  temporary  duration,  Alas,  alas ! 
how  many,  after  having  been  for  many  years  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  its  external  form  on  earth,  and  occupied  high  places 
in  it,  shall  at  last  be  "  cast  out,"  being  found  to  be  not  disciples 
indeed,  "  into  outer  darkness,  where  there  is  weeping  and  wail- 
ing and  gnashing  of  teeth  !"  Oh,  let  us  all  seek  to  be  free  citi- 
zens of  the  Jerusalem  above, — let  us  enrol  ourselves  as  followers 
of  Him  who  is  "the  King"  and  the  King's  Son,  and  "who  shall 


464  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XL 

abide  before  God  for  ever.""  Let  iis  act  the  part  of  good  soldiers 
of  Jesus  Christ,  that  being  by  him  made  more  than  conquerors, 
■we  may  "  enter  through  the  gate  into  the  city,"  and  become 
"  pillars  in  the  temple  of  our  God,  and  no  more  go  out." 


III. — THE  SPIRITUAL   PATERNITY   OF  THE   UNBELIEVING  JEWS. 
John  vni.  37-53. 

In  the  verses  which  follow,  our  Lord  prosecutes  the  subject, 
and  says  much  that  was  calculated  to  disabuse  the  Jews  of  those 
most  dangerous  mistakes  into  which,  under  the  influence  of  their 
misjudging  mind,*''  they  had  fallen,  with  regard  to  the  nature  of 
their  connection  with  Abraham,  and  the  advantages  which  re- 
sulted from  it.  "  I  know  that  ye  are  Abraham's  seed  ;  but  ye 
seek  to  kill  me,  because  my  word  hath  no  place  in  you.  I  speak 
that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Father ;  and  ye  do  that  which 
ye  have  seen  with  your  father."*' 

§   1.  Not  the  spiritual  children  of  Abroham. 

Our  Lord's  object  is  plainly  to  convey  to  their  mind  this  senti- 
ment, that  though  they  were  the  natural  descendants  of  Abraham, 
yet  they  had,  in  a  moral  and  spiritual  point  of  view,  a  very  dif- 
ferent— a  much  less  creditable — paternity.  "  I  know  that  ye  are 
Abraham's  seed."  '  I  never  thought  of  calling  into  question  so 
certainly  true  a  proposition  as  that  you  are  lineally  descended 
from  that  illustrious  patriarch.  In  that  sense  you  are  his  chil- 
dren, but  in  another,  in  a  more  important  sense,  you  are  not  his 
(•hildren  ;  you  are  the  children  of  a  very  different  kind  of  father, 
and  the  present  state  of  your  minds  is  abundant  proof  of  this. 
You  are  seeking  to  kill  me  ;  you  are  plotting  my  destruction — 
you  know  you  are — and  the  reason  is,  "  my  word  has  no  ])lace," 
does  not  abide,  "  in  you."  You,  very  lately,  professed  to  believe 
in  me  ;  and  I  said  to  you,  if  you  abode  in  my  word,  you  would 
be  my  disciples  indeed.  ]3ut  it  is  plain  my  word  has  not  taken 
fast  hold  of  you — ^you  have  let  it  go  already.  Having  found  out 
that  I  am  not  the  kind  of  Messiah  you  expected,  you  are  now  de- 
siring and  plotting  tlie  death  of  him  whom  so  lately  you  declared 
yourselves  willing  to  acknowledge  as  the  long-expected  deliverer. 
My  doctrine  not  being  understood  and  believed,  has  made  no  per- 
manent lodgement  in  your  mind.' 

'  In  me  you  may  learn  what  it  is  to  have  any  one  for  a  ftither. 
"  I  speak  that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Father ;  and  ye  do 
what  you  have  seen  with  your  father."  My  doctrine  is  what  I 
have  received  from  my  P'atlier.  It  is  what  I  have  seen  and  heard 
when  with  him,  as  I  have  been  from  unbeginning  ages — and,  from 
its  nature  and  tendency,  it  clearly  shows  who  is  my  Father.  Its 
spiritual,  holy,  benignant,  character,  tells  plainly  that  it  comes 

"*'  Peal.  Ixi.  1.  **'^  ui^oKijioQ  voir.     Rom.  i.  28.  ^3  John  viii.  37,  38. 


PART  ni.]  SPIRITUAL   PATERNITY  OF  THE  JEWS.  465 

from  Him  wto  is  a  spirit ;  who  is  the  Holy,  Holy,  Holj  One ; 
and  whose  nature,  as  well  as  name,  is  Love.     He  is  MY  Father.' 

"  Ye  do  what  yon  have  seen  with  your  father,"  'Your  actions 
tell  who  your  father  is,  as  my  doctrine  tells  who  my  Father  is. 
In  both  cases  "  father"  here  seems  to  mean  spiritual  model — the 
being,  after  whom  the  character  is  fashioned — the  being,  under 
whose  influences  the  moral  spiritual  frame  is  formed.  The  thought 
that  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  representation  is,  '  Men's  sentiments 
and  conduct  are  things  that  are  formed,  and  indicate  the  character 
of  him  who  formed  them.  Your  actions,  ^vhich  are  characterized 
by  falsehood  and  malignity,  distinctly  enough  prove,  that,  in  a 
moral  spiritual  point  of  view,  neither  Abraham,  nor  the  God  of 
Abraham,  is  your  father.  The  former  of  your  spiritual  charac- 
ter is  not  in  heaven,  wherever  else  he  may  be  to  be  found.' 

The  Jews  could  not  but  have  some  suspicions  whither  our 
Lord's  remarks  pointed  ;  but  they  pretended  not  to  observe  it ; 
and  seemed  to  wish  to  represent  him  as  a  calumniator  of  Abra- 
ham. "  They  ansAvered  and  said  unto  him,  Abraham  is  our 
father."*'  '  If  we  do  what  we  have  seen  with  him,  surely  we 
shall  do  very  well  ?  Do  you  mean  to  slander  the  illustrious  pa- 
triarch of  our  race — "  the  friend  of  God"  ?' 

"Jesus  saith  unto  them,  if  ye  were  Abraham's  children,  ye 
would  do  the  works  of  Abraham.  But  now  3''e  seek  to  kill  me, 
a  man  that  hath  told  you  the  truth  ;  this  did  not  Abraham,"*^ — 
rather,  Abraham  acted  not  thus.  '  K  ye  were  Abraham's  chil- ' 
dren  in  a  spiritual  sense — if  ye  were  conformed  to  his  character — 
you  would  imitate  his  conduct.  But  your  conduct  is  the  very 
reverse  of  his.  You  are  desiring  and  plotting  the  murder  of  a 
man  who  has  never  injured  you,  whose  onl}"  crime  is  that  he  has 
made  known  to  you  important  and  salutary,  but  unpalatable, 
truth.  Abraham  never  did  anything  like  this.  He  readily  re- 
ceived every  communication  made  from  heaven.  He  never  in- 
flicted injury  on  any  man,  far  less  on  a  divine  messenger  who 
had  merely  done  his  duty.  No,  no !  if  children  are  like  their 
parents,  Abraham  is  not  your  father.  He  whose  deeds  you  do, 
he  is  your  father.' 

§  2.  Not  the  spiritual  children  of  Ood. 

The  drift  of  our  Lord's  insinuations  was  becoming  more  and 
more  apparent,  and  the  Jews  were  becoming  more  and  more  in- 
dignant, and  more  and  more  disposed  to  repel  them  with  scorn. 
"  Then  said  they  to  him,  We  be  not  born  of  fornication ;  wo  have 
one  Father,*'  even  God.""  The  meaning,  or  rather  reference,  of 
the  first  clause,  "  We  are  not  born  of  fornication," — '  we  are  not 
a  spurious  brood,  we  are  not  bastards' — is  doubtful.  It  may  refer 
to  what  goes  before,  or  to  what  follows.  It  may  refer  to  Abra- 
hamic,  or  to  divine,  sonship.     In  the  first  case,  it  is  equivalent  to, 


84  John  viii.  39. 

ss  John  viii.  39,  40. 

6'  iva  naripa,  a  common  father. 

Eph.  iv.  5,  6. 

"■'  John  viii.  41. 

VOL.    I. 

30 

4:6Q  MISCELLANEOUS.  '  [EXP.  XI. 

'  We  are  .genuine  descendants  of  Abraham,  Hebrews  of  the  He- 
brews. We  are  not  Ishmaelites,  or  Samaritans  ;  we  are  the  chil- 
dren, not  of  the  concubine,  but  of  the  wife ;  not  of  the  bond-woman, 
but  of  the  free.'  From  its  connection,  however,  we  think  it  more 
probable  that  it  refers  to  the  filial  relation  they  claim  to  God. 
Idolatry  is  often  in  the  Old  Testament,  in  consequence  of  Jeho- 
vah's representing  himself  under  the  figurative  character  of  the 
liusband  of  the  Israelitish  church,  termed  fornication  and  adul- 
tery. "To  be  born  of  fornication"  or  adultery — to  be  the  chil- 
dren of  fornication  and  adultery,  is,  according  to  the  Hebrew 
idiom,  just  equal  to,  '  to  be  idolaters  ;'  as  if  they  had  said,  '  If  you 
refer  to  something  more  recondite  than  mere  natural  relation, 
then  God  is  our  Father.  We  are  not  idolaters ;  we  have  not 
many  fathers — gods  many,  and  lords  many.  "  To  us  there  is  but 
one  God  and  Father."  Jehovah  is  our  Father ;  and  surely  you 
dare  not  say  anything  against  Him.'  They  refer  to  such  passages 
as,  "  Do  ye  thus  requite  the  Lord,  0  foolish  people  and  unwise  ? 
is  not  he  thy  father  that  hath  bought  thee  ?  hath  lie  not  made 
thee,  and  established  thee?"**  "Doubtless  thou  art  our  Father, 
though  Abraham  be  ignorant  of  us,  and  Israel  acknowledge  us 
not :  thou,  O  Lord,  art  our  Father,  our  Eedeemer ;  thy  name  is 
from  everlasting."**  "  Have  we  not  all  one  father  ?  hath  not  one 
God  created  us?  why  do  we  deal  treacherously  every  man 
against  his  brother,  by  profaning  the  covenant  of  our  fathers  ?""' 
In  reply  to  this  cavil,  "Jesus  said  unto  them.  If  God  were 
your  Father,  ye  would  love  me :  for  I  proceeded  forth  and  came 
from  God ;  neither  came  I  of  myself,  but  he  sent  me.""  These 
words  are  equivalent  to  a  denial  that  God  was  their  Father  in 
the  sense  in  which  they  claimed  to  be  his  children.  He  was  their 
Father  as  he  was  "  the  Father  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  who  had 
made  of  one  blood  all  the  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  the  face 
of  the  earth.'""  He  was  their  Father,  as  he  preserved  and  j^ro- 
vided  for  them,  and  blessed  them.  He  was  their  Father,  as  they 
belonged  to  the  nation  of  whom  he  had  said,  "  Israel  is  my  son, 
even  my  first-born,""  "  to  whom  pertained  the  adoption  ;""  but 
He  was  not  their  Father — they  were  not  his  children — in  a 
higher  sense.  The}'  were  not  the  objects  of  his  complacential 
regard,  of  his  moral  approbation — neither  in  spiritual  relation  nor 
character  were  they  his  children.  They  were  not  "heirs  of 
God,"  neither  were  they  "partakers  of  a  divine  nature."" 

"  If  God  were  your  Father,"  and  you  his  children,  then  "  you 
would  love  me."     He  was  the  Son  of  God  b}^  way  of  eminence, 
"  the  first-born  among  many  brethren."     Surely  they  could  not 
be  God's  children  if  they  did  not  love  him  ;  and  surely  they  could 
not  love  Him  and  liate  his  /Son,  wiio  was  the  image  of  the  in- 
visible God — the   brightness  of  liis    glory — the   express   image 
of  his  iDcrson,  in  whose  face  the  glory  of  the  Father  was  mani- 
as Dent,  xxxii.  6.  "^  Tsa.  Ixiii.  Ki.  »i  Mai.  ii.  10. 
*'  John  viii.  42,                       »'■'  Acta  xvii.  20.                                 S3  Exod.  iv.  22. 
»<  Rom.  ix  4.                         »  Kom.  viii.  17.     2  Pet.  i.  4.     • 


PART  III.]  SPIRITUAL   PATERNITY  OF  THE  JEWS.  467 

fested.  "  He  that  loveth  liira  that  begat,  loveth  him  also  that  is 
begotten  of  him.""" 

"  I  proceeded  forth  and  came  from  God."  It  is  difficult  to  say 
whether  these  are  two  different  expressions  for  the  same  thing — 
our  Lord's  divine  mission  ;  or  whether  the  first  refers  to  his  son- 
ship,  and  the  other  to  his  mission.  '  I  am  his  Son — I  am  his 
messenger.  If  ye  were  his  children,  you  would  love  me  as  his 
Son,  and  readily  receive  me  as  his  messenger.'  "  Neither  came 
I  of  myself,  but  he  sent  me."  '  I  am  no  unauthorized  teacher — 
I  have  a  commission,  a  clearly- authenticated  commission,  from 
Him  who  you  say  is  your  Father ;  but  surely  he  cannot  be  your 
Father,  else  instead  of  seeking  to  kill  me,  ye  would  have  gladly 
and  gratefully  received  my  message,  and  treated  myself  with  the 
most  respectful  .and  affectionate  kindness.' 

Our  Lord  adds,  "  Why  do  ye  not  understand  my  speech? 
even  because  you  cannot"  hear  my  word.'"*  Our  Lord  refers  here 
to  the  difficulty — to  a  certain  extent  real,  to  a  much  greater  ex- 
tent affected — which  the  Jews  had  discovered  in  apprehending 
the  meaning  of  what  he  had  been  raying  to  them.  "  Speech  "** 
and  "word,"""'  are  nearly  but  quite  synonymous.  "Speech" 
is  external  address — discourse  as  spoken ; — "  word  "  is  the  same 
address,  viewed  as  the  expression  of  thought.  '  Why  do  you  not 
understand  my  discourse  ?  It  is  because  you  do  not  relish  its 
subject."  "Hear"  is  equivalent  to  listen.  'You  dislike  it  so 
much  that  you  will  not  listen  to  it.'  It  is  true  as  a  general  prin- 
ciple, that  the  cause  why  the  Jews,  and  indeed  Jiiankind  gener- 
ally, do  not  understand  the  christian  revelation,  is,  that  they  are 
so  indisposed  to  its  substance,  that  they  are  morally  incapable  of 
giving  it  that  consideration  that  is  necessary  to  its  being  under- 
stood. But  our  Lord's  reference  is  plainly  to  his  present  dis- 
course. '  You  affect  to  feel  great  difficulty  in  apprehending  my 
meaning.  The  reason  is,  you  are  not  disposed  to  attend  to,  or 
beheve,  what  I  am  saying.'^  But  as  you  seem  not  to  compre- 
hend me  clearly,  I  shall  state  the  truth  in  words,  which  you  will 
not  be  able,  however  much  you  might  wish  it,  to  misapprehend 
or  misrepresent.' 

§  3.  The  children  of  the  Devil. 

Our  Lord,  then,  in  the  words  before  us,  in  plain  terms  tells 
them  the  truth,  with  regard  to  their  spiritual  or  moral  paternity. 

M  Col.  i.  15.     Heb.  i.  3.     2  Cor.  iv.  6.     1  John  v.  1. 

^^  "Similis  epifcasis,  non  potest.     1  Cor.  ii.  14." — Besqel.  »'  John  viii.  43. 

M  '/.alia.  1""  'Aoyoc. 

■  "LiicliL*  distinguishes  between  la'/ua  and  Aoyor  thus: — He  regards  the  latter 
as  denoting  the  contents  or  the  sentiments,  and  the  former  as  meaning  the  form, 
the  }.6yoc  '/.a'/Mvfievoc.  This  is  quite  correct  in  itself;  but  it  is  evident  that,  in 
one  passage,  the  two  expressions  are  employed  synonymously,  since  "kaHa,  in 
connection  with  yiv^yiKEiv,  must  necessarily  have  reference  to  the  sentiments." — 
Olsuausen.  "  Priore  membro  stuporem  eorum  perstringit ;  altero  prsefractum  et 
impotens  doctrina;  odium." — Calvin. 

2  "  Qui  veri  sunt  Dei  filii  et  domestic!  non  poasunt  paternse  domus  ignorare 
linguam. " — Melancthon. 


468  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

"  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye 
will  do :  he  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  and  abode  not 
in  the  truth,  because  there  is  no  truth  in  him.  When  he  speak- 
eth  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own :  for  he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father 
of  it.'^' 

Fully  to  understand  the  first  part  of  this  verse,  a  number  of 
questions  must  be  answered.  The  first  is,  Who  is  "  the  devil"  ? 
the  second.  What  is  meant  by  the  devil  being  the  Jews'  "  father"  ? 
the  third,  What  is  it  to  be  of  "  the  devil"  ?  the  fourth,  What  are 
"the  lusts"  of  the  devil?  the  fifth,  What  is  it  to  "  do"  these  lusts? 
and  the  sixth,  What  is  it  "to  will"  to  do  these  lusts  ? 

With  regard  to  that  very  remarkable  being,  here  termed  "  the 
devil,"  and  elsewhere  "  Satan,"  "  the  tempter,"  "  the  old  serpent," 
"the  destroyer,"  our  information,  all  of  course  derived  from 
revelation,  though  very  limited,  is  abundantly  distinct.  He  is  a 
being  of  the  angelic  order,  formed,  as  all  intelligent  beings  were, 
in  a  state  of  moral  integrity,  who,  at  a  period  anterior  to  the  fall 
of  man,  in  consequence  of  violating  the  Divine  law,  in  a  manner 
of  which  we  are  not  particularly  informed,  was  (along  with  a 
number  of  other  spirits,  who,  it  would  appear,  in  consequence  of 
being  seduced  by  him,  were  partakers  of  his  guilt)  cast  out  of 
heaven,  his  original  abode,  placed  in  a  state  of  degradation  and 
punishment,  and  reserved  to  deeper  shame  and  fiercer  pains,  at 
the  day  of  the  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God. 

Through  his  malignity  and  falsehood,  man,  who  was  innocent, 
became  guilty — man,  who  was  holy,  became  depraved — man,  who 
was  happy,  became  miserable — man,  who  was  immortal,  became 
liable  to  death.  Over  the  minds  of  the  human  race,  while  they 
continue  unregenerate,  he  exercises  a  very  powerful,  though  not 
physically  irresistible,  influence ;  and  hence  is  termed  "  the 
prince,"  "the  god  of  this  world,"  "the  spirit  which  worketh  in 
the  children  of  disobedience,"  who  "  leads  them  captive  at  his 
will."*  Even  over  their  bodies  he  has,  in  many  instances,  exer- 
cised a  malignant  power.  He  exerts  himself,  by  his  numerous 
agents,  in  counter-working  the  Divine  benignant  plan  for  the 
salvation  of  men,  throwing  obstacles  of  various  kinds  in  the  way 
of  their  conversion,  and  spreading  his  snares  for,  and  aiming  his 
fiery  darts  at  those  who  have  thrown  oil'  his  3''oke.  Error,  sin, 
and  misery,  in  all  their  forms,  are  ultimately  his  works ;  and  his 
heading  object  is  to  uphold  and  extend  the  empire  of  evil  in  the 
universe  of  God. 

When  this  mahgnant  powerful  being  is  termed  the  father  of 
the  Jews,  it  is  obvious  tliat  the  term  is  employed  in  a  figurative 
or  analogical  sense.  That  being  is,  in  a  moral  point  of  view,  my 
father,  under  whose  influence  my  character  has  been  formed,  and 
whose  sentiments,  and  feelings,  and  conduct,  are,  as  it  were,  the 
model  after  which  mine  arc  fashioned.  When,  then,  the  devil  is 
represented  as  the  father  of  these  Jews,  it  intimates,  that  instead 

3  John  viii.  44.     See  Note  C. 

*  Jobn  xii.  31 ;  xiv.  30.     2  Gor.  iv.  4.     2  Tim.  ii.  26. 


PAET  III.]  SPIRITUAL  PATERNITY   OF  THE  JEWS.  469 


.• 


of  having  a  spiritual  character  formed  under  divine  influence, 
they  had  one  formed  under  a  diabolical  influence ;  and  instead 
of  being  formed  in  God's  likeness,  or  in  the  likeness  of  Abraham 
his  friend,  they,  in  their  great  moral  lineaments,  resepibled  the 
grand  enemy  of  God  and  man,  "  The  devil  is  your  father,"  is 
equivalent  to — '  Your  character  has  been  formed  under  the  in- 
fluence, and  fashioned  after  the  model,  of  "  the  wicked  one." ' 

To  be  "  of"  the  devil,  their  father,  is  the  next  phrase  which 
requires  exposition.  The  particle  "of,"  expresses  relation  of  a 
great  variety  of  kinds.  One  of  the  most  common  of  these  is 
property.  To  be  "  of  the  world,"  is  to  be  the  world's  own. 
"  The  world  loves  its  own," — ^those  who  are  "  of  it."  To  be  "  of 
God,"  or  "  God's,"  is  to  belong  to  God,  to  be  God's  property  and 
possession.  To  be  "of  Christ,"  or  "Christ's,"  is  to  belong  to 
him.  To  be  "of  the  devil,"  or  "the  devil's,"  is  to  belong  to  him, 
to  be  as  it  were  his  property.  All  created  beings  are,  and  must 
be,  in  one  sense,  and  that  a  most  important  one,  God's  property. 
The  devil  himself,  in  that  sense,  is  God's.  He  is  subject  to  his 
control,  and  will  be  made  to  serve  his  purpose.  But  in  another 
sense,  the  Jews,  and  all  who  possess  the  same  character,  are  the 
propert}^  of  the  wicked  one  ;  they  practically  renounce  their  de- 
pendence on  God  ;  they  deny  his  proprietorship,  and  they  prac- 
tically surrender  themselves  to  the  wicked  one,  yielding  them- 
selves his  slaves,  and  their  members  as  instruments  of  unright- 
eousness in  his  service.  It  is  as  if  our  Lord  had  said,  '  Ye  say 
that  ye  are  God's  peculiar  people,  but  ye  are  really  the  devil's 
self-sold  slaves.'  That  this  is  the  leading  idea  seems  plain  from 
what  follows,  which  is  explanatory  or  confirmatory  of  this. 

"The  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do."  "Lusts"  are  strong 
desires.  Now  what  is  meant  by  the  desires  of  the  devil  ?  "  Lust," 
in  Scripture,  signifies,  not  merely  desire^  properly  so  called,  but 
the  object  of  desire.  "  The  lust  of  the  eye"  is  a  general  name 
for  those  things  which,  contemplated  by  the  eye,  excite  desire, — 
what  is  splendid  or  beautiful.  "  The  lusts  of  the  devil"  are  to 
be  understood,  in  this  way,  not  of  his  individual  desires  or  longings, 
— for  how  could  the  Jews  do  these  ? — ^but  of  the  things  which  are 
the  object  of  his  desires, — such  as  the  establishment  and  per- 
manence of  error,  vice,  and  misery  among  men, — whatever  is 
calculated  to  gratify  his  impious  malignant  mind,  a  mind  of 
which,  as  Milton  powerfully  expresses  it,  "evil  is  the  good." 
To  do  the  things  which  the  devil  desires,  is  to  oppose  truth,  and 
to  increase  sin  and  misery.  These  things  the  Jews  did — ^habit- 
ually did. 

The  phraseology  is  emphatic, — "  ye  will  do."  The  term  "  will" 
is  not  here  the  mere  sign  of  futurition, — it  denotes  disposition, 
determination,  choice.  '  Ye  will  do  the  evil  things  which  your 
infernal  father  wishes  for.'  It  is  a  phrase  of  the  same  kind  as — 
"  K  any  man  will  be  my  disciple ;"  "  If  any  man  will  do  the  will 
of  God,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God.'" 

5  John  vii,  IT. 


470  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 


4 


The  Jews  were  not  merely  occasionally,  by  strong  temptation, 
induced  to  do  what  is  in  accordance  witli  the  devil's  desires,  but 
their  desires  were  so  habitually  consentaneous  with  his,  that  in 
seeking  to  gratify  themselves,  they  produced  the  result  which  he 
desired.     They  were  cheerful  servants — voluntary  slaves. 

In  the  middle  part  of  the  verse,  our  Lord  intimates  the  par- 
ticular points  of  similarity  of  character  and  conduct  which  proved 
them,  the  moral  progeny,  the  self-surrendered  property,  of  the 
wicked  one.  "He  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning."  He 
was  a  manslayer,  a  homicide,*  from  the  beginning.''  The  refer- 
ence here  is  plainly  to  the  history  of  the  fall  of  man.  "  From 
the  beginning," — is  equivalent  to — '  from  the  very  origin  of  the 
human  race.'  Man  was  formed  immortal.  It  was  in  consequence 
of  the  sin  which  was  brought  about  by  the  temptation  of  the 
devil  that  the  awful  sentence  was  pronounced,  "  Dust  thou  art, 
and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return."  It  is  said,  "  By  man  came 
death  ;"*  with  equal  truth  may  it  be  said,  '  By  the  devil  came 
death.'  To  use  the  language  of  an  apocryphal  writer,  "God 
made  not  death.  He  created  man  to  be  immortal,  and  made 
him  an  image  of  his  own  eternity :  but  through  the  devil's  envy 
or  malignity  came  death  into  the  world.""  All  the  death,  tem- 
poral, spiritual,  and  eternal,  in  the  world,  is  ultimately  his  work ; 
and,  perhaps,  on  this  account,  he  receives  the  fearful  appellation, 
"  He  that  has  the  power  of  death."'"  In  all  the  extent  of  mean- 
ing belonging  to  the  term,  then,  he  is  a  murderer.  Our  Lord's 
words  were  plainly  fitted,  and  intended,  to  excite  the  thought, 
*  And  are  not  ye  his  children  ?  You  are  seeking  to  murder  me, 
an  innocent  man.     Verily,  ye  do  the  deeds  of  your  father.' 

Another  leading  feature  in  the  devil's  character  is  his  false- 
hood. Malignity  guides  him  in  the  choice  of  ends,  and  falsehood 
characterizes  the  means  he  employs  to  gain  these  ends.  "He 
abode  not  in  the  truth."  These  words  have  often,  perhaps 
generally,  been  considered  as  stating  that  the  devil  did  not  per- 
severe in  that  state  of  integrity  in  which  he  was  created.  He 
was  formed,  no  doubt,  like  the  rest  of  the  angels,  in  the  moral 
image  of  God,  of  wliich  truth  is  a  leading  feature ;  and  he  cer- 
tainly did  not  continue  possessed  of  this  image.  But  we  doubt 
the  accuracy  of  this  interpretation.  Surely  it  could  not  be  said 
of  Satan  before  his  fall,  'there  was  no  truth  in  him.'  In  this 
case,  a  thing  would  be  represented  as  the  cause  of  itself.  Besides, 
the  word  translated  "  abode,"  though  it  wears  the  preterite  form, 
uniformly,  both  in  the  classics  and  in  the  New  Testament,  is 
used  in  a  present  sense, — '  He  abides,'  literally,  he  stands,  '  not 
in  the  truth.'  It  refers  to  his  habitual  character  as  false.  He 
is  habitually  untrue ;  he  has  no  liking  for  what  is  real ;  his  de- 
light is  in  delusion  and  error,  wrong  thought,  false  feeling,  de- 

*  dvOpunoKTovog. 

">  "Liickr-,  De  Wetti-,  and  Nitzsch  have  maintained  a  reference  to  the  murder 
of  Abel  by  Gain.  1  Jolm  iii.  IS. — Tliia,  however,  evidently  takes  away  from  the 
depth  of  the  meaning." — OLSHAUiKN. 

"  Geu.  iii.  lU.     1  Cor.  xv.  21.  «  Wisd.  ii.  23,  24.  '"  Ileb.  ii.  14. 


PART  III.]  SPIRITUAL   PATERNITY   OF   THE  JEWS.  471 

ceitful  conduct.  He  stands  not  in  the  truth  ;  and  the  reason  is, 
since  he  became  depraved,  "  there  is  no  truth  in  him."  The 
great  radical  falsehood,  which  forms,  as  it  were,  the  very  moral 
nature  of  the  devil,  is,  that  happiness,  true  life,  is  not  in  God, 
and  is  to  be  obtained  out  of  Him,  away  from  Him,  opposed  to 
Him.  This  is  the  lie  of  lies,  by  which  the  devil  deceives  himself, 
and  deceives  all  who  yield  themselves  to  his  influence.  And 
here,  as  in  the  former  case,  our  Lord's  words  are  plainly  intended 
to  suggest  the  thought, — '  In  falsehood,  as  well .  as  in  malignity, 
you  bear  the  image — ^you  do  the  deeds — of  your  father.  You 
hate  truth ;  you  love  falsehood.  By  the  most  deceitful  means, 
you  endeavor  to  accomplish  your  malignant  ends.  Are  ye  not, 
then,  of  your  father  the  devil  ?' 

The  concluding  clause  of  the  verse  has  been  variously  inter- 
preted, according  as  it  has  been  considered  as  referring  to  the 
devil,  or  to  the  person  who  is  of  the  devil.  The  first  is  the  more 
ordinary  way  of  explaining  it.  "  When  he," — ^that  is,  the  devil, 
— "speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own."''  When  he  utters 
falsehood,  he  acts  according  to  his  nature,  his  own  proper  charac- 
ter ;  "for  he  is,"  and  ever  has  been  since  his  apostasy,  "  a  liar,  and 
the  father  of  it."  There  is  no  antecedent  to  "  it."  Lying,  as  im- 
plied in  the  word  "  liar,"  has  generally  been  understood.  He  is 
the  father  of  lying, — the  first  liar  in  the  universe  of  the  God  of 
truth,  and  the  cause,  direct  or  remote,  of  all  the  falsehood  that 
ever  has  been  in  it.  This  is  very  good  sense ;  it  is  in  accordance 
with  the  facts  of  the  case,  and  very  well  corresponds  with  the 
context. 

Some,  however,  perceiving,  what  there  can  be  no  doubt  of,  that 
the  natural  translation  of  the  last  clause  is,  '  and  so  is  his  father,' 
and  seeing,  at  the  same  time,  how  inapplicable  these  words  would 
be  to  the  devil,  have  supposed  that  the  statement  does  not  refer 
to  him,  but  to  any  one  of  the  Jews  who  were  "  of  him  "  as  their 
father, — rendering  the  passage,  "  When  any  one  of  you  speaketh 
a  lie,  he  speaketh  like  his  kindred ;  for  he  is  a  liar,  and  so  is  his 
father."  '  He  belongs  to  a  family  whose  vernacular  tongue  is 
falsehood.  No  wonder  he  lies ;  the  wonder  would  be  if  he  spoke 
truth.'  Though  this  view  is  taken  by  some  excellent  scholars," 
we,  upon  the  whole,  prefer  the  more  common  one. 

Our  Lord  goes  on  to  state,  that  so  completely  did  they  resem- 
ble their  father  in  their  hatred  to  truth,  that  the  very  reason  why 
they  did  not  believe  Him,  was  that  he  told  them  the  truth.  Had 
he  concealed,  had  he  denied,  the  truth, — had  he  told  a  falsehood, 
— then  they  would  have  believed  him.  Ay,  when  what  they 
thought  he  had  said  was  indeed  a  falsehood,  then  they  had  be- 
lieved him ;  for  so  long  as  the}^  thought  that  he  was  the  Messiah 
they  were  expecting,  they  were  disposed  to  beliis  disciples; — no 
sooner  did  they  know  the  truth,  tiian  it  was  "  Away  with  him ; 
away  with  him."    They  were  as  much  opposed  as  the  devil  him- 

"  Porphyry,  speaking  of  demons,  says  to  il'evSoq  rovroig  oIkeIov, 
'^  Bisliop  Middletoii,  Grotius,  Wakefield 


472  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

self  to  the  truth, — refusing  to  receive  our  Lord's  doctrine,  not  only 
although  it  was  truth,  but  because  it  was  truth.  "  And  because 
I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye  believe  me  not."" 

The  leading  idea  is,  '  Falsehood  has  laid  such  fast  hold  of,  has 
taken  such  deep  root  in,  your  minds, — you  so  firmly  believe  a 
lie, — that  truth,  instead  of  being  a  recommendation  to  my  state- 
ments, is  the  very  thing  which  prevents  you  from  receiving  them.' 
They  had  professed  faith  in  him ;  but  that  was  when  they  were 
in  a  mistake  respecting  his  character.  They  had  concluded  that 
he  was  "  the  Messiah,"  understanding  by  that  word  a  temporal 
deliverer.  Viewing  him  in  this  false  light,  they  were  quite  ready 
to  be  his  followers ;  but  no  sooner  had  he  told  them  the  truth, 
that  the  liberty  he  came  to  bestow  was  a  liberty  of  mind  and 
heart,  to  be  produced  by  the  operation  of  his  doctrine  understood 
and  believed,  than  they  retracted  their  profession, — they  would 
not  acknowledge  him  as  the  Messiah, — they  would  not  "continue 
in  his  word," — they  would  not  be  "  his -disciples,"  Had  he  told 
them  a  lie, — had  he  flattered  their  prejudices, — had  he  promised 
to  "  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel,"  in  their  sense  of  these  terms, 
— then  they  would  have  believed  him,  then  they  would  have  fol- 
lowed wherever  he  chose  to  lead.  But  because  he  told  them  the 
truth,  that  he  was  not  a  temporal  deliverer,  but  a  spiritual  Saviour, 
— "therefore,"  on  that  very  ground,  they  disbelieved  him,  and 
were  disposed  not  only  to  "go  back,  and  walk  no  more  with 
him,"  but  even  to  wish  and  to  plot  his  destruction.  They  thus 
showed  that  they  not  only  had  no  appetite  for  truth,  but  a  positive 
distaste  for  it,  and  proved  their  spiritual  relationship  to  him  who 
is  a  liar,  who  abides  not  in  the  truth,  in  whom  there  is  no  truth. 
So  dangerous  is  it  for  the  mind  to  get  under  the  influence  of  error 
respecting  the  great  fundamental  principles  of  religion.  It  leads, 
in  innumerable  instances,  to  the  mistaking  of  trutli  for  falsehood, 
and  falsehood,  for  truth, — and  induces  men  to  receive  a  doctrine 
ibr  the  very  reason  for  which  thej^  ought  to  reject  it,  and  to  reject 
a  doctrine  for  the  very  reason  for  which  they  ought  to  receive  it. 

In  rejecting  our  Lord's  doctrine,  they  acted  very  inconsistently. 
On  the  ground  of  his  miracles,  they  had  professed  faith  in  him. 
Now,  what  had  occwred  which  ought  to  have  shaken  that  faith? 
Was  there  anything  that  our  Lord  had  said  or  done  to  prove  that 
he  was  an  impostor, — to  neutralize,  or  more  than  neutralize,  the 
evidence  which  had  led  them  to  offer  to  become  his  disciples  ? 
This  seems  the  import  of  the  words  which  follow : — "  Which  of 
you  convinceth  me  of  sin  ?  And  if  I  say  the  truth,  why  do  ye 
not  believe  me  ?"" 

The  word  "  sin "  may  refer  either  to  conduct  or  opinion,  or 
both.  It  may  be  either  error  or  (liult,  or  both.  Tlic  reference 
is,  I  think,  primarily  to  opinion,  though  our  Lord  chose,  inten- 
tionally, a  word  which  had  a  wider  im{)ort.  The  term  "  con- 
vince "  is  used  in  an  obsolete  sense,  as  equivalent  to  '  convict.' 
There  may  be  cases — they  are  not  of  unfrequent  occurrence — in 

'3  John  viii.  46.  "  John  viii.  46. 


PART  III.]  SPIRITUAL   PATERNITY   OF  THE  JEWS,  473' 

which  it  is  impossible  to  convince  an  opponent  of  error,  when  it 
may  still  be  very  reasonable  to  refuse  to  believe  him,  K  I  can 
convict  him  of  error,  it  is  enough.  But  our  Lord  sets  them  at 
defiance.  '  Which  of  yon  can  convict  me  of  saying  or  doing 
anything  which  should  shake  that  confidence  in  me  you  so  lately 
expressed  ?  what  is  there  in  what  I  have  said  since,  that  can  be 
disproved  ?  You  said  you  believed  me  to  be  a  divine  messenger ; 
is  there  anything  I  have  said,  since  you  made  that  profession, 
that  is  self-contradictory,  that  is  inconsistent  with  fact,  that  is 
irreconcilable  with  any  part  of  the  Scriptures,  which  I,  as  well 
as  you,  hold  to  be  "  given  by  inspiration  of  God  "?  If  there  is, 
you  will  be  able  to  convict  me  of  sin  as  a  public  instructor — ^that 
is,  of  error — but  if,  as_  is  the  truth,  there  is  none  of  you  who  can 
thus  convict  me  of  sin,  why  do  you  not  believe  me  ?  Is  the  evi- 
dence of  my  divine  mission  less  clear  and  satisfactory  than  it 
was  ?  and  if  not,  what  adequate  reason  can  you  give  why  you 
do  not  believe  me  ?  ISTo,  no ;  you  do  not  believe  ray  words,  be- 
cause ye  do  not  like  my  doctrine  ;  and  you  do  not  like  my  doc- 
trine, just  because  it  is  truth,  and,  being  truth,  wilbnot  at  all 
harmonize  with  those  false  sentiments,  those  lies  which,  under  the 
influence  of  the  father  of  hes,  you  have  systematized  in  your 
minds.  The  reason  why  you  do  not  believe  me  is,  not  that  ye 
are  of  God,  as  you  profess  to  be,  but  because  ye  are  not  of  God, 
but  of  God's  great  enemy,  the  devil,' 

"  He  that  is  of  God  heareth  God's  words :  ye  therefore  hear 
them,  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God,'"^  "  He  that  is  of  God," 
is  descriptive  of  the  same  person  as  "a  son  of  God ;"  but  it 
seems  to  describe  the  person  as  the  peculiar  property  of  God, 
just  as  "  to  be  of  the  devil,"  is  to  belong  to  the  devil.  All  men 
are  God's  property.  All  the  Jews  were  God's  property,  in  a 
pecuhar  sense  ;  in  a  still  more  peculiar  sense,  regenerate  men  are 
his  property:  "The  Lord's  portion  is  his  people;  Israel" — ^the 
spiritual  Israel  "  is  the  lot  of  his  inheritance,"  "  The  Lord  hath 
set  apart  the  godly  man  for  himself"" 

He  who,  in  this  sense,  belongs  to  God,  "  Heareth  God's  word." 
"  Hears  "  is  equivalent  to,  listens  to — attends  to — ^believes — obeys. 
Whatever  revelation  God  makes  of  his  will,  accompanying  it,  as 
he  always  does,  with  appropriate  and  adequate  evidence,  they 
who  are  God's  readily  embrace  it.  They  say,  "Speak,  Lord; 
for  thy  servant  heareth,"  "  I  will  hear  what  God  the  Lord  will 
speak,"" 

Our  Lord  obviously  here  goes  on  the  supposition,  that  his 
words  were  God's  words,  and  his  doctrine  was  a  plain,  weU- 
accredited  revelation  of  the  Divine  will.  AU  who  were  God's 
readily  received  his  doctrine.  They  were  the  good  soil,  in  which 
the  seed,  sown  by  the  Son  of  man,  readily  took  root,  and  grew, 
and  multiplied.  Every  one  who  was  of  the  truth,  by  an  elective 
attraction,  clung  to  him  who  is  the  truth.      '  "  Ye  do  not  hear 

i''  John  viii.  47.  '«  Deut.  xxxii.  9.     Psal.  iv.  3. 

"  1  Sam.  iii.  9.     Psal.  Ixxxv.  8. 


474  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XL 

God's  "words  "  wliicli  I  speak  to  you — you  will  not  listen  to  them 
— ^you  do  not  relish  them — you  do  not  understand  them — you  do 
not  believe  them ;  and  the  reason  is,  not  that  they  are  not  plain 
enough — not  that  they  are  not  sufficiently  attested — but,  that 
"  ye  are  not  of  God."  Though  you  belong  to  the  highly-favored 
Israelitish  people,  you  are  not  of  God's  peculiar  peojole,  in  the 
highest  sense  of  the  term.  No  ;  you  are  not  of  God — you  are  of 
the  devil.  That  explains,  fully  explains,  your  not  believing  my 
doctrine — your  not  continuing  in  my  word — your  not  being  my 
disciples  indeed.'  They  who  are  under  the  influence  of  him, 
whose  leading  characters  are  malignity  and  falsehood,  cannot  be 
expected  readily  to  receive,  keenl}^  to  relish,  doctrines,  the  lead- 
ing characteristics  of  Avhich  are  "  grace  and  truth." 

The  thus  unveiling  of  their  true  character,  to  the  self-deluded 
proud  Jews,  was  by  no  means  agreeable  to  them.  They  shrunk 
back  from  the  mirror,  would  willingly  have  dashed  it  to  pieces, 
and  given  him  who  held  it  up  to  them  substantial  tokens  of  their 
dissatisfaction :  "  Then  answered  the  Jews,  and  said  unto  him, 
Say  we  not  well  that  thou  art  a  Samaritan,'*  and  hast  a  devil?"" 

The  Samaritans  were  a  mixed  race,  partly  of  Israelitish,  and 
partly  of  Gentile  origin.  They  were  the  objects  of  the  greatest 
contempt  and  dislike  on  the  part  of  the  Jews,  who  hated  them 
even  more  than  the  pagan  nations ;  and  these  sentiments  were 
mutual.  To  call  our  Lord  a  Samaritan,  was  to  give  him  the  most 
contemptuous  and  odious  of  all  names.  It  was  especially  to  re- 
proach him  as  an  enemy  of  the  holy  nations ;  and  they  not  only 
give  him  this  name,  but  af&rm  that  he  richly  deserved  it — "Say 
we  not  well  ?"  '  Is  it  any  reproach  ?  Who,  but  a  sworn  foe  of 
our  nation,  could  have  represented  us,  free-born  Israelites,  as 
slaves?  us,  the  seed  of  Abraham — us,  the  children  of  God — as 
the  children  of  the  devil  ?  It  would  require  all  the  malignity  and 
impudence  of  a  Samaritan,  to  forge  and  utter  such  atrocious 
calumnies  against  the  holy  nation.'  But,  as  if  no  malignity, 
however  great,  in  connection  with  a  sane  mind,  could  have  in- 
duced a  person  to  cast  out  such  opprobrious  imputations,  they 
represent  him  as  a  demoniac,  as  well  as  a  Samaritan.  To  have 
a  devil,  is  to  be  mad ;  and  not  only  mad,  but  mad  through 
demoniac  influence.  '  What  you  have  said  is  worse  than  any 
Samaritan  Avould  have  ventured  to  say,  if  he  had  been  in  his 
sober  senses.  He  must  have  been  deranged,  and  his  derange- 
ment must  have  been  of  demoniac  origin,  before  he  coidd  have 
given  vent  to  words  so  outrageously  absurd,'  so  utterly  fxlse,  so 
atrociously  wicked.  '  None  but  a  Samaritan  maniac  could  have 
been  expected  to  utter  such  words  anywhere,  but  especially  in  this 
holy  place,  which  speaks  so  2)lainly  the  sacredness  of  our  people, 
and  Jehovah's  regard  for  them.' 

Oh,  the  patience  of  Jehovah!  He  who  was  thus  contume- 
liously  abused,  was  the  Sou  of  his  love,  "the  brightness  of  his 

"  It  is  a  eayiiig  of  the  Tiilinud,  "'I'lioii  iirt  ii  Cnthite,  and  no  Ciithite  can  be  a 
witness."  '"  John  viii.  48. 


PART  III.]  SPIRITUAL  PATERNITY  OF  THE  JEWS.  475 

glory,  the  express  image  of  his  person ;"  and  his  abusers,  the 
creatures  of  his  hand,  rebelhous  creatures,  who  owed  it  to  the 
riches  of  his  long-suflfering  that  they  were  not  in  the  region  of 
hopeless  misery,  suffering  to  their  utmost  capacity  of  suffering — 
and  he  has  but  to  will  it,  and  they  sink  into  annihilation,  or  are 
plunged  into  perdition.  "  Consider,  also.  Him,  who  endureth 
such  contradiction  of  sinners  against  himself"  Oh,  how  did 
heaven  and  earth  stand  contrasted  on  this  occasion !  The 
heavenly  tranquillity  of  the  Saviour's  mind  remained  undisturbed. 
Holy  displeasure,  melting  pity,  possessed  his  heart.  He  renders 
not  railing  for  railing,  but  calmly  vindicates  himself,  and  warns 
them  of  the  fearful  responsibility  they  were  so  recklessly  in- 
curring. 

"  Jesus  answered,  I  have  not  a  devil :  but  I  honor  my  Father, 
and  ye  do  dishonor  me.  And  I  seek  not  mine  own  glory: 
there  is  One  that  seeketh  and  judgeth.''^"  Our  Lord  takes  no 
notice  of  the  first  reproach.  He  perhaps  passes  it  over  as  un- 
worthy of  answer,  the  mere  outburst  of  irritated  wanton  malice, 
or  perhaps  his  silence  was  intended  to  intimate,  that  the  distinc- 
tion between  Jcavs  and  Samaritans  was  soon  to  be  abolished,  and 
that  order  of  things  introduced  in  which  there  is  neither  Jew  nor 
Gentile, — in  which  neither  does  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision 
avail  anything, — in  which,  as  to  religion,  all  such  external  distinc- 
tions are  unknown,  and  a  man  is  honored,  just  as  he  is  under  the 
influence  of  "  faith  that  worketh  by  love." 

In  reply  to  the  second  reproachful  charge,  he  satisfies  himself 
with  merely  denying  it.  "I  have  not  a  devil."  "F'^is  em- 
phatic. The  words  intimate,  '  whoever  may  be  under  demoniac 
influence,  it  is  not  I.'  Indeed,  as  was  said  on  another  occasion, 
"  His  words  were  not  the  words  of  one  that  had  a  devil."  No- 
thing incoherent,  nothing  malignant,  nothing  untrue.  No,  "  he 
was  not  mad,  he  had  spoken  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness." 
It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  That  is  not  the  state  of  the  case.  The 
state  of  the  case  is  this,  "  I  am  honoring  my  Father,  and  ye  are 
dishonoring  me."  '  Well  did  our  Lord  know  he  had  only  to 
flatter  the  prejudices  of  his  countrymen,  and  their  hearts  would 
have  been  as  the  heart  of  one  man,  to  place  him  on  the  throne 
of  his  father  David.  But  his  Father  in  heaven  had  sent  him  on 
another  errand,  and  nothing  could  divert  him  from  executing  it. 
He  would  deliver  His  message,  however  it  might  be  received ; 
he  would  do  his  will,  whatever  might  be  the  consequence.  He 
was  honoring  his  Father  by  discharging  the  work  he  had  given 
him  to  do  ;  and,  while  he  was  honoring  his  Father,  they  were  dis- 
honoring him,  treating  him  like  an  impostor  and  maniac. 

He  adds,  "  I  seek  not  my  own  glory."  '  If  I  did,  I  should  not 
have  told  you  the  truth.  'Had  my  own  aggrandizement  been  my 
object,  I  should  have  followed  another  course  ;  and  my  not  ob- 
taining "  glory" — a  good  opinion — from  you,  no  way  disheartens 
me.'     "  There  is  One  who  seeketh,"  that  is,  '  -sv^ho  seeketh  my 

2"  Johu  viji.  49,  50. 


476  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

glory.  There  is  One  who  will  look  after  my  reputation.  There 
is  One  who  is  pledged  in  holy  covenant  to  make  me  his  first-born, 
"  higher  than  the  kings  of  the  earth."  And  he  who  seeketh  my 
glory,  "judgeth."  He  will  sit  in  judgment  on  your  judgment, 
and  "  His  judgment  will  be  according  to  the  truth." ' "  The 
words  seem  plainly  intended  to  intimate,  in  a  very  impressive 
way,  the  fearful  responsibility  they  had  incurred.  •  He  was  doing 
his  Father's  will :  they  were  treating  him  with  contumely.  His 
Father  was  seeking  tlie  honor  of  his  faithful  servant,  his  beloved 
Son  ;  and  dreadful  would  be  the  manifestation  of  His  displeasure 
against  those  who,  so  far  as  lay  in  their  power,  had  put  to  shame 
the  God-man,  whom  He  delights  to  honor. 

Our  Lord  adds,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  If  a  man  keep 
my  saying,  he  shall  never  see  death.""  The  coherence  of  thought 
here,  is  not  very  easily  perceived.  The  connection  has  been  va- 
riously stated.  Some  have  supposed  that  these  words  were  in- 
tended as  a  proof,  that  his  doctrine  was  not  of  infernal,  but  of 
celestial,  origin,  from  its  benignant  tendency  and  effects ;  and  oth- 
ers, that  they  were  meant  as  evidence  that  he  did  not  seek  his 
own  glory,  for,  instead  of  dwelling  on  his  own  vindication,  he 
proceeds  to  show  them  who  had  reproached  him,  the  way  to  be 
saved.  A  third  class,  with  greater  probability,  think  these  words 
were  addressed  to  his  true  followers  who  were  present.  While 
they  who  would  not  honor  him  by  receiving  his  words  as  God's 
words,  should  be  judged,  condemned,  punished,  doomed  to  the 
second  death,  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire,  "  they  who  kept  his  say- 
ing should  never  see  death." 

To  "  keep  our  Lord's  saying,"  or  word,  is  the  same  thing  as  to 
"  abide  in  his  word,"  or  to  "  have  his  word  abiding  in  us."  To 
receive  our  Lord's  word  is  to  understand  and  believe  it,  and  yield 
to  its  influence — to  give  it  a  lodging-place  in  the  mind,  conscience, 
and  heart ;  and  to  keep  it,  is  to  persevere  in  this,  to  let  it  dwell 
in  us,  to  keep  it  in  memory,  to  continue  believing  it,  and,  what 
follows  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  continue  yielding  to  its  influ- 
ence. 

Now,  of  those  who  thus  receive  our  Lord's  words,  he  says, 
"  They  shall  not  see  death."  This  statement  admits  of  two 
modes  of  interpretation.  They  both  agree  in  this,  that  they  con- 
sider "to  see  death,"  as  equivalent  to,  "to  die,"  according  to  the 
Jewish  idiom,  in  which,  "  to  see,"  as  well  as  "  to  taste,"  is  often 
equivalent  to,  "to  experience.""  Some  consider  the  word 
"  death"  as  signifying  death  properly  so  called, — the  state  of  dis- 
union between  the  body  and  the  soul ;  and  as  the  keeping  of 
Christ's  word  gives  no  exemption  from  the  operation  of  the  great 
general  law  of  fallen  humanity — "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust 
shalt  thou  return," — they  would  render  the  words,  "  shall  not 
taste  death  for  ever" — shall  not  remain  for  ever  in  a  state  of 

2'  "  It  was  not,  for  khn  to  contend  with  them  about  this:  that  would  be  done, 
by  the  Father." — Tiioluck. 

2«  John  viiL  51.  .  "  Psal.  Ixxsdx.  48 ;  xvi.  10. 


PART  III.]  SPIRITUAL    PATERNITY  OF  THE  JEWS.  477 

.death — shall  obtain  a  glorious  resurrection.  "Thej  must  die,  but 
they  shall  not  die  for  ever.  Thej  shall  be  "  raised  up  again  at 
the  last  day."  In  this  case,  the  passage  is  exactly  parallel  with 
chap.  vi.  39,  40 :  "  And  this  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent 
me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing, 
but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.  And  this  is  the  will 
of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son,  and  be- 
lieveth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life :  and  I  will  raise  him 
up  at  the  last  day,"  This  bri)igs  out  a  very  good  sense.  But 
the  second  mode  of  interpretation  seems  on  the  whole  preferable, 
in  which  death  is  considered  as  a  general  name  for  all  the  misery 
to  which  man  is  exposed  on  account  of  sin.  "Not  to  taste 
death,"  in  this  sense,  is  just  "not  to  perish,  but  to  have  everlast- 
ing life," — to  be  delivered  from  all  evil,  to  obtain  possession  of 
all  good.  Death  is  evil — life  is  good.  It  is  plain  our  Lord  very 
often  uses  the  terms  in  this  acceptation.  "  He  that  beheveth  on 
the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  :  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son 
shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  "  Ver- 
ily, verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  heareth  my  word,  and  be- 
lieveth on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not 
come  into  condemnation ;  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life." 
"  This  is  the  bread  which  cometh  down  from  heaven,  that  a  man 
may  eat  thereof  and  not  die."  "Jesus  said  unto  her,  I  am  the 
resurrection,  and  the  life:  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he 
were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live  :  and  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth 
in  me,  shall  never  die.  Believcst  thou  this  ?"^*  He  who  perse- 
veres in  the  faith  of  our  Lord's  word,  shall  not  "  perish,  but  shall 
have  eternal  life" — obtain  true  permanent  happiness.  Both  ex- 
pressions refer  to  both  parts  of  man's  complex  nature.  His  soul 
shall  not  perish — shall  not  be  miserable ;  but  shall  live — be  happy. 
His  body  shall  not  perish — shall  not  ultimately  be  lost ;  it  shall 
live — it  shall  be  re-united  to  his  spirit,  and,  along  with  it,  enjoy 
a  perfect,  ever-enduriDg  happiness.  As  the  apostle  states  the 
whole  doctrine :  "  The  body  is  dead  because  of  sin ;  but  the 
spirit  is  life  because  of  righteousness  ;  and  if  the  Spirit  of  him 
that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised 
up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies 
by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.""  They  who  keep  our  Lord's 
words  are  ultimately  to  be  placed  in  a  state  where  there  is  no 
death  in  any  sense  of  the  word,  "The  last  enemy,  death,  shall 
be  destroyed," — cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone. 
Death  is  to  be  "swallowed  up  in  victory."  As  it  was  said  to  the 
Jews  when  about  to  pass  tlirough  the  Red  Sea,  so  may  it  be  said 
to  saints,  even  when  just  about  to  die,  "  The  enemy  whom  ye 
have  seen  to-day,  ye  shall  see  no  more  for  ever,""" 

This  most  gracious  declaration  was  not  received  in  the  spirit 
in  which  it  was  made.  As  Matthew  Henry  says,  "  Instead  of 
laying  hold  on  this  precious  promise  of  immortality,  they  laid 

24  John  iii.  30  ;  v.  24 ;  vi,  50 ;  xi.  25,  2C.  »5  Rom.  viii.  10,  11. 

2s  1  Cor.  XV.  26.     Rev,  xx.  14.     Exod.  xiv.  13. 


478  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

hold  on  this  occasion  to  reproach,  as  a  demoniac  madman,  him 
who  made  them  so  kind  an  offer."  "Then  said  the  Jews  nnto 
him,  Now  we  know  that  thou  hast  a  deviL  Abraham  is  dead,  and 
the  prophets  ;  and  thou  saj^est.  If  a  man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall 
never  taste  of  death.  Art  thou  greater  than  our  father  Abra- 
ham, which  is  dead  ?  and  the  prophets  are  dead :  whom  makest 
thou  thyself?""  As  if  they  had  said :  '  There  can  be  no  doubt 
now  that  the  man  is  mad — deranged  by  the  insanity  of  pride. 
Was  there  ever  such  intolerable  arrogance?  Surely  the  man 
who  speaks  so  cannot  be  in  his  sound  mind?'  Nothing  but  de- 
rangement, in  their  estimation,  could  have  dictated  so  absurd 
and  presumptuous  a  declaration.  They  propose,  therefore,  the 
questions :  '  Do  you  really  mean  to  represent  yourself  as  greater 
(a  more  illustrious  person,  possessed  of  higher  powers)  than 
Abraham,  our  honored  progenitor,  or  than  the  holy  prophets,  by 
asserting  that  you  have  the  faculty  of  giving  immortal  life  to 
your  followers  f  "  Whom  makest  thou  thyself  to  be  ?"  What  are 
the  limits  of  your  pretensions  ;  or  have  they  any  limits  at  all  ?' 

IV.— THE  PRE-EXISTENCE  AND  DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST. 
JoHK  vm.  54-69. 

The  principle  on  which  these  questions  of  the  Jews  proceed, 
is  obviously  a  just  one,  that  in  promising  immortality  to  all  who 
kept  his  words,  there  was  implied  a  claim  of  superiority  to  Abra- 
ham, and  to  all  the  prophets :  and,  you  will  observe,  our  Lord  by 
no  means  disowns  the  claim.  "  Jesus  answered.  If  I  honor  my- 
self, my  honor  is  nothing :  it  is  my  Father  that  honoreth  me ; 
of  whom  ye  say,  that  he  is  your  God.  Yet  ye  have  not  known 
him ;  but  I  know  him ;  and  if  I  should  s^j,  1  know  him  not,  I 
shall  be  a  liar  like  unto  you:  but  I  know  him,  and  keep  his' 
saying."" 

These  words  are  equivalent  to,  '  I  am  greater  than  Abraham 
— I  am  greater  than  the  prophets — I  am  warranted  to  jDromise 
what  they  would  not  have  been  warranted  to  promise — I  am  able 
to  do  what  they  were  not  able  to  do ;  and  as  to  your  question, 
Whom  make  I  myself  to  be  ?  it  is  not  I  who  make  myself  any- 
thing. I  have  not  glorified  myself  by  assuming  of  my  own 
accord  the  high  characters  which  I  bear.  I  am,  as  a  divine 
messenger,  what  my  Father  has  constituted  me.  If  my  claims 
were  unsupported  claims,  I  should  deserve  no  honor.  But  the 
Father  has  honored  me ;  he  has  conferred  on  mc  great  and 
peculiar  powers,  which  raise  me  far  above  Abraham — far  above 
all  the  prophets ;  and  he  has  in  tlie  fulfilment  of  Old  Testament 
prophecy,  and  in  the  miraculous  works  which  by  his  power  I 
have  performed,  clearly  and  distinctly  intimated  that  he  hath 
thus  honored  me.  I  am  his  sent  and  scaled  messenger ;  and 
the  Father  who  hath  thus  honored  me  is  He  of  whom  ye  say 

27  John  viii.  52,  63.  "^  John  viii.  54,  56. 


PART  IV.]         PRE-EXISTENCE  AND  DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST.  479 

that  lie  is  your  God.  I  liave,  therefore,  the  strongest  claim  on 
your  belief  and  obedience.  The  commission  I  bear  is  from 
Jehovah,  whom  ye  acknowledge  to  be  the  only  true  God — to  be 
your  God.  My  credentials  are  signed  and  sealed  b}'-  his  own 
hand.  If  you  really  had  that  intelligent  regard  for  Jehovah's 
will  which  you  say  you  have,  you  would  acknowledge  me  to  be 
what  he  has  constituted  me,  and  declared  me  to  be. 

'  But,  whatever  you  say,  he  is  not  your  God  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  word.  He  cannot  be  the  God  of  those  who  know  him 
not ;  and  it  is  plain  ye  have  not  known  him — it  is  plain  ye  are 
ignorant  of  his  true  character.  You  do  not  understand  the 
revelation  of  his  will,  made  to  you  in  the  Old  Testament  Scrip- 
tures. If  you  did,  you  would  recognize  in  me  his  image,  and  in 
my  doctrine  the  fall  development  of  the  mystery  partially  unfolded 
by  the  prophets.' 

"  But  I  know  him."  '  I  am  intimately,  fully,  acquainted  with 
his  character  and  will ;  and,  therefore,  however  contrary  to  your 
conceptions  and  wishes,  I  unhesitatingly  declare  the  truth  con- 
cerning him.'  "  I  proceeded  forth,  and  came  from  him."  '  In 
the  beginning,  I  was  with  him — in  his  bosom — so  that  I  cannot 
but  know  him ;  and,  knowing  him,  I  trust  in  him.'  "  If  I 
should  say,  I  know  him  not,  I  should  be  a  liar  like  unto  you : 
but  I  know  him  and  keep  his  saying."  '  Should  I,  to  ingratiate 
myself  with  you,  or  to  avoid  your  attempts  to  destroy  me,  con- 
ceal or  deny  that  intimate  and  peculiar  knowledge  of  God  to 
which  I  have  so  often  laid  claim,  then  I  should  be  guilty  of  false- 
hood, as  ye  are,  when  ye  say  that  he  is  your  God,  and  that  you 
know  him.  Your  claim,  that  God  is  your  God,  and  that  you 
know  Him,  is  false ;  and  my  denial  that  He  is  my  Father,  and 
that  I  know  Him,  would  be  equally  false.  But  that  I  will  never 
do.  No,  I  do  know  Him.  I  know  His  character  ;  I  know  His 
will ;  and  I  evidence  this  knowledge  by  keeping  His  saying.' 

"  The  Father's  word,"  or  "  saying,"  here  plainly  refers  to  what 
our  Lord  elsewhere  calls  his  "  commandment."  It  is  the  com- 
mission given  him  as  the  Saviour  of  men, — His  instructions  as 
to  all  that  he  was  to  say,  and  do,  and  suffer  for  man's  salvation. 
In  the  whole  work  of  our  salvation,  the  Son  was  the  Father's 
servant.  He  came  to  do  his  will,  and  he  was  his  righteous  faith- 
ful servant.  He  was  "  faithful  to  him  that  appointed  him." 
"  His  meat  was  to  do  the  will  of  his  Father,  and  to  finish  his 
work."  He  did  always  the  thing  that  pleased  Him.  He  "  kept 
his  word."  He  persevered  in  doing  his  will,  till  he  could  say,  "  I 
have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth ;  I  have  finished  the  work  which 
thou  gavest  me  to  do."^* 

The  words  which  follow,  "  Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced  to 
see  my  day:  and  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad,'"" — though  not  con- 
nected with  what  immediately  precedes  them, — naturally  rose 
out  of  the  course  of  the  conversation.     They  look  back  to  our 

29  Heb.  iil  2.     John  iv.  34 ;  xvii.  4.  ^"  John  viii  66. 


480  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

Lord's  statement  at  the  40th  verse,  as  well  as  to  the  Jews'  question 
at  the  53d  verse. 

Viewed  in  reference  to  the  former,  the  train  of  thought  seems 
to  be,  'I  said  to  you  a  little  ago,  that  you  could  not  be  the 
spiritual  children  of  Abraham,  for  your  conduct  to  me  is  very 
diflferent  from  what  his  would  have  been, — ^yes,  very  different 
from  what  his  has  been.  You  seek  to  kill  me.  "  Abraham," 
whom  you  call  "your  father, "rejoiced  to  see  my  day  :  and  he  saw 
it,  and  was  glad."  ' 

Viewed  in  reference  to  the  latter,  the  train  of  thought  seems 
to  be,  '  You  ask  me  if  I  were  greater  than  Abraham — ^let 
Abraham  himself  answer  the  question.  Abraham's  conduct  in 
reference  to  me  evidences  the  estimation  in  which  he  held  me. 
*'  Abraham,  your  father,  rejoiced  to  see  my  day  :  and  he  saw  it, 
and  was  glad." ' 

Interpreters  are  greatly  divided  as  to  the  meaning  of  these 
words.  As  to  the  import  of  the  expression,  "  my  day,""  there 
is  Uttle  room  for  diversity  of  opinion.  Strange  notions  have, 
however,  been  entertained  about  it.  In  the  whole  of  this  dis- 
course, our  Lord  plainly  proceeds  on  the  principle  that  he  was 
the  Messiah.  His  "  day,"  then,  is  just  the  period  of  the  economy 
which  takes  its  name  from  him,  beginning  with  his  incarnation, 
and  reaching  to  the  end  of  the  world,  with  the  delightfal- 
and  glorious  events  by  which  that  period  was  to  be  distinguished. 
The  phrase  may  be  illustrated  by  the  similar  phrases,  "days  of 
Noe,'"^  "days  of  his  flesh.'"'  But  while  there  is  generall}' 
agreement  as  to  the  meaning  and  reference  of  this  phrase,  there 
is  gi-eat  variety  of  sentiment  respecting  the  other  parts  of  the  dec- 
laration. 

As  they  stand  in  our  version,  they  seem  to  be  a  strong  dec- 
laration that  Abraham  saw  our  Lord's  day,  and  that  the  sight 
filled  him  with  delight.  The  two  clauses  of  the  verse  seem  just 
synonymous,  the  sentiment  being  repeated  to  mark  it  emphatic, 
'  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day  :  yes,  he  saw  my  day,  and  was 
glad.'  But  our  version  does  not  very  accurately  express  the 
meaning  of  the  original ;  and  if  we  look  closely  at  the  words,  we 
find  that  the  statements  in  the  two  clauses,  though  closely  re- 
lated, are  not  synonymous.  Some,  dissatisfied,  as  they  well  may 
be,  with  our  version,  render  the  words,  'Your  father  Abraham 
would  have  rejoiced  to  see  my  day ;  and  indeed  he  did  see  it,  and 
was  glad.  It  would  have  delighted  Abraham  to  have  seen  me 
as  you  see  me.  This  delight  was  denied  him  ;  but  even  the  pro- 
phetic view  he  had  of  my  day  filled  bun  with  joy.  Though  he 
did  not  "  receive  the  promise," — that  is,  the  promised  blessing, — 
he  saw  it  afar  off,  he  embraced  it ;  and  this  filled  him  with  holy 
exultation.'  This  is  good  enough  sense,  but  it  is  not,  any  more 
than  our  version,  the  meaning  of  the  original  words.  The  same 
fatal  objection  lies  against  a  mode  of  interpretation  very  generally 

3'  "  "The  days  of  the  Messiah'  \a  a  standing  form  among  the  Rabbins." — ^Tho- 
LOCK.  «  Matt.  xxiv.  87.  3^  Ileb.  v.  1. 


PAET  IV.]        PEE-EXISTENCE  AND  DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST.  481 

adopted.  Abraham  earnestly  desired,  like  tlie  "  many  kings  and 
righteous  men"  referred  to  by  onr  Lord  on  another  occasion, 
'  to  see  my  day,  and  his  desire  was  fulfilled ;  a  revelation  was 
made  to  him  on  the  subject, — 'he  saw  it  and  was  glad.'  The 
phrase  "  rejoiced  to  see  my  day,"  is  plainlf  •what  has  been  termed 
a  pregnant  phrase  ;■ — it  encloses  in  it  an  idea  not  distinctly  ex- 
pressed. It  is  equivalent  to,  '  rejoiced  in  the  expectation  that  he 
would  see;'  just  as  we   say,   'I  am  very  glad  to  meet  with  my 

•  friend,' — that  is,  I  am  very  glad  in  the  prospect  of  meeting  him. 
The  first  step  to  right  exposition  is  correct  translation  ;  and  I 
think  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  strictly  correct  rendering  of 
the  words  is,  '  Your  father  Abraliam  rejoiced  that  he  would  see 
my  day  :  and  he  saw  it,  or  has  seen  it,  and  was  glad,  or  has  been 
gladdened.'  Now  what  is  the  meaning  of  these  words  ?  It  has 
been  supposed  that  the  first  clause  refers  to  an  expectation  which 
Abraham  at  one  time  of  his  life  had,  that  a  revelation  would  be 
made  to  him  respecting  the  Messiah ;  and  the  second  clause,  to 
the  fulfilment  of  that  expectation,  when  such  a  revelation  was 
made  to  him.  There  is  nothing,  however,  in  the  inspired  history 
which  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  Abraham  receive  dany  prom- 
ise from  God,  that  at  some  future  period  of  his  life  he  should 
have  a  revelation  about  the  Messiah  made  to  him. 

I  apprehend  that  the  joyful  expectation  of  seeing  the  Messiah's 
day,  referred  to  in  the  first  clause,  grew  out  of  the  promise  made 
to  Abraham,  "In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blessed."'*     Abraham  could  scarcely  doubt  that  the  expression, 

."thy  seed,"  referred,  not  to  his  descendants  generally,  as  it  ob- 
viously does  in  the  preceding  promise,  but  to  some  one  illustri- 
ous descendant.  The  number  is  changed  from  the  plural  to  the 
singular  f^  and  perhaps  it  is  this  that  Paul,  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Galatians,  had  in  his  eye,  when  he  said,  referring  to  this  very 
promise,  "  He  saith  not.  And  to  seeds,  as  of  many ;  but  as  of 
one.  And  to  thy  seed,  which  is  Christ."^'  And  he  could  as 
little  doubt  that  this  illustrious  descendant,  in  whom  all  the 
families  of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed,  was  the  same  glorious 
deliverer  who,  from  the  beginning,  had  been  made  known  under 
the  name  of  the  woman's  seed,  as  the  conqueror  of  man's  great 
enemy — the  old  serpent.  This  promise  was  the  object  of  Abra- 
ham's undoubting  unbelief.  "  He  staggered  not  at  the  promise 
of  God  through  unbelief;  but  was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory 
to  God  ;  and  being  fully  persuaded,  that  what  He  had  promised 
He  was  able  also  to  perform."" 

On  the  ground  of  that  promise,  Abraham  joyfully  expected  to 
see  the  Messiah's  day.  It  is  n&t  at  all  probable,  that  Abraham 
indulged  any  hope  of  seeing  tlie  Messiah's  day  during  his  mortal 
life.     What  God   revealed   to    him    respecting  his  posterity  for 

^  Gen.  xxii.  18. 

33  Gen.  xxii.  17. — In  the  beginning  of  the  verse  it  is  a  multitude  of  individuals, 
'  like  the  stars  of  heaven ;"  in  the  end,  it  is  one  individual — "  his  enemies." 
3«  Gal.  iii.  16.  "  Rom.  Iv.  20,  21. 

VOL,  I.  31 


482  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

four  hundred  years,''  must  have  prevented  any  such  expecta- 
tion. It  is  plain,  however,  from  the  declaration  of  the  apostle, 
that  Abraham,  like  the  other  patriarchs  "  who  have  obtained  a 
good  report  through  faith,"  "  died  in  faith,  not  having  received 
the  promises,  but  hafijig  seen  them  afar  off,  and  was  persuaded 
of-  them,  and  embraced  them,  and  confessed  that  he  was  a 
stranger  and  pilgrim  on  the  earth.  For  he,  saying  such  things, 
declared  plainly  that  he  sought  a  country.  And,  truly,  if  he 
had  been  mindful  of  that  country  from  whence  he  came  out,  he 
might  have  had  opportunity  to  have  returned.  But  now  he  de- 
sired a  better  country,  that  is,  an  heavenly :  wherefore  God  is 
not  ashamed  to  be  called  his  God ;  for  he  hath  prepared  for  him 
a  city.'"'  It  is  plain  from  tliis  passage,  that  the  patriarch  ex- 
pected to  live  with  God  in  a  city,  which  had  foundations  in  a 
better  country,  after  death.  In  like  manner,  Abraham  rejoiced 
in  the  expectation  that,  at  the  appointed  time,  he  should  see 
"  his  seed  "  blessing  all  nations  : — '  Now,'  says  our  Lord,  '  this 
expectation  has  not  been  disappointed,  Abraham  has  seen  my 
da}^ :  Abraham  in  paradise  sees — knows — that  my  day  is  come." 
He  is  aware  that  I  have  appeared,  "in  the  end  of  the  age,  to 
take  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  myself;"  and  to  lay  deep  the 
foundation  of  that  kingdom  which  is  to  embrace  all  nations.' 
There  is  a  connection  between  the  church  on  earth  and  the 
church  in  heaven,  a  connection  probably  much  more  extensive 
and  intimate  than  we  generally  apprehend.  Conversions  rejoice 
angels:  "There  is  joy  in  heaven,"  among  the  angels  of  God, 
"  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,"  Can  we  suppose  that  tho 
spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect  are  ignorant  of  such  events,  or 
unaffected  by  them?  "  Jacob,"  is  said  by  Isaiah,  speaking  of 
the  very  same  event  and  period,  viz.,  the  coming  and  times  of 
the  Messiah — "Jacob,"  who  had  long  ago  been  dead  as  to  the 
body,  and  gathered  to  his  fathers,  his  own  people,  both  as  to 
body  and  soul — ■"  Jacob,"  plainly  viewed  as  in  the  abodes  of  the 
blessed,  is  said,  "  not  to  be  ashamed,"  that  is,  to  exult;  and  "  his 
face"  is  said  "  not  to  wax  pale,"  that  is,  to  beam  with  joy  and 
gladness,'"  '  Abraham  in  paradise  has  seen  my  day,  and  has 
rejoiced.'  The  events  which  took  place  at  Bethlehem,  when  the 
Saviour  was  born,  were  undoubtedly  well  known  in  heaven. 
Was  there  one  there  more  likely  to  be  deeply  interested  in  them 
than  Abraham  ?  And  can  we  sup})0se  that  the  anthem,  heard 
by  the  shepherds,  was  not  sung  in  yet  fuller  chorus  in  the  upper 
sanctuary,  or  that  any  one  of  the  lieavenly  harpers  struck  the 
chords  with  a  more  willing  hand  than  the  patriarcli,  or  with  a 
louder,  sweeter,  voice  cried,  "Alleluia!  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  on  earth  peace,  good- will  toward  men!"  May  we  not 
suppose  Abraham  saying,  in  transport,  "  My  seed  is  now  come, 
and  in  him  aU  the  nations  of  the  earth  sliall  be  Uessed," — Jacob, 

35  Gen.  XV.  13.  ^^  Heb.  xi.  13-16. 

*"  The  view  taken  of  this  passage  is  substantially  that  of  .Mahlonatus,  Lamp6, 
Kuinoel,  Lucke,  and  Tholuck.  ^'  Isa.  xxix.  22. 


PART  IV.]       PRE-EXISTENCE  AND  DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST,  483 

"  Sliiloh  is  come,  and  tcf  him  the  gathering  of  the  people  shall 
be," — David,  "This  is  the  day  Avhich  the  Lord  hath  made ;  we 
will  rejoice  and  be  glr^  in  it," — Isaiah,  "  The  virgin  has  con- 
ceived and  bronght  forth  a  son :  to  ns  a  child  is  born,  to  us  a 
son  is  given," — Habakknk,  "  He  that  shonld  come,  has  come," — 
Zechariah,  "Behold  the  man  whose  name  is  The  Branch ;  and 
he  shall  gTOW  np  out  of  this  place," — Micah,  "  Out  of  Bethlehem 
comes  forth  He  who  shall  be  ruler  in  Israel ;  v/hose  goings  forth 
have  been  of  old  from  everlasting," — Malachi,  "  Tlie  Sun  of 
righteousness  has  arisen  with  healing  in  his  wings," — and  all 
with  one  voice  joyfully  exclaiming,  "  Blessed  be  he  who  cometh 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  "  ?  How  far  Abraham,  or  any  of  the 
departed  believers,  were  enlightened  as  to  the  course  and  termi- 
ation  of  that  wonderful  work  which  "the  promised  seed"  had 
commenced  on  earth,  we  cannot  tell ;  but  they  knew  that  its  ob- 
ject was  most  benignant,  and  that  its  ultimate  complete  success 
was  absolutely  certain.  With  the  angels,  they  were  stooping 
down"  to  contemplate  the  unfolding  scene  of  wonder ;  and  as  they 
contemplated,  while  they  must  often  have  been  amazed  at  "  the 
depth  of  the  riches  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God,"  and 
even  confounded  at  the  strangeness  of  many  of  his  dispensations, 
3^et  with  perfect  confidence  in  his  faithfulness,  they  waited  the  re- 
sult, and  rejoiced  in  the  assurance  of  faith  and  hope,  and  all  the 
glorious  things  which  had  been  spoken  of  Messiah  and  his  reign, 
were  in  sure  progress  towards  complete  realization. 

Such  seems  to  me,  upon  the  whole,  the  most  probable  inter- 
pretation of  this  somewhat  obscure  passage.  '  Abraham  your 
father,  while  on  earth,  received  divine  communications  respect- 
ing my  appearance  among  men,  and  its  glorious  results;  he 
firmly  beheved  them ;  in  the  expectation  of  their  realization,  he 
rejoiced  on  earth,  he  rejoices  in  paradise.  He  has  now  seen  their 
commenced  fulfilment — he  has  seen  my  day,  and  he  has  rejoiced 
— he  is  rejoicing.' 

It  may  be  doubted  liow  far  the  Jews  understood  our  Lord's 
words.  Whether  they  misapprehended  them  or  not,  it  is  plain 
they  misrepresented  them.  They  took  for  granted,  that  our 
Lord  had  asserted  that  he  and  Abraham  had  been  personally 
acquainted ;  and  then,  referring  to  his  apparent  age,  asked  con- 
temptuously if  he  had  seen  Abraham,  who  had  been  so  many 
hundred  years  in  his  grave.  "  Then  said  the  Jews  unto  him, 
Thou  art  not  yet  fifty  years  old,  and  hast  thou  seen  Abraham  ?"" 

You  see,  in  this  question,  the  same  stupid  and  carnal  arro- 
gance, already  so  often  manifested  in  the  course  of  this  conversa- 
tion, which  altogether  indisposed  the  Jews  to  enter  with  serious- 
ness on  the  examination  of  what  our  Lord  said  to  them.  They 
could  not  help  seeing  that  he  was  speaking  of  something  more 
profound  than  the  words  in  their  most  obvious  meaning  seemed 
to  indicate ;  but  they  would  not  give  themselves  the  trouble  of 
searching  more  deeply ;  and  therefore,  with  sarcastic  haughtiness, 

i2  iwidvuovaL  TTapaKvrjtau—l  Pet.  i.  12.  "  John  viii.  51 


484  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XI. 

seek  in  this  a  new  proof  of  mental  derangement.  Wresting 
the  words  of  our  Lord,  as  if  he  had  spoken  of  an  earthly  inter- 
communion with  Abraham,  they  exclaim,  '  Who  but  a  madman 
would  talk,  as  if  he  and  Abraham,  who  has  been  more  than 
eighteen  centuries  in  his  grave,  were  contemporaries  and  intimate 
friends  ?' 

It  may  be  asked,  How  came  the  Jews  to  speak  of  our  Lord  as 
a  man  of  fifty,  when  in  reality  he  was  little  more  than  thirty  ? 
Josephus  tells,  that  fifty  years  was  by  the  Jews  considered  as  the 
full  age  of  man ;  on  which  account,  the  Levites  never  performed 
their  official  duty  in  the  temple  after  the  fiftieth  year.  It  is  as  if 
they  had  said,  '  You  are  not  an  old  man ;  you  have  not  completed 
half  a  century.  How  could  you  and  Abraham  be  intimates? 
He  has  been  in  his  grave  for  many  a  century.'  It  is,  however, 
not  improbable  that  our  Lord's  bodily  and  mental  labors  and 
fatigues  had  given  him  prematurely  the  appearance  of  age. 
Though  a  man  of  thirty,  he  mighflook  like  a  man  of  fifty.  So 
far  as  inward  trouble  expresses  itself  in  the  lineaments  of  the 
countenance,  and  external  appearance,  it  is  likely  that  "  the 
visage  of  the  man  of  sorrows  was"  literally  "  more  marred  than 
that  of  any  man,  and  his  form  than  that  of  the  sons  of  men ;" 
that  "heavy  hours,"  even  more  than  "time's  deforming  hand, 
had  written  strange  defeatures  in  his  face." 

Our  Lord  had  not  said,  that  he  '  had  seen  Abraham.'  This 
was  a  perverse  construction,  by  which  the  Jews  endeavored  to 
turn  him  and  his  discourse  into  ridicule.  He  might  have  said, 
'  You  triumph  before  you  have  gained  the  victory.  You  correct 
where  no  mistake  has  been  committed.  I  did  not  say,  I  had 
seen  Abraham.  I  have  said  nothing  but  what  might  have  been 
true,  though  I  had  not  been  twenty,  not  to  say  fifty  years  old.' 
But  lie  admits  that  their  inference,  though  not  fairly  drawn  from 
his  words,  yet  contained  in  it  an  important  truth.  It  was  quite 
true  he  had  seen  Abraham  ;  and  though,  as .  a  man,  he  was  not 
yet  fifty  years  old,  in  another  respect,  a  far  higher  antiquity  be- 
longed to  him  than  to  Abraham. 

"  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Before 
Abraham  was,  I  am.""  In  these  words  he  claims  to  have  existed 
before  the  age  of  Abraham.  The  words  of  the  Jews  narrowed 
the  argument  as  to  being  greater  than  Abraham,  to  the  point  of 
co-existence.  '  Art  thou  as  old  as  Abraham  ?'  As  we  have  seen, 
he  might  have  replied,  '  I  did  not  say  so.'  But  he  prefers  saying 
— what,  from  their  considering  it  as  involving  blasphemy,  was 
plainly  viewed  by  tliem  as  a  decided  alfiruiative  answer  to  their 
question — '  I  am  older  than  Abraham.  I  existed  before  Abra- 
ham existed.'  Though,  beyond  all  doubt,  this  is  the  general 
meaning,  yet  there  is  a  peculiarity,  and  therefore  a  difficulty,  in 
the  mode  of  expression.  "  Before  Abraham  was,  /  aw,"  not,  '  / 
woLs.''  It  has  been  supposed  by  some  interpreters,  that  "  I  am," 
is  used  in  the  same  way  as  at  verses  24,  28  ;  chap.  xiii.  19 ;  Mark 

*^  John  viii.  58. 


PART  IV.]       PRE-EXISTENCE  AND  DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST,  485 

xiii.  6 ;  Matth.  xxiv.  5.  In  this  case,  the  meaning  would  be, 
'Before  Abraham  was,  I  am  the  Messiah.'  This,  however,  in- 
volves a  solecism — a  present  event  cannot  be  prior  to  one  past. 
The  passage  admits  of  two  modes  of  interpretation.  The  princi- 
ple of  the  first  of  these  modes  of  interpretation  is,  that  the  present 
time  is  not  nnfrequently  used  for  the  past,  especially  when  the 
thing  which  is  said  to  have  been  at  a  past  time,  still  continues  to 
exist;  and  that,  "I  am,"  is  here  equivalent  to  'I  was.'"  The 
words,  in  this  case,  signify,  '  Before  Abraham  was  brought  into 
existence,  I  existed.'  The  objection  to  this  mode  of  interpreta- 
tion is,  that  there  does  not  seem  any  adequaate  reason  for  thus 
adopting  a  not  unprecedented,  indeed,  but  certainly  an  uncom- 
mon, mode  of  expression ;  and  the  declaration,  included  in  the 
words  thus  understood,  thougli  so  strange  as  naturally  enough  to 
induce  suspicions  as  to  the  sanity  of  him  who  uttered  them,  was 
not  of  a  kind  to  lay  him  open  to  a  charge  of  blasphemy,  which, 
by  their  seeking  to  stone  him,  the  Jews  showed  that  they  thought 
he  had  incurred.  The  second  mode  of  interpretation  seems  to 
us  the  just  one.  "I  am,"  is  to  be  understood  as  a  proper  name. 
*'  I  Air,  was  before  Abraham."  "When  our  Lord  spoke  of  him- 
self, he  often  used  the  third  person,  and  for  obvious  reasons. 
For  example:  "God  gave  his  only  begotten  Son."  "The  Son 
of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  "  Ex- 
cept ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye 
have  no  life  in  you."  "  Hereafter  shall  the  Son  of  man  sit  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  power  of  God.""  In  all  these  expressions, 
there  is  an  implied  claim  on  the  part  of  our  Lord  to  the  character 
designated  by  the  appellation  used.  "I  am,"  was  a  name  of  the 
Supreme  Being,  well  known  to  the  Jews.  It  was  the  name  by 
which  God  made  himself  known  to  Moses  at  the  bush, — "the 
God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob."" 
The  very  words  employed  by  the  evangelist,  are  the  translation 
ordinarily  given  in  the  Septuagint,^^  of  an  expression  often  used 
to  denote  the  Eternal  independent  existence."  "  I  am — the 
eternal,  independent  One, — was  before  Abraham.'""  'Abraham's 
God  existed  along  with  him,  and  before  him,  and  this  appella- 
tion belongs  to  me.'  No  doubt  the  Jews  understood  it  so  ;  and 
they  were  correct  in  their  conclusion,  that  it  was  eternal  exist- 
ence, not  mere  pre-existence,  that  he  claimed ;  and,  consequently, 
they  proceeded  to  deal  with  him  as  a  blasphemer. 

«  Luke  XV.  31.     John  i.  18.     Psal.  ex.  1 

'5  Luke  xix.  10.     John  vi.  53.     Luke  xxii.  69. 

^7  "And  Moses  said  unto  God,  Behold,  when  I  come  unto  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  shall  say  unto  them.  The  God  of  your  fathers  hatli  sent  me  unto  you ;  and 
they  shall  say  to  me,  What  is  his  name?  what  shall  I  say  unto  them  ?  And  God 
said  unto  Moses,  I  AM  THAT  I  AM  :  and  he  said.  Thus  shalt  thou  say  unto  the 
children  of  Israel,  I  AM  hath  sent  me  unto  you." — Exod.  iii.  13,  14. 

«  Kin  ^:x.      lyij  eijii 

isDeut.  xxxii.  39.     Isa.  xli.  4;  xliii.  10,  13;  xlvi.  4;  xlviii.  12. 

5"  In  this  case,  t/w  eZ/u  is  used  as  an  indeclinable  noun,  and  the  full  construction 
is,  Myu  -ir&Lv  'Ai^iuiufi  yt-nrjOai,  ETil  FAMl  jevcaOai.  The  word  signifies  not  only 
"to  begin  to  be,"  but  simply  "to  be." 


486  MISCELLANEOUS.  [EXP.  XL 

This  is  oue  of  the  passages  wTiicli  liave  greatly  perplexed  those 
theologians  who  consider  Jesus  Christ  as  merely  a  man  of  our  own 
order,  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary ;  and  the  shifts  they  have  had 
recourse  to  in  order  to  explain  awa^f  the  obvious  meaning  of  the 
words,  strikingly  show  how  deeply  they  feel  that  this  passage,  un- 
derstood in  any  sense  which  can  be  called  natural,  is  fatal  to  their 
whole  system.  They  complain,  that  the  words  are  not  explicit. 
What  would  they  have?  Had  the  question  been,  Whether  the 
son  of  Mary  or  the  son  of  Gerraanicus,  was  the  elder  person ;  and 
had  it  been  said  in  reply,  'I  assuredly  declare  unto  you,  Jesus 
was  before  Caligula,'  would  not  the  answer  have  been  plain 
enough?  Or  is  there  any  want  of  explicitness  in  the  declaration 
of  Moses — "  Before  the  mountains  were  brought  into  existence, 
thou  art"?" 

These  expositors  have  chiefly  two  ways  of  endeavoring  to  avoid 
the  conclusion  to  which  the  natural  interpretation  of  the  words  so 
directly  leads.  They  suppose  the  words  equivalent  to,  '  Before 
Abraham  existed,  I  am,'  that  is,  '  I  was,  the  Messiah  in  the  Divine 
purpose.'  This  is  no  doubt  the  truth ;  but  it  is  truth  put  into,  not 
drawn  out  of,  these  words.  Had  our  Lord  meant  to  say  this,  he 
could  have  easily  found  words  clearly  to  express  it.  '  Before 
Abraham  existed,  I  was  fore-ordained ;  my  day  was  appointed, 
my  kingdom  was  prepared,  in  the  determinate  counsel  and  fore- 
knowledge of  God,  and  God  showed  it  by  his  Spirit  to  Abraham.' 
Besides,  this  is  no  answer  to  the  Jews'  question,  "  Art  thou  older 
than  Abraham?"  and  it  affords  no  ground  for  their  considering 
our  Lord  as  a  blasphemer,  and  therefore  worthy  of  being  put  to 
death  by  stoning.  Indeed  it  seems  to  make  our  Lord's  reply  a 
puerile  absurdity'.  '  Before  Abraham  existed  in  the  purpose  of 
God,  I  was  the  Messiah  in  the  same  purpose  and  decree.' 

Another  plan  of  explaining  away  the  obvious  meaning  of  the 
words,  not  destitute  of  ingenuity,  but  utterly  unsatisfactory,  is  to 
consider  them  as  equivalent  to — '  Before  Abram  became  Abra- 
ham,— that  is,  a  father  of  many  nations, — ^I  am  the  Messiah  whom 
he  desired  to  see,  and  in  whom  all  nations  are  to  be  blessed.'  It 
is  quite  plain  that  "  such  a  meaning  could  never  have  been  pene- 
trated by  those  to  whom  the  words  were  addressed ;  that  it  was 
quite  foreign  to  the  ])ur])0se  of  the  immediate  conversation  be- 
tween them  and  our  Lord ;  and  that  it  represents  our  Lord  as  con- 
descending to  a  childish  punning,  altogether  incongruous  to,  and 
unworthy  of,  his  serious  and  elevated  character.'"'''  It  creates  a 
harsh  'ellipsis,  and  arbitrarily  supplies  it ;  and,  as  Ls  admitted  by 
one  of  the  most  zealous  philanthropists,^^  "it  is  a  trifling  proposi- 
tion, unworthy  of  the  solemnity  with  which  it  is  introduced,  that 
Christ  existed  as  the  Messiali  before  an  event  which  it  was  known 
was  not  to  happen  till  many  years  or  ages  afterwards." 

This  is  one  of  the  immerous  passages  in  which  our  Saviour 
proclaims  himself  more  than  a  mere  man, — one  in  whom  dwells 
a  superior,  a  celestial,  the  divine,  nature ;  and  the  Jews  well  un- 

'•'  Pyo  Smilii.  '■  V\\-  Siiiilli.  53  Belsham. 


PART  IV.]       PRE-EXISTENCE  AND  DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST.  487 

derstood  what  our  Lord  meant.  Tliej  did  not  misappreliend  the 
reference  of  the  emphatic  I  am.  They  regarded  our  Lord's  words 
as  blasphemy — a  making  himself  equal  with  God, — and  they 
wished  to  stone  him.  They  considered  the  guilt  of  blasphemj^  as 
so  indubitable,  that  they  were  desirous  of  immediately  putting 
him  to  death  in  an  extra-judicial  manner. 

"  Then  took  they  up  stones  to  cast  at  him :  but  Jesus  hid  him- 
self, and  went  out  of  the  temple,  going  through  the  midst  of  them, 
and  so  passed  by.""  This  discourse  took  place  in  one  of  the 
courts  of  the  temple.  The  great  repairs,  commenced  under  Herod 
the  Great,  were  still  going  forward,  so  that  loose  stones  in  abun- 
dance lay  at  hand.  There  was  no  want  of  will,  no  want  of  power, 
no  want  of  opportunity,  for  putting  our  Lord  to  the  death  of  a 
blasphemer — for  treating  him  as  his  martyr  Stephen  was  after- 
wards treated.  But  his  hour  was  not  yet  come.  The  same  divine 
power  which  protected  Moses  and  Aaron  when  the  congregation 
bade  stone  them  with  stones,^*  protected  Him  of  whom  they  both 
were  emblems — the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession. 
How  the  protection  was  afforded,  whether  miraculously  or  not,  is 
a  question  which  the  words  of  the  inspired  historian  do  not  en- 
able us  to  determine  with  absolute  certainty.  When  we  consid- 
er the  circumstances  of  the  case,  it  seems  not  improbable  that 
there  was  something  supernatural  in  it ;  for  how  could  he,  in  such 
circumstances,  even  supposing  a  number  of  the  crowd  to  have 
been  his  friends,  in  such  a  place  as  the  court  of  the  temple,  hide 
himself  from  those  whom  he  had  just  been  addressing,  who  seem 
to  have  been  around  him  on  all  sides,  and  who  obviously  were 
strongly  bent  on  his  destruction?  The  divine  power,  which 
made  the  armed  bands  fall  backward  at  his  Avord,  could  easily' — ■ 
for  to  it  nothing  is  impossible — in  a  variety  of  ways,  which  we 
may  be  unable  to  explain,  have  provided  for  his  safety.  There 
may  have  been  a  miraculous  concealment — ^the  eyes  of  his  ene- 
mies might  be  holden,  so  as  not  to  see  him.^' 

At  the  same  time,  it  is  quite  possible  that  our  Lord's  escape, 
thougli  providential,  might  not  be  mii-aculous.  If  the  multitude 
was  very  large  and  closely  pressed  together,  he  might,  while  his 
enemies  were  stooping  for  the  instruments  of  his  murder,  have 
plunged  into  the  depth  of  the  dense  crowd,  and,  gradually  glid- 
ing through  among  them,  found  his  way  out  of  the  temple.  It  de- 
serves to  be  noticed,  that  the  concluding  clause,  "  going  through 
the  midst  of  them,  and  so  passed  by,"  is,  by  the  most  learned  edi- 
tors of  the  New  Testament,  considered  as  an  interpolation. 

Let  us,  my  brethren,  follow  Jesus  as  "  the  light  of  the  world." 
It  is  only  by  acting  thus — by  believing,  obeying,  and  imitating 
him,  that  we,  who  are  by  nature  "  darkness,"  sunk  in  ignorance, 
error,  guilt,  depravity,  and  misery,  can  obLain  that  knowledge  of 
truth — that  favor  and  fellowship  of  God — that  real  holiness  and 
happiness,  of  which  light  is  the  emblem.  By  thus  acting,  we 
shall  here,  in  our  little  spheres,  become  lights  of  the  world,  and 

5^  John  viii.  59.  si  JSumb.  xiv.  10.  's  Jer.  xxxvi.  26. 


488  NOTES.  [EXP.  XI. 

hereafter  enjoy  "the  light  of  life,  in  all  the  extent  of  meaning 
belonging  to  the  phrase,  being  so  thoroughly  penetrated  by  the 
enlightening  beams  of  the  Sun  of  Eighteousness,  as  to  be  indeed 
"  light  in  the  Lord." 

Let  us  all  seek  that,  from  being  children  of  the  wicked  one,  we 
may  be  made  sons  of  God,  by  being  united  to  him,  "  the  first-born 
of  'man}^  brethren ;"  and  let  us  show  that  the  Son  has  made  us 
free,  by  "  walking  at  liberty,  keeping  the  Divine  commandments," 
and  serving  our  Grod,  who  is  our  Father,  without  fear,  in  right- 
eousness and  holiness,  all  the  daj^s  of  our  lives. 

Let  us  willingly  acknowledge  that  Jesus  is  greater  than  Abra- 
ham— greater  than  all  the  prophets.  Let  us  believe  all  his  declar- 
ations, however  apparently  paradoxical — depend  on  all  his  prom- 
ises, however  apparently  extravagant  and  unlikely  to  be  accom- 
plished. Let  us  rejoice  that  we  have  seen  what  Abraham  in  the 
flesh  never  saw ;  that  we  have  heard  what  he  never  heard ;  and 
let  us  rejoice  on  earth — as  he  does  in  heaven — ^in  his  illustrious 
seed,  in  whom  all  nations  are  blessed. 

Let  us  remember,  that  though  Jesus  is  flesh  of  our  flesh,  he  is 
"  God  manifested  in  flesh ;"  that  though  our  brother,  he  is  also  our 
Lord;  and  let  us  worship  him  as  the  "  I  am,"  "who  was,  and  is, 
and  is  to  come  ;"  and  instead  of  being  offended  at  the  clear  and 
broad  ascriptions  of  divinity  to  "  the  man  Christ  Jesus,"  in  the 
Scriptures  of  truth,  let  us  learn  to  honor  the  Son  even  as  we 
honor  the  Father — thus  glorifying  the  Father  in  the  Son,  and 
habituating  ourselves  to  that  mode  of  viewing  him,  which  will 
prepare  us  for  taking  a  part  in  the  song  which,  like  the  sound  of 
many  waters,  everlastingly  echoes  in  heaven:  "Blessing,  and 
honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever." 


Note  A,  p.  445. 

The  following  remarks  of  the  learned  and  truly  venerable  Archdeacon 
TowNSON,  on  the  peculiarity  of  our  Lord's  teaching,  adverted  to  here, 
and  in  some  other  parts  of  these  volumes,  are  equally  remarkable  foi 
their  justness  and  their  heauty  : — 

"One  thing  remarkable  in  the  manner  of  our  Lord's  teaching  is,  fre- 
quent allusion  to  things  which  were  before  the  eyes  of  his  audience,  to 
occurrences  of  the  time,  to  the  season  oi'the  year,  to  the  offices  of  com- 
mon life,  or  the  usual  employment  of  those  to  whom  he  spake.  As  sen- 
.sible  anci  present  objects  most  jiowerfully  aflect  us,  he  who  knew  what 
was  in  man,  condescended  to  instruct  us  from  those  things  that  are  most 
easily  conceived  by  us,  and  most  naturally  command  our  attention. 
High  and  heavenly  truths  were  presented  to  his  hearers  in  a  familiar 
dress;  as  angels  of  old  came  to  Al)raliam  and  the  i)atriai-chs  with  the 
shape  and  countenance  of  men.     Truths  thus  (pialificd  struck  the   im- 


EXP.  XI.J  NOTES.  489 

agination  without  alarming  it ;  and  would  recur  to  the  memory,  on 
sights  of  the  objects  with  which  they  were  associated  in  his  doctrine. 
The  birds  which  were  flying  in  the  air  around  him,  the  lilies  which  were 
flowering  on  the  plain  where  he  stood,  were  turned  into  lessons  on  the 
providence  and  fatherly  care  of  the  Almighty.'  The  sowers,  who  were 
sowing  their  grain  in  different  soils  and  situations,  near  the  borders  of 
the  lake  where  he  preached  from  a  ship,  served  to  illustrate  the  various 
successes  of  the  Word  of  God,  according  to  the  temper  and  disposition 
of  the  heart  that  received  it.^  The  sight  of  a  vine  spreading  forth  its 
branches,  gave  occasion,  as  seems  probable,  to  a  discourse  of  the  vital 
union  between  himself  and  the  tiiithful.^  When  he  called  fishermen  to 
forsake  their  nets  and  follow  him,  he  promised  to  make  them  fishers  of 
men. 4  He  likened  the  perverseness  of  the  Jews,  who  found  equal  fault 
with  the  retired  austerity  of  the  Baptist,  and  his  own  freer  converse 
with  mankind,  to  the  froward  and  sullen  humor  of  those  children  whom 
no  endeavors  of  their  companions  could  please  or  invite  to  join  with 
them.^  He  resembled  the  solicitude  of  heaven  for  the  conversion  of 
sinners,  and  the  joy  of  angels  on  their  repentance,  to  a  woman  lighting 
a  candle,  and  sweeping  her  house,  in  search  after  her  lost  piece  of  silver, 
and  when  she  had  found  it,  calling  her  neighbors  about  her  to  rejoice 
with  her.^  If  some  of  these  images  are  borrowed  from  things  low  and 
trivial  in  themselves,  yet  he  stoops,  without  meanness,  in  using  them. 
Like  the  ground  of  which  he  formed  us,  and  the  dust  from  which  he  shall 
raise  us,  they  acquire  life  and  beauty  in  his  hands.  Others  of  his  allusions 
are  of  a  higher  strain  :  As  when,  from  the  sun  just  risen,  and  shining 
with  splendor  on  the  gilded  turrets  and  ornaments  of  the  temple,  when 
he  was  discoursing,  he  referred  to  the  prophecies  which  speak  of  him  as 
the  light,  the  east,  or  sun-rising,7  and  said,  '  I  am  the  light  of  the  world.' 
Such  passages  may  strike  us  as  sublime  ;  but  we  still  find  that  it  is  the 
thing  itself,  not  any  parade  or  pomp  of  words,  that  strikes  us.  A  dif- 
ference of  nature  between  our  Immanuel  and  the  ancient  prophets  pro- 
duced a  corresponding  ditTerence  in  discoursing  of  the  same  subjects. 
They,  when  heavenly  objects  were  presented  to  their  minds,  were  struck 
with  awe,  and,  as  it  were,  bowed  themselves  down  before  the  majesty 
of  the  idea ;  and  then,  in  presenting  it  to  others,  endeavored  to  clothe 
it  in  a  gorgeous  robe,  and  to  deck  it  out  with  all  the  riches  and  splen- 
dor of  language.  But  it  is  not  so  that  Christ  speaks  of  these  high  ar- 
guments. For,  as  the  brightness  of  countenance  and  raiment  which 
dazzled  and  overcame  the  sight  of  his  apostles  when  he  was  transfigured 
on  the  mount  was  to  him  but  a  ray  of  that  glory  in  which  he  dwelt  be- 
fore the  M'orlds  were  made,  so  the  perceptions  that  astonished  the  im- 
aginations of  man,  were,  to  his  mind,  common  and  familiar  oljjects,  and 
he  spake  of  them  accordingly,  with  a  certain  unconcern  and  simplicity 
of  phrase."—  Works,  i.  pp.  280-282. 

Another  peculiarity  in  our  Lord's  manner  of  discourse,  exemplified  in 
the  subject  of  this  and  most  of  the  other  expositions,  is  finely  sketched 
by  Alexander  Knox  : — "  Our  Lord's  most  solemn  discourses  were  sel- 
dom other  than  unfettered  conversations  ;  all  questions  which  were  per- 
tinent, or  remarks  which  were  candid,  being  uniformly  well  taken,  and 
evidently  invited.     He,  doubtless,  chose  this  method  of  doing  good  on 

1  Matt.  vi.  26,  30.  2  Matt.  xiii.  3  John  xv.  1-6. 

i  Matt.  iv.  19.  5  Matt.  xi.  16,  17.  «_Luke  xv.  8,  10. 

7  John  viii.  12.     Isa.  ix.  2;  xli.  2.     Zech.  iii.  8  ;  comp.  Luke  i.  78.     Mai.  iv.  2. 


l90  NOTES,  [EXP.  XI. 

the  self-same  grounds  that  must  always  recommend  it  when  the  sphere 
of  action  is  like  his — society  at  large.  '  He  knew  what  was  in  man,'  and 
he  used  his  wisdom  accordingly." — Remains,  Vol.  i.  p.  144. 


Note  B,  p.  453. 

"  We  may  then  have  a  jjarticular  election  between  the  three  following 
suppositions.  1.  Tt)!- o!o;k>]J' may  mean  '  for  the  beginning.'  As  Luther, 
Grotius,  and  Paulus,  so  also  Erasmus :  '  Primum  sum  quod  etiam  dico 
vobis,  non  explico  quidquid  sum  indignis ;  hoc  primum  dico,  me  missum 
esse  a  patre  prreconem  vitpe,  id  quod  jamduclum  dico  vobis.'  Luther: 
'  If  ye  will  follow  my  preaching,  ye  shall  experience  who  I  am.'  On  this 
interpretation,  the  only  design  of  Christ  would  have  l)een,  in  the  first 
place,  to  lead  the  Jews  to  a  lower  view  of  himself,  in  order  that  he  might 
reveal  to  them  a  higher  one  after  they  had  attained  this  stand-point.  But 
this  is  opposed  to  the  design  of  Jesus,  inasmuch  as,  he  wishes  to  show 
that  he  was  perfectly  correct  in  attributing  to  himself  the  dignity  of  the 
Messiah.  And  besides,  what  could  that  higher  view  be  ?  In  Avhat  had 
been  said  before,  he  asserted  his  high  dignity.  2.  T))^  'iQx^v  may  have 
the  foi'ce  of  oAo),-,  omnino.  So  frequently  among  the  Greeks.  See  Eisner 
and  Losner,  Obss.  ad  h.  1.,  Viger,  p.  80,  723.  Elsewhere  even  in  the 
sense  of  jf;  '<^^ji,  Ilcmsterh.  ad  Luc.  Tim.  §  26.  Thus  it  appears  to  have 
been  construed  already  by  Chrysostom  and  Euthymius,  then  in  more 
recent  times  by  Erasmus,  who  pieferred  this  explanation  to  the  first,  and 
after  him  by  Melancthon,  Wolf,  Clericus,  Kuinocl,  and  Lticke.  '  In  gen- 
eral I  am  the  person  that  I  profess  to  be.'  But,  in  the  first  place,  it  is 
hard  to  tell  what  'generally' here  means;  commentators  have  exchanged 
it  for  'truly.'  Liicke  supposes  that  it  is  equivalent  to  ('ttiriv  li^/rj*';  but 
this  force  does  not  lie  in  the  Greek  idiom,  which  would  lead  us  to  con- 
strue thus,  '■asfi'om  the  beginning^  i.  e.,  in  general.  Farther,  this  signi- 
ficaticm  is  to  be  found  in  profane  writers  alone ;  it  is  not  in  the  New 
Testament  nor  in  the  LXX.  Hence  we  come  to  the  third  explanation, 
which  makes  tr)r  u(txi)''  synonymous  with  'ii'  I'iQX^i^  ''■^  "4'/^?  xv.  27; 
xvi.  4.  It  is  true  indeed  that  the  accusative  absolute  is  found  in  the 
LXX.  only  in  the  sense  of  iu  the  beginning.  Gen.  xliii.  18  ;  Dan.  viii.  1 ; 
but  examples  may  l)e  pointed  out  in  profane  writers  where  it  signifies 
directly  '  as  from  the  beginning,' — So]ih(7cles,  Antigone,  v.  72,  TIerodot. 
1.  9,  see  Wahl.  s.  h.  v.  Nay,  this  signification  is,  throughout,  the  basis 
of  the  derived  meaning  '  in  general,'  so  that  in  Sophocles,  Buddasus 
translates  uoxY  hy  'omnino,'  and  others  by  'imprimis.'  See  Hermann 
on  the  passage.  After  J'V'  'io^vs  then,  we  may  either  supply  the  verb 
().u).\](ut,  'I  have  told  you  from  the  beginning  what  1  now  also  say;'  or, 
since  this  is  harsh,  we  may  supply  elftl  from  the  connection,  uno  too  xoivov. 
Tlie  xid  is  intensive,  li  xu^i  ""'  ^-tyf"';  it  intimates  that  tlie  testimony  of 
the  true  being  of  CIn-ist  is  not  different,  like  the  Heb.  ca .  Aith'n,  J  speak, 
is  used  instead  of  the.  j^neter,  because  the  present  is  involved  ;  and  it  also 
marks  a  continuance  of  the  action.  We  must  therefore  translate,  '  I  am 
the  same  that  I  have  told  you  I  was  from  the  begiiuiing'  (as  in  the  begin- 
ning) ;  X.  25  is  similar.  Thus  Nonnus,  Calvin,  Beza,  Maldonatus,  and 
others  ;  as  also  the  Persian  version.  In  Hebrew  the  sentence  would  read 
■^ax  K!in  -'S'l^n  sVax  rscx-)^ .  Christ  then  answered  the  question  of  the 
high-minded  Pharisees,  yet  in  such  a  mainiei-  that  it  contained  at  the  same 


EXP.  XI.]  NOTES.  491 

time  a  most  serious  reproof,  as  well  as  a  declaration  that  the  question  was 
one  which  they  had  no  occasion  whatever  to  propose." — Tiioluck. 

Note  C,  p.  468. 

"  '  He  to  whom  you  bear  a  spiritual  kindredness  is  the  source  of  all 
evil ;  into  his  disj:)Osition  you  willingly  enter.'  1  John  iii.  10.  Animonius : 
iv  auvjoiKo  o  voT'i  t.  loyov  lovio  ai]ftaLfev  el  xnl  uanq^eg  ton,  n()enu)di(j- 

r  s  Qo  V  6  dtuSoXog  diojuuiotio  vuCiy  ^irai'if).     Gtltif  is  emphatic,  as  in  vii.  17. 

Origen  :  (xvrtxQXFg  j'u^>  fig  io  eli'txi  lov  Sm^oXov  vltiv  to  x(5»'  0  iX  f.  ip  uvtov 
noitlv  tug  iTTidfilug.  'For  the  u'ill  to  do  what  he  desires  is  sufficient  to 
constitute  one  a  son  of  the  devil.' — It  inay  here  be  asked  in  what  sense 
the  devil  is  denominated  a  murderer,  uvdtjM.ioxroyog.  On  this  there  are 
two  leading  views.  The  first  supposes  that  in  calling  him  such,  Christ 
had  in  mind  the  temptation  of  the  first  man  ;  on  which  supposition  death, 
ddcvmog,  would  have  the  general  meaning  of  'spiritual  and  bodily  evil.' 
So  Origen,  Chrysostom,  Augustine,  Luther,  Calvin,  and  most  others. 
The  second  supposes  that  it  contains  a  simple  allusion  to  the  murder  of 
Cain.  So  Cyril,  Doderlein,  Nitzsch,  and  Lucke.  The  latter  view  is  based 
upon  the  supposition  that  the  context  renders  it  necessary  ;  because  Christ 
was  led  to  the  idea  of  a  relationship  between  the  Jews  and  Satan  from 
the  single  circumstanceof  their  seeking  to  kill  him,  the  holy  Teacher  sent 
from  God.  This,  indeed,  is  the  only  positive  gi'ound  hi  its  favor ;  yet 
even  this  is  weakened  by  the  fact  that,  in  the  context  immediately  ante- 
cedent, Christ  does  not  speak  of  the  blood-thirstiness  of  the  Jews,  but  of 
their  sinful  and  sluggish  stupidity  in  the  apprehension  of  divine  things. 
It  may,  however,  be  urged  in  addition,  that  in  1  John  iii.  12,  the  murder 
of  Cain  is  said  to  have  sprung  from  the  devil :  yet,  as  we  shall  immedi- 
ately see,  the  connection  there  is  of  such  a  character  as  to  furnish  no  ab- 
solute proof  in  behalf  of  this  view.  And  besides,  in  the  same  place,  v.  15, 
hatred  in  general  is  called  anthropoktony,  man-murder.  And  moreover, 
in  confirmation  of  the  view  of  tiiis  passage  first  named,  appeal  may  be 
made  to  Wisd.  ii.  24,  where  the  death,  daraTog,  of  the^rs^  man  is  re- 
ferred back  to  the  devil.  Especial  considerations  in  behalf  of  this  inter- 
pretation, are  the  following: — 1.  An  allusion  to  the  first  temptation  of 
man  by  the  apostate  spirit  is  more  natural  than  an  allusion  to  Cain,  since 
that  act  of  the  devil  was  the  great  and  chief  one,  of  which  all  others  are 
merely  the  consequences.     2.  The  passage  in  1  John  iii.  8,  is  altogether 

parallel  :    6    noiihv    ir^f   (htnoilav    in    lov    diufiokou    iailv    (in    dn'   uiJX^g    o 

du'x^olog  ujuotQiuPst.  'He  that  committelh  sin  is  of  the  devil,  for  the 
devil  sinaeth  from  the  beginning,'  3.  Christ  afterwards,  in  a  general 
way,  calls  lying,  ipEvSog,  the  crime  of  the  devil;  but  Satan's  ])ropensity 
for  lying  appeared  directly  in  the  fall  of  man.  4.  In  immediate  refer- 
ence to  man's  fall,  the  devil  is  called  thai  old  serpent,  6  oq>ig  o  doxinog. 
Rev.  xli.  9.  Finally,  it  might  not  be  Inappropriate  here  to  quote  a  strictly 
parallel  passage  from  the  Sohar  ILidash,  f  27,  3,  where  the  wicked,  the 
ungodly,  arc  called  r.-'S'o  ■(•''^rxT  y^'^-^-'^zb'n  c^ixb  b-iDj^i  "'r's'i^'n  "wn::i  ■'iia, 
'the  children  of  the  old  scrpcent  who  killed  Adam  and  all  his  })osterity.' 
It  seems  best  to  combine  both  modes  of  exposition,  as  was  already  done 
by  Euthymius,  and  to  explain  the  passage  after  the  analogy  of  1  John 
iii.  8,  sq.  The  apostle  there  siiys  first, — '  Every  siimer  who  hates  the 
divine  light,  is  spiritually  related  to  the  fallen  spirit,  because,  from  the 
first  commencement  of  the  history  of  man,  he  has  shown  himself  to  be 


492  NOTES.  [EXP.  XI. 

an  enemy  of  the  light, — ^.  e.,  of  holiness.  A  particular  mark  of  servi- 
tude to  sin,  is  the  want  of  a  loving  heart  towards  the  brethren ;  but  es- 
pecially so,  is  hostility  towards  those  who  manifest  the  divine  light  re- 
vealed in  their  life.  Cain  exhibited  such  hostility  towards  his  brother, 
who  possessed  the  love  of  God.  Cain,  therefore,  stood  in  close  union 
with  satan.'  Thus  Christ  also  in  this  place  means  to  say,  '  Your  fleshy, 
arrogant  disposition,  prevents 'you  from  understanding  and  receiving  my 
doctrine ;  nay,  you  even  persecute  me  on  account  of  it.  This  proves 
your  relationship  with  the  fallen  spirit ;  your  heart  takes  pleasure  in  enter- 
ing into  his  desires.  He  was  from  the  beginning  appointed  for  destruc- 
tion ;  and  has  always  shown  himself  to  be  the  enemy  of  holy  truth  ;  and 
therefore  is  he  hostile  towards  those  w^ho  manifest  it,  as  Abel  first  did. 
For  Satan  himself  never  generates  aught  save  lies  and  sin.  And,  conse- 
quently, the  ground  of  your  unbelief  in  me — of  your  hatred  towards 
myself  and  my  doctrines — consists  in  the  fact  that  you  seek  for  a  doc- 
trine which  will  accord  with  your  sinful  disposition,  and  which,  for  that 
very  reason,  must  be  a  lie.'  Since,  therefore,  the  devil  is  called  a  mur- 
derer, because  he  hates  the  light,  and  because  he,  for  that  reason,  seeks 
to  destroy  the  truth  in  itself,  and  all  those  men  who  manifest  it,  so 
could  Christ,  in  the  same  same  sense,  call  his  enemies  murderers,  in  so 
far  as  they  persecuted  him  from  hatred  to  the  light  (comp.  v.  46),  and 
for  that  reason  also  rejected  his  instructions.  If  we  take  uvBoamoKTovog, 
murderer,  in  this  comprehensive  sense  (as  done  by  Thcodoret  and  Hera- 
clitus,  in  Cateda  Patr.),  the  conclusion  of  verse  44,  and  also  verse  45, 
will  connect  itself  with  it  very  appi'opriately.  'An'  uoxrig  must,  there- 
fore, be  taken  as  in  1  John  iii.  8,  '  from  the  commencement  of  the  his- 
tory of  man.'  Beng. :  '  ex  quo  aliquid  novit  de  natura  humana  ;'  comp. 
(in'  u^x^i  xTiaeug,  Mark  X.  6.  Sir.  xvi.  26,  and  Rev.  xii.  9,  o  oq)ts  6 
ixoxuTo;.  On  this  passage  Beza  writes  well  against  the  Manichajan  mis- 
apprehension of  the  word,  "Eair/xsf.  After  the  Vulgate,  which  translates 
in  the  prseter.  stetit,  most  commentators  take  this  verb  in  the  praiter. 
This  passage  would  then  be  a  '  locus  probans'  in  reference  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  apostasy  of  the  devil.  But  the  prsetor.  eaxr/xu,  which  always 
has  the  force  of  the  present  in  the  classics,  is  never  found  to  have  any 
other  sense  in  the  New  Testament.  There  are  but  two  passages  which 
can  render  this  in  the  least  doubtful,  Rom.  v.  2,  and  1  Cor.  xv.  1  ;  but 
even  there,  the  force  of  the  present  is  to  be  fixedly  retained.  The  Greek 
expositors  recognize  this,  as  Origen,  Theophylact,  Euthymius,  and  prob- 
ably Chrysostom  also.  Hence,  although  the  doctrine  that  the  devil  is 
not  an  uncreated  principle  of  evil,  but  a  fallen  angel,  receives  confirma- 
tion from  other  passages,  e.  g.  Jude  6,  yet  nothing  more  is  here  taught, 
than  the  character  of  the  devil  since  his  appearance  in  the  history  of 
man.  Euth. :  ot5x  imiivBi,  Toviianf,  if  tiL  doOiu  p'/w  oi'x  untnavFiat^  dikXu. 
iiiafl  Tr^f  ToiuviTjv  TxolueUtv.  This  exposition  is  confirmed  by  what 
follows.  Christ  assigns  the  reason  why  the  fallen  angel  could  find  no 
(ijisimilative  point  in  good  (Beng. :  '  non  assecutus  est  statum  in  veritate'), 
which  is,  that  in  his  inward  sense  he  is  alienated  from  goodness  and 
truth.  If  now  the  preceding  context  had  contained  an  allusion  to  the 
apostasy  of  the  devil,  Christ  would  here  have  declared,  as  it  were,  the 
necessity  of  that  apostasy.  But  the  sense  is,  as  it  was  in  part  given  by 
Origen  on  this  passage:  'That  fallen  spirit  still  retains  the  undeniable 
attribute  of  reason.  Had  he  ceased  to  Ue  a  morally  intelligent  being, 
he  were  a  physical  one — he  would  be  no  longer  a  tvicked  being,  but  an 


EXP.  XI.]  NOTES.  493 

evil  one.  But  inasmuch  now  as  no  morally  intelligent  being  can  retain 
its  own  self-determination  except  by  living  in  holiness  in  God,  which  life 
in  God  is  hence  by  the  Scriptures  denominated  the  truth,  ^.  e.,  that  which 
alone  harmonises  with  human  nature  ;  so  even  in  that  wicked  being 
there  exists,  unconsciously,  a  striving  after  the  satisfaction  of  determin 
ing  his  own  nature,  and,  consequently,  a  striving  after  that  happiness 
which  can  only  be  found  in  a  living  union  with  God.  He  wishes  to 
find  an  assimilative  point  in  truth.  But  there  is  none  to  be  found,  be- 
cause there  is  nothing  kindred  with  it  in  the  inward  sense — nothing  with 
which  the  truth  could  connect  itself  In  this  very  conflict  between  his 
effort  to  attain  his  own  determination,  and  those  hostile  inclinations 
which  are  entirely  opposed  to  it,  consists  his  misery.'  The  antithesis 
between  truth  and  falsehood,  iji-lrfisia  and  ipevdog,  may  be  explained  from 
i,  4.  Truth  and  holiness,  lies  and  unholiness,  mutually  presupposes 
each  other,  and  in  the  inward  root  they  are  in  fact  one.  The  chief  lie  of 
the  foe  of  humanity, — that  with  which  he  seduced  himself  and  others, — 
is  this  :  that  true  life  is  not  in  God,  but  in  the  finite  spirit  itself  All 
other  lies  and  sins  flow  from  this  lie.  Lying  is  called  an  attribute  of  the 
father  of  lies.  It  is  indeed  that  which  constitutes  his  essence,  and  on 
which  the  individuality  of  his  being  is  based,  Avtov  refers  to  the  ab- 
stract tpsvSog  involved  in  the  concrete  i/zbd'o-tj??,  as  in  Rom.  ii.  26,  aOroS 
conversely  refers  to  the  abstract  dx^oj^uffT/w." — ^Tholuck. 


EXPOSITION   XII. 


THE  CHURCH  AND  ITS   OFFICE-BEARERS — TRUE  AND   FALSE. 

John  x.  1-9. 

The  beautiful  allegorical  discourse'  wliicli  occupies  the  first 
eighteen  verses  of  this  chapter,  seems  to  be  a  continuation  of  the 
address  to  the  Jews  who  had  gathered  round  our  Lord  and  the 
man  whom  he  liad  cured  of  blindness,  with  the  commencement 
of  which  the  preceding  chapter  closes.  The  opinion  of  some 
interpreters,  that  it  was  delivered  on  some  other  occasion  alto- 
gether, is  entirely  unsupported,  and  highly  improbable.  The 
introductory  formula,  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,"'  never 
begins  a  discourse,  but  is  always  emploj^ed  either  in  making  a  re- 
ply to  a  question,  or  in  the  continuation  of  a  discourse,  by  bring- 
ing forward  some  additional  illustration. 

Our  Lord  had  intimated  that  the  Pharisees,  though  they 
thought  themselves  both  clear-sighted  and  far-sighted  in  spiritual 
matters,  were  indeed  blind,  and  therefore  ill-fitted  for  the  office 
of  teachers  of  religion,  into  which  they  had  intruded  themselves.' 
"  When  the  blind  lead  tlie  blind,  both  must  fall  into  the  ditch." 
He  now  proceeds  to  show,  by  an  appropriate  figure,  that  they 
were  destitute  of  the  authority  whicli  belongs  to  properly  called 
and  appointed  teachers,  and  that  they  were  animated  by  motives 
which  altogether  disqualified  them  for  the  right  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  spiritual  instructors  and  guides.  He  states  that  none 
are  genuine  spiritual  teachers  and  guides,  except  those  who  have 
been  appointed  by  him,  and  who  teach  his  doctrine;  and  that 
the  Pharisees,  who  call  him  a  false  teacher,  and  a  deceiver  of 
the  people,  and  did  everything  in  their  power  to  prevent  men 
from  embracing  liis  doctrine,  were  themselves  altogether  un- 
worthy of  the  name  of  religious  teachers.  Instead  of  the  guides, 
they  were  the  deceivers  and  destroyers  of  their  countrymen. 
He  then  goes  on  to  represent  himself  as  the  great  teacher  and 
saviour  of  his  disciples  and  followers,  who  were  not  to  be  con- 

'  "This  passage  is  not  to  bo  regarded  ns  a  complete  parable  ;  it  -wants  one  thinj^ 
belonging  to  the  nature  of  parables — the  narration  of  an  occurrence  as  a  fact. 
The  term  ■jrafioi/iia  (verse  tj)  is  to  be  taken  only  in  the  signification  of  comparison. 
John  never  uses  the  word  rcapaiioA/}." — Olsuausen. 

2  dfiiiV  dfii/v  'kiyu>  vy.lv.  ^  John  ix.  39-41. 


EXP.  XII.]        THE  CHUKCH  AND  ITS  OFFICE-BEARERS.  .495 

fined  to  one  nation,  but  were  to  consist  of  Gentiles  as  well  as 
Jews. 

These  important  truths  are  exhibited  under  the  transparent 
veil  of  allegory.  The  figures  employed  are  borrowed  from  the 
usages  of  oriental  pastoral  life.  Many  of  our  Lord's  parables,  as 
well  as  his  other  discourses,  were  occasional  in  their  origin  and 
character,  having  been  suggested  by  the  circumstances  in  which 
he  was  placed  when  he  uttered  them ;  and  this  probably  was 
the  case  with  the  allegorical  illustration  now  before  us.''  It  is 
not  unlikely  that  Jesus,  after  the  labors  of  the  day,  was  now  in 
the  evening  leaving  Jerusalem  for  Bethany,  and  that  the  bleat- 
ing flocks  returning  from  their  mountain  pastures,  were,  under 
the  care  of  their  shepherds,  returning  to  their  folds  for  the  night. 
Palestine  was  eminently  a  pastoral  country.  The  flocks  were  in 
the  morning  conducted  to  their  pastures  by  the  shepherd,  who 
did  not,  as  with  us,  drive  them,  but  went  before  them,  showing 
them  the  way.  One  of  the  sheep,  termed  "the  leader  of  the 
herd,"  on  being  called  by  name,  came  towards  the  shepherd,  and 
all  the  rest  of  the  flock  followed  in  his  train.  Having  guided 
them  to  the  green  pastures,  by  the  still  waters,  and  throughout 
the  day  protected  them  from  hazard,  by  leading  them  into 
the  cooling  shade  during  the  unwholesome  ardors  of  noon,  pre- 
venting them  from  wandering,  and  keeping  at  a  distance  from 
them  animals  of  prey  ;  at  the  approach  of  night — "  when  all  the 
beasts  of  the  forest  creep  forth,  when  the  3^oung  lions  roar  after 
their  prey,  and  seek  their  meat  from  God,"^ — the  shepherd  called 
them  together,  and  conducted  them  back  to  the  fold,  which  was 
a  large  unroofed  enclosure,  with  walls  of  considerable  height  and 
strength,  where  they  remained  during  the  night.  It  would 
seem  that  the  flocks  of  a  number  of  shepherds  were  sometimes 
housed  in  the  same  fold.  There,  protected  from  thieves  and 
beasts  of  prey  by  proper  watchmen,  they  spent  the  night  in  re- 
pose, "  till  the  sun  having  arisen,  and  the  wild  beasts  having 
gathered  themselves  together  and  lien  down  in  their  dens,"  the 
shepherds  came,  and  being  let  into  the  fold  by  the  watchman  who 
kept  the  entrance,  eacli  again  led  forth  his  flock. 

The  scene  which  our  Lord's  words  bring  before  the  mind  may 
be  thlis  conceived  of :  It  is  night.  The  flocks  have  been  folded 
• — 'the  entrance  is  secured — the  guards  are  set — the  porter  is  at 
his  station.  During  the  hours  of  night  a  person  appears,  not 
seeking  the  entrance,  but  attempting  to  get  into  the  fold  by- 
overleaping  the  wall.  That  is  a  thief  or  a  robber ;  his  design  is 
"  to  steal,  to  kill,  or  to  destroy."  The  morning  breaks— another 
person  makes  his  appearance,  who,  instead  of  attempting  to  over- 
leap the  wall,  or  loitering  before  the  gate,  goes  directl}^  up  to  it, 
and,  on  demanding  entrance,  is  readily  admitted  by  the  porter. 
That  is  a  shepherd  come  to  take  charge  of  his  flock  for  the  day. 
And  now  he  utters  the  well-known  cry,'  and  the  leader  of  the 
flock,  followed  by  all  the  rest  of  "  his  own  sheep,"  leave  the  fold, 

i  "  Yidentur  oves  fuisse  ante  oculos." — Bengel.  ^  (SovkoIlku.  ini^uv^fiaTa, 


496  THE  CHUlicn  and  its  office-bearers.         [EXP.  XII. 

and  are  guided  b}^  him  to  the  pasture  which  he  has  found  for  them. 
Such  is  the  emblem  ;  and  now  for  its  signification. 

It  will  conduce  to  distinctness  of  apprehension  to  keep  in  mind, 
what  many  interpreters  have  overlooked,  that  there  are  in  this 
chapter  two  emblematical  representations,  both  borrowed  from 
pastoral  life.  In  the  one,  our  Lord  is  emblematized  by  the  door 
of  the  fold  of  the  sheep ;  in  the  other,  bv  the  chief,  the  master, 
shepherd.  The  first  reaches  down  to  the  9th  verse  ;  the  second 
begins  with  that  verse,  and  extends  to  the  18th  verse.  It  is  to  the 
first  of  these  allegories  that  our  attention  is  now  to  be  directed. 

The  meaning  and  design  of  the  allegor^^  will  be  apparent  if  we 
can  satisfactorily  answer  the  following  questions  : — Who  are  the 
folded  sheep  ?  What  is  meant  by  our  Lord  being  the  door  of 
the  fold  for  the  sheep  ?  Who  are  those  who  enter  into  the  fold 
by  the  door,  and  how  are  we  to  understand  what  is  said  of  them  ? 
And,  finally.  Who  are  they  who  do  not  enter  into  the  fold  by  the 
door,  but  seek  to  obtain  entrance  in  some  other  way ;  and  how  are 
we  to  understand  what  is  said  of  them  ? 


I.— OF  THE  FOLDED  SHEEP. 

The  term  "  sheep"  is  obviously  descriptive  of  a  class  of  per- 
sons in  some  way  separated  from  other  men,  and  standing  in  a 
peculiar  relation  to  each  other,  and  to  Him  whose  flock  they  are. 

The  careful  reader  of  the  Old  Testament,  especially  of  the 
Psalms  and  Prophets,  must  have  observed  that  the  people  of 
Israel,  separated  from  all  nations,  by  a  peculiar  law  enjoined,  and 
by  peculiar  privileges  bestowed,  on  them,  are  frequently  repre- 
sented as  Jehovah's  flock.  That  here  the  sheep  and  the  Israel- 
itish  people  are  not  terms  of  equivalent  meaning,  is  very  obvious 
(though  it  is  also  obvious,  from  the  16th  verse,  that  those  spoken 
of  here  were  Jews  not  Gentiles) ;  for  much  that  is  said  in  the 
most  unqualified  manner  of  the  sheep,  is  not  true  of  the  great 
body  of  the  Jews  of  that  age,  or,  indeed,  of  any  age.  They  did 
not  follow  the  shepherds  who  had  entered  through  the  door — 
they  did  not  know  their  voice — tliey  did  follow  strangers. 

But  he  has  read  the  Old  Testament  very  carelessly  who  has 
not  noticed,  that  in  the  nation  of  Israel  there  was  all  along  a 
peculiar  people  within  a  peculiar  people.  Within  the  sacred 
precincts,  there  was  an  inner  temple  as  well  as  an  outer.  There 
were  "  Israelites  indeed," — there  were  "  Jews  inwardly."  All 
Abraham's  "descendants'"  were  not  his  "seed;"' — there  were 
"  children  after  the  spirit,"*  as  well  as  "  children  after  the  flesh.'" 
There  were  Jews  who  were  "  not  only  of  the  circumcision,  but 
who  walked  in  the  steps  of  that  faith  which  Abraham  had,  yet 
being  uncircumcised."  WJiile  God  set*  apart  Israel  for  himself 
from  among  the  nations,  Irorn  among  Israel  he  "set  apart  the 
godly'"  for  himself." 

6  TtKva.  '  (jKep/ia.  8  naTil  Twev/xa. 

»  Kara  adpKa,  '•>  Psal.  iv.  8. 


PART  II.]        OF  THE  DOOR  OF  THE  FOLD.  497 

These  are  "  the  sheep,"  the  true  spiritual  church  of  God,  con- 
sisting at  this  time  of  a  very  small  number — "  a  little  flock,"" 
and  formed  almost  exclusively  of  Jews.  The^^  are  called  "  the 
sheep,"  /.  e.,  the  sheep  of  God — not  without  a  reference,  prob- 
abh',  to  their  harmlessness,  and  usefulness,  and  helplessness;  but 
chiefly  to  mark  them  as  the  peculiar  property  and  care  of  their 
Divine  owner. 

The  sheep  are  represented  as  "'folded."  They  are  collected 
together,  forming  one  body ;  separated  from  others,  and  in  a 
state  of  comparative  security.  If,  as  seems  probable,  "  the 
fold""  was  intended  to  be  significant,  and  ncft  a  mere  embellish- 
ment of  the  parable,  there  can  be  but  little  difficulty  in  discover- 
ing its  meaning.  What  separates  "the  sheep"  from  the  rest  of 
mankind?  What  gives  them  a  common  character,  and  privi- 
leges ?  What  affords  them  security  amid  their  dangers  ?  The 
fold  of  Israel  according  to  the  flesh  was  the  Mosaic  covenant,  the 
peculiar  economy  given  at  Sinai.  By  it,  as  by  a  fold,  they  were 
separated  from  the  world,  formed  into  a  peculiar  community, 
possessed  of  a  common  character  and  common  privileges.  The 
fold  of  the  spiritual  Israel  is  "  the  covenant  of  promise,"  first 
revealed  to  Adam,  more  fully  developed  to  Abraham,  clearly 
manifested  in  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  this  which  niakes 
them  a  folded  flock :  separated  from  the  world, — closely  con- 
nected among  themselves  by  common  relations,  a  common  char- 
acter, and  common  immunities.  The  sheep,  then,  are  the  true 
spiritual  people  of  God,  as  existing  in  the  time  of  our  Lord. 

II.— OF  THE  DOOR  OF  THE  FOLD. 

The  next  question  which  presents  itself  is,  What  is  meant  «by 
our  Lord's  being  "the  door"  of  the  fold  for  the  sheep?  The 
question  has  been  put.  Whether  the  leading  idea  be  the  door  by 
Avhich  the  sheep,  or  that  by  Avhich  the  shepherds,  enter  into  the 
fold?  I  think  there  can  be  very  little  doubt  that  the  last  is 
the  principal  reference  ;  for  the  contrast  is  not  between  sheep  who 
enter  the  fold  and  sheep  who  do  not,  but  between  the  person  wIk; 
enters  by  the  door,  and  the  person  who  climbs  up  some  other 
Avay.  At  the  same  time,  the  general  idea  is,  the  door  of  the 
fold,  by  which  both  the  sheep  and  the  shepherds  enter. 

But  what  is  the  import  of  the  figurative  representation  ?  The 
sheep  cannot  get  into  the  fold  in  any  other  way.  The  walls  of 
the  fold  of  the  visible  external  church  may  be  undermined  or 
overleaped  ;  but  there  is  no  getting  into  the  fold  of  the  spiritual 
church  but  by  the  door,  ■  It  is  through  the  mediation  of  our 
Lord,  through  his  quickening  Spirit,  that  men  are  brought, 
"  within  the  bond  of  the  covenant,"  justified  and  sanctified, 
blessed  with  the  immunities,   and  formed  to  the  character,  of 

"   TO  fllKpOV  TTOL/WiOV. 

'■^  Olshausen  strangely  represents  the  aiU/}  as  "  the  true  community  of  believ- 
ers." The  npoi^ara — the  Troi/u-Ti  rejireseiit  these — the  arh)  is  that  which  separates 
them  from  the  world,  nnd  secures  them  from  hazard. 

VOL.  I.  r.i 


498  THE  CHURCH  AND  ITS  OFFICE-BEARERS.  [EXP.  XII. 

"the  sheep  of  Jehovah."'  It  is  not_  Abraham,  it  is  not  Jacob,  it 
,  is  not  Moses,  that  is  the  door  ; — Jesus,  Jesus  alone,  is  the  door 
of  the  sheep.  It  is  not  descent  from  the  patriarchs,  it  is  not  sub- 
mission to  Moses'  law — ^it  is  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  makes 
a  man  a  true  Christian.  "  This  is  the  gate  of  righteousness,  the 
gate  of  the  Lord,  through  which  the  righteous  shall  enter."" 

And  as  no  man  can  be  introduced  into  this  spiritual  fold  but 
through  Jesus  Christ, — so  no  man  can  rightfully  enter  among  its 
occupants  as  a  shepherd,  no  man  can  have  a  legitimate  claim  to 
be  considered  as  on»of  their  shepherds,  but  one  who  enters  tliro ugh 
Christ  as  the  door  ; — no  man  can  act  the  part  of  a  faithful  shep- 
herd to  Christ's  spiritual  flock  but  one  who  enters  in  through  the 
door,  who  possesses  the  qualifications  which  Jesus  Christ  only  can 
confer,  and  who  has  received  the  call  which  Jesus  Christ  requires. 
The  general  idea  is,  '  Everything  connected  with  membership  and 
office  in  the  true  spiritual  church  of  God,  is  under  the  manage- 
ment of  our  Lord.'  It  is  just  equivalent  to,  '  He  is  "  the  head  of 
his  body  the  church  ;'''*  He  is  "  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life ;" 
everything  in  the  new  creation  is  "  of  God,"  "  through  Christ 
Jesus."  ' 

III.— OF  THE  TRUE  SHEPHERDS,  WHO  ENTER  IN  BY  THE  DOOR. 

The  third  question  is,  Who  are  those  who  enter  into  the  fold 
by  the  door?  and  how  are  we  to  understand  what  is  said  of  them, 
"  He  that  entereth  in  by  the  door  is  the  shepherd  of  the  sheep," 
or,  as  Dr.  Campbell  renders  it,  "  The  shepherd  always  enters  by 
the  door"? 

Judging  merely  by  the  sound  of  the  words,  and  especially  rec- 
ollecting that  at  the  11th  verse  wejiave  these  words — "I  am  the 
good  shepherd,"  repeated  again  at  the  14th  verse,  we  should  be 
apt  to  say  the  words  before  us  refer  to  one  individual,  and  that 
there  is  no  mistaking  who  he  is.  But  if  we  look  at  them  more 
closely  in  their  connection,  we  shall  soon  perceive  that,  were  we 
to  apply  these  words  to  our  Lord,  we  should  be  in  a  mistake.  In 
the  parable,  he  is  "  the  door"  of  the  fold.  It  were  at  war  with  all 
the  proprieties  of  composition  to  make,  in  the  same  emblematical 
representation,  the  same  individual  the  door  of  the  fold,  and  the 
shepherd  of  the  sheep.  We  know  that  oriental  figures  are  often 
mixed,  but  this  would  be  absolute  incongruity.  What  could  be 
meant  by  Christ,  as  the  shepherd,  entering  into  the  fold  through 
himself,  as  the  door  ?  Besides,  the  literal  rendering  is  not  "  the 
shepherd,"  but  "  a  shepherd  of  the  sheep."  The  contrast  is  be- 
tween spurious  and  genuine  officials  in  Christ's  spiritual  church, 
— between  those  wlio  climb  over  the  wall  and  those  who  enter  in 
by  the  door.  It  is  not  till  the  11th  verse  that  Christ  is  introduced 
as  the  Shepherd :  that  is  a  separate,  distinct,  additional  figurative 
illustration. 

13  Psal.  cxviii.  19,  20. 

"  Erasmus  thus  paraplirascs  the  passage: — "Non  est  salutaria  aditua  in  eccle- 
siam  ac  regnum  coelorum  nisi  per  mc  sive  pastor  esse  velis  sive  ovis." 


PAET  III.]  OF  THE  TRUE  -SHEPHERDS.  499 

"  A  shepherd  of  the  sheep"  is  just  one  of  the  shepherds  of  the 
sheep, — one  of  that  numerous  body  whom  the  Great  Proprietor 
appoints  to  superintend  and  feed  the  flock  purchased  by  the  blood 
of  his  Son.  It  is  quite  a  common  figure  in  the  Old  Testament  to 
represent  the  official  men  in  the  Israelitish  church  as  shepherds. 
As  the  direct  reference  is  to  the  state  of  things  at  the  time  our 
Lord  spoke,  his  apostles,  and  seventy  disciples,  and  other  minis- 
ters of  the  primitive  church,  were  probably  in  the  foreground  of 
the  picture. 

Let  us  now  inquire  how  we  are  to  understand  what  is  here  said 
of  these  genuine  overseers  of  the  spiritual  church.  They  do  not 
"  chmb  up"  over  the  wall.  They  do  not  run  unsent ;  and  they 
are  not  content  with  any  commission  but  that  which  comes  from 
'm  who  alone  is  entitled  to  give  one.  To  vary  the  figure,  they 
are  called  by  the  Great  Husbandman  to  labor  in  his  vineyard. 

To  a  person  of  this  kind,  "the  porter  openeth.'"^  It  has  been 
thought  by  some  good  interpreters,  that  this  belongs  merely  to 
the  embellishment  of  the  figurative  representation,  and  that  no 
particular  correspondence  is  to  be  sought  for.  But  this  does  not 
seem  at  all  probable.  The  words  might  signify,  generally,  that 
to  such  a  person  the  obstacles  tliat  stood  in  the  way  of  his  be- 
coming an  overseer  of  the  flock  of  Christ  are  removed  in  a  regu- 
lar manner,  and  he  is,  after  the  due  order,  introduced  as  a  shep- 
herd into  the  fold.  No*  only  does  he  not  climb  over  the  wall, 
but  there  is  no  attempt  made  to  force  open  the  door,  nor  to  steal 
in  unnotiiced  by  the  porter.  That  official  recognizes  him  as  one 
appointed  by  the  Chief  Shepherd,  and  gives  him  free  passage. 
Others  would  give  a  more  definite  meaning  to  the  phrase,  and 
seek  a  correspondence  to  the  doorkeeper,  as  marker!  as  that  which 
we  have  to  the  door.  If  we  take  this  view  of  the  subject,  we 
have  little  room  to  hesitate,  as  to  what  that  correspondence  is. 
When  Christ  is  represented  as  the  door,  it  is  as  mediator.  In  this 
character  he  is  subject  to  the  Father — who,  in  the  economy  of 
salvation,  sustains  the  majesty  of  Divinity — as  the  door  is  subject 
to  the  doorkeeper.  If.  the  door  admits,  it  is  because  the  door- 
keejjer  opens.  All  that  Clirist  does  as  a  mediator,  is  done  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  will  of  liis  Father.  When  he  admits  a  mem- 
ber into  his  spiritual  fold,  or  inducts  a  shepherd,  it  is  in  execu- 
tion of  the  will  of  his  Father  in  heaven.  The  Father  brings  all 
the  sheep,  and  all  the  shepherds,  to  Jesus  as  the  Chief  Shepherd. 
According  to  the  figure  before  lis,  the  door  opens  when  the  door- 
keeper so  wills  it. 

The  above  explication  goes  on  the  principle,  that  the  admission 
by  the  porter,  through  the  door  into  the  fold,  refers  to  an  original 
call  to,  and  investiture  with,  office  in  Christ's  church,  and  this  is 
the  ordinary  mode  of  viewing  the  figure ;  but  the  thought  has 
repeatedly  forced  itself  on  my  mind,  while  meditating  on  the  sub- 
ject, that  the  reference  here  is  not  to  an  original  call  to,  and  in- 
vestiture with,  a  new  office,  but  to  the  ordinary  exercise  of  the 

'5  Tovr(f)  6  dvpupog  dvoi}ei. 


500  THE  CHURCH  AND  ITS  OFFICE-BEARERS.        [EXP.  XII. 

1 
functions  of  an  office  already  possessed.  The  person  introduced 
as  entering  by  the  door  is  already  a  shepherd,  may  have  been 
long  a  shepherd,  and  is  here  represented  as  performing  his  daily 
work.  Ere  the  sun  rises,  he  goes  to  his  much-loved  occupation. 
He  arrives  at  the  gate  of  the  fold.  He  does  not  leap  over  the 
wall.  He  finds  no  difficulty  in  getting  ^  admission — the  porter 
opens,  he  passes  through  the  gate,  utters  the  pastoral  cry,  and 
returns  again  through  the  gate  followed  by  his  own  flock,  whom 
he  leads  out  and  feeds,  and  when  night  comes  he  conducts  them 
back  again  to  the  fold.  Taking  this  view  of  the  matter,  the  nat- 
ural explication  of  the  allegory  seems  to  be, — '  The  genuine  pas- 
tor performs  all  his  duties  under  the  guidance  of  divine  influ- 
ence, and  with  a  constant  regard  to  the  mediation  of  the  Sav- 
iour,' 

It  then  follows — '"the  sheep''  hear  his  voice,"  i.  e.,  they  attend 
to — they  understand — they  believe — his  doctrine  ;  not  because 
it  is  his,  but  because  it  is  not  his,  but  his  and  their  Lord's.  It 
is  one  mark  of  a  genuine  christian  pastor,  that  real  Christians 
cordially  approve  of  his  teaching. 

"  He  calleth  his  own  sheep  by  name."  There  are  many  more 
sheep  than  his  in  the  fold.  The  Great  Shepherd  has  many  under- 
shepherds,  and  each  under-shepherd  has  his  own  sheep,  to  the 
pastoral  care  of  which  his  time  and  attention  are  to  be  chiefly 
directed.  "He  calls  them  byname."  This  is  intended  to  inti- 
mate his  knowledge  of  his  flock,  and  his  kind  condescending  de- 
meanor to  them.  He  overlooks  none  of  thein.  He  is  a  contrast 
to  those  shepherds  of  whom  the  prophet  Ezekiel  speaks,  when 
he  says,  "  The  diseased  have  ye  not  strengthened,  neither  have 
ye  healed  that  which  was  sick,  neither  have  ye  bouud  uj)  that 
which  was  broken,  neither  have  ye  brought  again  that  which  was 
driven  away,  neither  have  ye  sought  that  which  was  lost ;  but 
with  force  and  with  cruelty  have  3'e  ruled  them.""  To  a  stranger 
it  is  scarcely  credible  how  intimate  is  the  knowledge  of,  and  how 
great  the  affection  for,  their  flock,  that  some  of  the  shepherds  of 
our  own  country  possess  :  but  the  oriental  shepherds  go  far  be- 
yond them,  not  only  knowing  all  their  countenances  individually, 
but  calling  each  of  tliem  by  name.'*  The  true  christian  pastor 
"  looks  well  to  his  flocks,  and  seeks  to  know  the  state  of  his 
herds  ;"  and  he  is  like  his  Master,  "  meek  and  gentle,"  he  can  be 
touched  with  the  feelings  of  his  flock's  infirmities,  knowing  how 
to  have  compassion  on  the  thoughtless,  and  those  who  arc  out  of 
the  way.  Cold  and  distant,  still  more  haughty  and  overbear- 
ing, manners  do  not  sit  well  on  any  man,  but  they  are  never  mis- 
placed so  sadly  as  on  a  man  who  bears  the  name  of  a  christian 
pastor. 

"  He  leads  thems  out."     He  directs  them  in  the  search  of  truth, 

'5  uKiivtiv  liere  is  neariy  equal  to  ildhai,  verse  4 ;  and  yiyuaKeiv,  verse  14. 

'^  Ezek.  xxxiv.  4. 

"*  The  Greek  j)oet,  Longus,  says  of  the  shepherd — rdf  alyac  npoaeirce  Koi  roiic 

Tpdyov(  iKi'iXeac. 


PART  III.]  OF  THE  TRUE  SHEPHERDS.  601 

and  in  the  performance  of  duty.  He  sliows  them  tlie  ricTi  pas- 
tures, and  the  refreshing  streams  of  divine  revelation,  and  in  do- 
ing this  "  he  goes  before  them."  In  this  country  the  shepherd 
generally  comes  behind,  driving  his  flock.  In  the  east  he  went 
before,  leading  them.  The  christian  pastor  goes  before  his  flock ; 
he  does  not  say  '  go,'  but  '  come' — he  does  not  say  '  Do  you  it,' 
but  '  Let  us  do  it.'  He  believes  the  truth  he  would  have  them 
believe — he  does  the  duties  he  would  have  them  practice — he 
makes  the  sacrifices  to  which  he  calls  them — he  seeks  to  be  "  an 
example  to  the  believers  in  all  things,  in  word,  in  conversation, 
in  charity,  in  spirit,  in  purity,"  showing  them  all  things,  "  by  ex- 
ample, as  well  as  doctrine." 

Such  a  pastor,  "the  sheep" — the  truly  pious,  those  who  are 
taught  of  God,  and  are  influenced  by  his  Spirit — "  follow."  They 
approve  his  doctrine,  they  imbibe  his  spirit,  they  imitate  his  ex- 
ample, "for  they  know  his  voice" — they  know  that  what  he  says 
corresponds  with  what  Christ  is  saying  to  them  in  his  word,  and 
with  what,  too,  he  is  working  in  them  by  his  Spirit. 

The  declaration  in  the  9th  verse,  though  it  may  apply  to  the 
sheep,  seems  most  naturally  to  refer  to  the  shepherd  who  has  en- 
tered in  by  the  door.  Such  a  pastor  "  shall  be  saved" — that  is, 
protected  amidst,  delivered  from,  all  the  dangers  to  which  he  may 
be  exposed.  Sent  forth,  as  he  is,  among  "  unreasonable  and 
wicked  men,'"^  of  whom  wolves  and  lions  are  the  appropriate  em- 
blems, he  shall  be  taken  care  of  by  the  Great  Shepherd  amid  all 
such  dangers.  His  promise  to  his  faithful  under-shepherds  is, 
"Lo,  I  am  with  you  always;"  and  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
of  these,  who  was  exposed  to  peculiar  labors  and  hazards,  "  sets 
to  his  seal  that  he  is  true" — "  I  was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  lion.  And  tlie  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from  every  evil  work, 
and  will  preserve  me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom."^"  "  God  which 
raiseth  the  dead,  delivered  us  from  so  great  a  death,  and  doth  de- 
liver ;  in  whom  we  trust  that  he  will  yet  deliver  us.""  The  un- 
der-shepherd  shall  also  "  go  out  and  in,  and  find  pasture,"  for  his 
own  sheep  " — "  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  has  made 
him  overseer."  He  shall  be  enabled  steadily  and  prosperously  to 
prosecute  his  honorable  labors.  "  To  go  out  and  come  in,"  is  an 
idiomatical  expression,  best  illustrated  by  quoting  a  few  examples 
of  the  manner  in  which  it  is  employed : — •'■  Blessed  shalt  thou  be 
when  thou  comest  in,  and  blessed  shalt  thou  be  when  thou  goest 
out."  "  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going  out,  and  thy  coming 
in."  "  Jeremiah  came  in  and  went  out  among  the  people ;  for 
they  had  not  put  him  into  prison."  "  Give  me  now  Avisdom," 
says  Solomon,  "  that  I  may  go  out  and  come  in  before  this  peo- 
ple.""    The  meaning  here  is,  'He  will  be  enabled  to  go  through 

»9  2  Thess.  iii.  2.  i"  2  Tim.  iv.  17,  18.  ^i  2  Cor.  i.  9,  10. 

22  Liickc  explains  vo/jj/v  tvpiaiceiv  as  referring  to  a  blessing  on  the  ministry. 
Olshausen  considers  this  as  a  harsh  exegesis.  I  cannot  help  thinking  it  by  far 
the  most  natural  one  that  has  been  proposed. 

i3  Dent,  xxviii.  6.     Psal.  cxxi.  8.     Jer.  xxxvii.  4.     2  Chron.  i.  10. 


502  THE  CHURCH  AND  ITS  OFFICE-BEARERS.        [EXP.  XII. 

Lis  work  comfortably  and  creditably,  and  obtain  pasture  for  his 
sheep.  As  "  the  flock  of  his  pasture"  are  men,  he  will  be  enabled 
to  feed  the  babes  with  milk,  and  the  full-grown  men  with  strong 
meat,  so  as  to  nourish  them  up  to  everlasting  life.  He  shall  not 
"  labor  in  vain,  nor  spend  his  strength  for  nought."  In  the  health, 
happiness,  and  activity  of  his  flock,  he  shall  liave  the  cheering 
evidence  that  his  Master's  promise  has  been  fulfilled.  lie  has 
been  delivered.  He  has  gone  out  and  in,  and  found  pasture  for 
his  flock.'  O  happy  pastor,  who  has  such  a  flock  I  Happy  flock, 
which  has  such  a  pastor ! 


IV.— OF  THE   FALSE   SHEPHERDS,  WHO   DO    NOT   ENTER  IN   BY 

THE  DOOR. 

It  only  now  remains,  in  order  to  the  full  exposition  of  the  alle- 
gory, that  we  endeavor  to  answer  the  fourth  question,  Who  are 
they  who  "  do  not  enter  in  by  the  door"  ?  and  how  are  we  to  un- 
derstand what  is  said  of  them  ? 

Having  ascertained  who  the  sheep  are — who  is  the  door  of  the 
fold — and  who  are  the  genuine  shepherds — there  can  be  little  dif- 
ficulty in  discovering  what  is  the  class  of  men  who  do  not  enter 
by  the  door,  yet  would  take  on  them  the  character,  and  perforin 
the  functions,  of  shepherds.  They  are  persons  who  assume  the 
name  of  religious  teachers — official  men^ — in  the  church  of  God, 
without  being  divinely  called.  In  our  Lord's  'immediate  view, 
they  seem  to  have  been  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim — the  Pharisees, 
and  doctors  of  the  law. 

They  entered  not  in  by  the  door.  They  had  no  commission 
from  Christ.  They  were  not  called,  as  his  apostles  were.  They 
were  destitute  equally  of  qualification  and  authority.  Jesus,  as 
the  door,  had  been  made  known  to  them,  but  they  did  not  enter 
— they  passed  by  the  door.  The}'"  treated  him  with  contempt. 
They  had  "climbed  up  some  other  way."  They  had  obtained 
the  name  and  rank  of  official  men  in  the  church  by  worldly 
methods,  altogether  different  froin^ — altogether  opposite  to — "  en- 
tering by  the  door." 

So  it  has  been  in  all  ages.  Men,  under  the  influence  of 
worldly  motives,  have  sought  office  in  the  christian  church.  In 
the  inner  sanctuary  (for  even  under  the  christian  economy  there 
is  an  external  and  a  spiritual  church,  the  latter  included  in  the 
former,  but  by  no  means  co-extensive  or  co-incident  with  it), 
they  cannot  have  office,  for  they  have  not  place.  But,  by  get- 
ting office  in  the  external  church,  they  exercise  tyranny  and 
lordship,  in  many  cases,  over  the  members  of  the  s{)iritual  church. 
WorldJy-miudcd  men  are  never  made  ministers  by  Christ.  Un- 
interested in  his  atonement,  uninfluenced  by  his  Spirit,  how  can 
they  enter  by  him — the  door  ?  No ;  tliey  climb  up  some  other 
way.  Under  the  influence  of  the  love  of  the  world,  tliey  use 
worldly  means  in  order  to  obtain  worldly  ends.     Their  wish  is 


PART  IV.]  OF  THE  FALSE  SHEPHERDS.  503 

that,  being  made  shepherds,  they  may  have  an  opportunity,  not 
of  feeding  the  floclc,  })ut  of  enriching  themselves,  by  making 
merchandise  of  them.  Had  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  any  wish 
to  make  the  pcojde  bettor  acquainted  witli  God's  won),  and, 
through  these  means,  holier  and  iiappicr  men  ?  No  ;  tlie  situa- 
tions they  hehl,  tliey  valued  just  as  sources  of  worldly  honor, 
emolument,  and  influence. 

And  it  is  still  so  with  a  large  class  of  men,  assuming  the  name 
of  christian  shepherds  and  overseers,  pastors  and  bishops.  These 
men  are  not  shepherds — they  are  "  thieves  and  robbers."  The 
appellations  are,  in  many  cases,  idmost  literally  a[>plicable  to 
them.  They  seize  places  which  they  liave  no  right  to  occupy — 
appropriate  what  does  not  justly  belong  to  them — and  wrong- 
ously  and  violently  extort  from  others  the  obedience  and  support 
to  which  they  have  no  rightful  claim.  The  porter  never  opened 
to  them.  It  is  not  according  to  God's  will — it  is  m  direct  op- 
position to  it — that  they  hold  office  in  his  church. 

"  The  sheep  do  not  follow  them" — the  goats  follow  them. 
The  truly  pious,  generally  s]')eaking,  do  not  follow  them  as 
spiritual  leaders.  They  do  not  believe  their  doctrines,  nor  follow 
their  example.  Some  of  the  sheep  may  be  seduced  for  a  season, 
under  mistake,  to  follow  them  ;  but  generally  speaking,  it  is 
otherwise.  The  really  pious,  in  our  Lord's  time,  did  not  relLsh 
the  doctrine  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees — they  turned  away 
from  it.  They  did  not  like  what  was  presented  to  them.  Their 
spiritual  senses  told  them  it  was  not  food — it  probably  might  be 
poison  ;  at  best,  it  was  but  husks — no  fit  food  for  the  flock  of  God 
— fit  only  for  the  swine. 

Instead  of  following  such  a  teacher,  the  sheep  consider  and 
treat  him  as  a  stranger;  and  then — alas,  how  generally  still ! — 
stranger  and  enemy  were  convertible  terms.  They  flee  from 
him — afraid  lest  they  should  be  injured  by  him — as  the  scared 
sheep  flee  from  a  stranger,  when  he  attempts  to  act  the  shepherd's 
part  towards  them :  "  They  know  not  the  voice  of  strangers." 
They  do  not  know  it  as  they  do  that  of  their  own  shepherd ;  it  is 
not  familiar,  it  is  not  pleasing,  to  their  ear.  In  many  cases, 
where  humble  unlettered  Christians  cannot  very  distinctly  point 
out  what  is  wrong  in  a  scheme  of  doctrine,  nor  give  the  reasons 
why  they  think  so,  they  distinctly  feel  there  is  something  totally 
different  from  what  they  have  received  and  learned  from  the 
Bible.  This  is  not  conscience-pacifying,  heart-changing,  heart- 
cheering  doctrine.  This  is  not  the  Gospel  of  our  salvation.  It  is 
not  by  this  that  men  live — it  is  not  in  this  that  the  life  of  our 
souls  is. 

The  words  in  the  8th  verse  refer  to  this  class  of  persons,  and 
are  an  emphatic  repetition  of  what  our  Lord  had  said  before, 
"  All  that  ever  came  before  me  are  thieves  anrl  robbers  :  but  the 
sheep  did  not  hear  them."  It  has  been  usual  to  interpret  these 
words  just  as  if  they  stood  by  themselves,  and  did  not  form  a 
part  of  a  figurative  representation ;  and  interpreters  have  been  a 


504  THE  CHUBCH  AND  ITS  OFFICE-BEARERS.         [EXP.  XII. 

good  deal  perplexed  in  seeking  the  means  of  making  the  state- 
ment the}^  contain  consistent  with  the  facts  of  the  case.  It  has 
been  common  to  consider  the  term  "  come,"  as  equivalent  to — 
'made  a  public  appearance,' — as  in  the  passage,  "John  came 
neither  eating  nor  drinking ;"  "the  Son  of  man  came;"  and  the 
particle  rendered  before^*  has  usually  been  considered  as  expressive 
of  priority  in  time. 

It  is  quite  obvious  that  the  meaning  which  the  words  most' 
naturally  express,  '  All  who  have  appeared,  laying  claim  to  the 
character  of  divinely-commissioned  teachers  previously  to  my 
coming,  are  thieves  and  robbers,'  cannot  be  adopted ;  for  that 
were,  in  other  words,  to  call  Moses  and  all  the  prophets  im- 
postors." Accordingly,  it  has  been  common  to  limit  the  refer- 
ence to  those  who  laid  claim  to  Messiahship ;  and  to  consider  the 
declaration  as  equal  to,  '  All  who  came  professing  to  be  the 
Messiah  before  me  were  impostors.'  But  we  have  no  reason  to 
think  that  any  appeared  before  our  Lord  making  this  claim ; — 
many  came  after  him  making  it.  Others  would  consider  all  as 
equivalent  to  many — the  greater  part.  But  this  is  to  use  an  un- 
authorized liberty  Avith  the  words. 

By  another  class  of  interpreters,  the  particle  translated  "before," 
is  considered  as  not  referring  to  time  at  all.  Some  of  these  would 
render  the  clause,  '  All  who  have  come  without  me — without  my 
authority;'  but  the  word  rendered  "before,"  cannot  be  translated 
"  without,"  or  "  apart  from  me."*°  By  others  of  this  class,  the 
words  "before  me,"  have  been  considered  as  equivalent  to,  'In 
my  place ;'"  and  the  statement  has  been  considered  as  indefinite 
as  to  time — '  All  who  come  in  my  room — "  in  my  name,"  '°' — as  it 
is  clscwliere — '  are  impostors.'  But  the  usage  of  the  language  will 
not  suffer  this.  Others  reject  the  words  "before  me,"  as  an  inter- 
polation ;""  but,  though  wanting  in  many  manuscripts,  the  critical 
evidence  of  its  genuineness  cannot  be  satisfactorily  set  aside  ;  and 
the  omission  of  these  words  would  not  remoyc  the  difficulty.  By 
others  still,  the  words  "come  before  me,"  are  considered  as  op- 
posed to,  "come  after  me,"  'All  who  do  not  follow  me  as  their 
leader,  but  who  go  before  me,  putting  me  behind  them.'  This,  I 
believe,  ai)proximates  to  the  truth  ;  but  it  is  not  the  right  way  of 
bringing  it  out  of  tlie  words.'" 

What  seems  to  lie  at  the  foundation  of  right  interpretation  here, 

^'  Tliis  was  a  reconimendatiou  of  this  exegesis  to  the  Gnostics,  wlio  adopted  it 
for  tlie  reason  wliich  has  often  led  to  the  read}'  reception  of  ill-supported  inter- 
pretations of  Scripture,  because  it  agreed  with  a  favorite  l)yj)othesi3.  They  held 
that,  in  these  words,  they  had  Christ's  testimony  against  the  Old  Testament. 

'^i*  Tfii)  fiav  cannot  be,  as  some  have  insisted,  =  ^\(jpif /«ni,  and  there  is  no  such 
various  reading.  It  is  painful  to  find  such  a  scholar  as  Olshausen  attempting  to 
show  that,  by  aposiopfsin,  ~jio  may  involve  ^\;(.)/«r. 

2'  npi)  as  ==  nuri  or  iiTriyi.  2i  h  ovojia-l  /lov. 

*9  Campbell,  wiio  supposes  an  ellipsis  of  uA?.axodti'. 

'J"  Jeremiah,  speaking  of  himself,  says,  "I  have  not  hastened  from  being  a 
pastor  to  follow  tliee" — literally,  afUr  thee.  '  1  have  not  gone  before,  but  followed, 
the  Chief  Slieplierd.' — Jer.  xvii.  IC. 


PART  IV.]  CONCLUSION.  505 

is  to  remark  that,  what  our  Lord  says,  he  says  of  himself,  under 
the  figure  of  "  the  door"  of  the  sheep-fold.  The  words  are  literally, 
'All — whosoever — come,  or  have  come,  before  me,  are  thieves 
and  robbers.'  "Before  me,"  putting  themselves,  as  it  were,  be- 
tween me  and  mankind,  and  thus  placing  themselves  above  me, 
taking  the  precedence  of  me.  All  who,  admitted  by  the  porter, 
pass  through  me,  the  door,  into  the  fold,  are  genuine  shepherds. 
All  who  come  "  before  me"  as  the  door,  and  do  not  seek  to  pass 
through  it,  are  thieves  and  robbers."  '  All  official  men,  who  do 
not  recognize  me  and  use  me  as  the  door  of  the  fold,  are  not 
genuine — they  are  merely  pretended — shepherds.  They  stand 
before  the  door,  not  entering  themselves,  and  doing  what  they  can 
to  liinder  the  sheep  from  entering.'  That  was  the  case  with  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  it  has  been  the  case  with  vast  multi- 
tudes of  men,  pretending  to  be  christian  teachers  and  pastors :  it 
is  the  case  with  vast  multitudes  still. 

Every  man,  pretend  what  he  may,  who  does  not  practically 
acknowledge  Christ's  authority  in  obtaining  and  exercising  ecclesi- 
astical office — who  looks  no  farther  than  a  patron's  presentation, 
or  the  ordination,  it  matters  but  little  whether  of  a  prelate  or  a 
presbytery — who  is  satisfied  with  mere  human  authority  and  call, 
civil  or  ecclesiastical — he  is  not  a  "  shepherd  of  the  sheep" — he  is, 
in  the  sense  in  which  I  have  already  explained  the  phrase,  "  a 
thief  and  a  robber." 

Such  men  the  sheep — the  true  people  of  God — do  not,  cannot, 
hear — that  is,  listen  to,  believe,  obey.  Whatever  titles  they  may 
wear,  whatever  claims  they  may  make, — be  they  called  "  pope," 
or  "patriarch,"  or  "bishop" — be  their  style  "rabbi"  or  "rev- 
erend," "  master"  or  "  doctor," — the  sheep,  when  they  conduct 
themselves  as  they  should,  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  them. 
In  our  Lord's  time,  they  preferred  the  teaching  of  the  carpenter 
of  Nazareth,  and  the  Galilean  fishermen  and  peasants  who  followed 
him,  to  that  of  the  men  who  wore  large  phylacteries,  and  made 
long  prayers,  and  sat  in  Moses'  seat ;  and,  in  our  own  times,  they 
will  rather  frequent  the  despised  conventicle,  where  a  pious  man, 
it  may  be  of  moderate  talents  and  limited  education,  unfolds  the 
doctrine,  and  enforces  the  law,  of  Christ,  in  simple  phrase,  and  it 
may  be  awkward  manner,  to  a  handful  of  those,  poor  in  this  world, 
but  rich  in  faith,  who  have  chosen  him  as  the  helper  of  their  joy, 
>  not  the  lord  of  their  faith,  than  listen  to  the  instruction  that  causeth 
to  err,  though  couched  in  the  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom,  by 
men  distinguished  for  their  rank,  and  learning,  and  eloquence,  in 
the  time-hallowed  parish  church,  where  many  a  generation  of  their 
ancestors  have  worshipped,  and  around  the  walls  of  which  their 
ashes  rej)Ose, — or  in  the  venerable  cathedral,  where,  while  the 

3'  The  connection  makes  the  general  meaning  plain — there  is,  first,  in  the  7th 
verse,  an  assertion  that  our  Lord  is  "  the  door" — then,  in  the  8th,  a  description  of 
those  who  do  not  enter  by  this  door — and  then,  in  the  9th,  a  description  of  those 
who  do  eater  by  this  door. 


506  THE  CHURCH  AND  ITS  OFFICE-BEARERS,  [EXP.  XII. 

variously  stoled  orders  of  an  ancient  hierarchy  perform  the  im- 
posing services  of  a  gorgeous  ritual, — 

"Through  the  long-drawn  aisle  and  fretted  vault, 

The  pealing  anthem  swells  the  note  of  praise."32 

Such  appears  to  me  to  be  the  meaning  of  this  beautiful  allegory. 
It  is  as  useful  as  it  is  beautiful.  It  is  full  of  weighty  instruction 
to  candidates  for  office  in  the  church,  to  those  who  hold  office  in 
the  church,  and  to  members  of  the  church  generally. 

To  candidates  for  office  in  the  church  it  says,  '  See  that  you 
enter  through  the  door  ;  beware  of  climbing  up  some  other  way. 
Eemember  no  authority  will  comjiensate  for  the  want  of  Christ's 
authority — no  call  for  the  want  of  his  call.' 

To  those  who  occupy  official  stations  in  the  church  it  says, 
'  Examine  the  tenure  by  which  you  hold  your  place,  and  if  you 
find  it  good,  then  be  diligent  in  doing  its  duties.  "  Give  full 
proof  of  your  ministry."  "  Feed  the  flock  of  God:"  be  gentle, 
laborious,  wise  shepherds.  Preach  the  truth — nothing  but  the 
truth — all  the  truth.  Eule  well, — "  rebuke,  instruct,  exhort, 
with  all  long-suffering  and  doctrine ;"  and  take  the  comfort  of 
the  kind  promise  of  the  Chief  Shepherd  to  the  faithful  under- 
shepherd — ^"  He  shall  go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture."  "  Lo,  I 
am  with  you  always."  ' 

To  the  members  of  the  church,  it  says,  '  Make  a  distinction 
among  things  that  differ.  "  Try  the  spirits."  Never  intrust  the 
management  of  your  spiritual  interests  to  any  whom  you  do  not, 
on  satisfactory  ground,  consider  as  one  of  the  shepherds  who  by 
the  porter  has  been  introduced  through  the  door  into  the  fold ; 
and  beware,  in  any  way,  of  giving  countenance  to  those  who 
have  climbed  up  some  other  way,  and  whom  your  Lord  warns 
you  against  as  thieves  and  robbers.  Place  yourselves  under  the 
care  of  one  as  your  own  shepherd,  who,  you  have  reason  to 
think,  has  indeed  entered  through  the  door ;  and,  having  done 
so,  treat  him  as  your  shepherd, — liear  his  voice — follow  him,  not 
by  any  means  implicitl}^,  but  wait  on  his  ministrations — and  re- 
ceive "from  him  "  with  meekness  the  ingrafted  word."  He  will 
never  ask  you  to  receive  anything  on  his  own  authority,  nor  to 
do  anything  merely  because  he  bids  you.  He  but  declares  to 
you  the  mind  and  will  of  our  common  Lord,  "  the  Great  Shep- 
herd of  the  sheep."  Take  kindly  his  warnings  and  reproofs. 
He  watches  for  your  souls,  as  one  who  knows  he  must  give  ac- 
count' 

Oh,  how  high  and  lioly  are  tlie  enjoyments  of  a  christian  pastor 
and  his  flock,  when  they  have  entire  confidence  in  each  other, 
and  mutually  strive  who  shall  best  perform  their  respective  du- 
ties !  Most  delightful  is  it  for  him  to  lead  them  to  the  green  pas- 
tures, and  to  make  them  repose  by  the  still  waters, — and  most 
delightful  for  them  to  enjoy  his  pastoral  care.     It  is  the  antepast 

3'^  Gray. 


PART  IV.]  CONCLUSION.  507 

of  that  full  feast  of  liolj  happiness,  when  all  the  true  sheep,  and 
all  the  true  shepherds,  gathered  together  in  the  great  fold  above, 
shall,  by  the  Chief  Shepherd,  "  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  be  fed  and  led  unto  living  fountains  of  waters,  and  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes.'"' 

33  There  are  two  elaborate  dissertations,  on  the  subject  of  this  Exposition,  in  the 
second  part  of  Hasffius'  and  Ikenius'  "  Thesaurus  Novus  Theologico-Philologicus," 
folio,  p.  501-525.  Their  titles  are,  "  Konigsinanni  curata  inquisitio  in  scopum  et 
sensum  parabolje  de  nialis  pastoribus,"  and  "  Baierus  de  verbis  Christi,  ndvrer 
oaoi  TTpo  Ffiov."  It  is  finely  said  of  this  paragraph,  chap.  x.  1-18,  by  Alexander 
Knox, — "This  portion  contains  almost  the  only  parable  which  St.  John  records; 
and  of  all  parables  which  are  recorded,  this  is  the  fullest  of  gentleness,  amiability, 
and  consolation.  It  gives  a  compendious  view  of  spiritual  Christianity;  tlie  deep- 
est, the  solidest,  the  sweetest,  the  serenest,  the  surest,  the  most  comprehensive, 
that  could  be  conveyed  in  words.  There  is  a  beautiful  idea  in  the  beginning  of 
Leighton's  fifteenth  lecture,  of  nature's  being  fitted  beforehand  for  the  elucidation 
of  Divine  truth.  This  semblance  of  a  shepherd  and  his  sheep  is  strongly  in  favor 
of  such  a  supposition." — Remains,  iv,  359. 


EXPOSITION  XIII, 

THE    GOOD    SHEPHERD. 
John  x.  11. — "  I  am  the  good  Shepherd." 

These  words,  in  common  with  most  of  our  Lord's  sayings,  are 
pregnant  words.  They  are,  like  their  Author,  "  full  of  truth," 
and  "  of  grace"  too.  They  are  at  once  transparently  clear,  and 
unfathomably  deep.  There  is  much  important  truth  on  the  sur- 
face— there  is  more,  much  more,  beneath  it.  Much  meaning 
meets  the  ear,  but  more  meets  the  mind.  The  words  express 
much — they  suggest  more.  They  are  replete  with  emphasis, 
and  rich  in  reference.  My  object  is  to  illustrate  and  apply  them  ; 
and,  as  preliminary  to  this,  to  ascertain  their  inie  meaning,  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  to  apprehend  their  whole  meaning. 

They  are  equivalent  to  '  I  am  a  Shepherd — I  am  a  good 
Shepherd — I  am  the  Shepherd — I  am  the  good  Shepherd.'  '  I 
am  A  Shepherd.' — I  stand  in  a  peculiar  relation  to  a  peculiar 
people,  who,  in  conformity  to  the  figurative  representation  em- 
ployed, arc  termed  my  sheep  ;  and  I  am  appointed  and  engaged 
to  perform  towards  them  certain  important  and  beneficial  offices. 
'  I  am  a  good  Shepherd.' — I  deserve  the  name,  for  I  possess  the 
appropriate  qualifications,  I  perform  the  appropriate  duties,  of 
the  character  I  sustain.  '  I  am  the  Shepherd' — the  Shepherd 
of  the  flock — the  one  Shepherd  of  the  one  flock ;  not  like  the 
sheph(n\l  mentioned  in  tlie  2d  verse  of  this  chapter,  who  is 
A  shepherd,  one  of  the  shepherds,  of  the  sheep ;  but  the  great 
Shepherd,  the  chief  Shepherd,  the  proprietor  Shepherd, 
"  whose  own  the  sheep  are,"' — ^the  Shepherd  of  the  shepherds,  as 
^vcll  as  of  the  sheep.  '  I  am  the  good  Shepherd.'' — I  possess,  in 
the  most  perfect  degree,  all  the  qualifications  which  are  requisite 
to  the  discharge  of  the  numerous,  and  varied,  and  difficult  duties 
of  this  most  exalted  office;  and  I  actually  do  perform  all  these 
duties  in  the  most  perfect  manner.  Such  is  the  emjjhasis  of  the 
words;  now  for  their  reference. 

'  I  am  that  good  Shepherd.' — To  understand  fully  the  mean- 
ing of  the  statements  of  our  Lord  and  his  apostles,  we  must  never 
forget  that  their  minds  were  completely  filled  with  the  contents 
of  that  Scripture  that  had  been  "given  by  inspiration  of  God;" 
and  that  they  spoke  to  people  whose  almost  only  book  was  the 


EXP.  XIII.]  THE   GOOD  SHEPHERD.  509 

Book  of  God,  and  .who  were,  maii}^  of  them,  very  familiar  with 
its  contents.  The  extent  of  tacit  reference  to  the  Old  Testament 
in  the  New,  and  the  importance  of  noticing  that  reference,  to 
bring  out  the  exact  form  and  impress  of  the  inspired  man's 
thought  and  feeling,  are  well  known  to  every  intelligent  student 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  "The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit 
of  prophec}^ ;'"  and  we  find  him  often  appealing  to  it,  sometimes 
directly  and  openly,  at  other  time  indirectly  and  tacitly.  The 
latter  sort  of  appeals  .are  not  the  least  striking  to  a  reflecting 
mind.  Our  Lord  seldom,  in  se  many  words,  claimed  Messiah- 
ship.  There  were  good  and  obvious  reasons  why  he  should  not 
have  so  claimed  it.  So  far  as  I  recollect,  a  distinct  recognition 
of  his  own  claims,  was  made  by  him  only  to  the  woman  of 
Samaria, — to  the  man  blind  from  his  birth,  when  excommuni- 
cated by  the  Sanhedrim,' — to  the  disciples  as  a  body,  after  Peter's 
answer  to  the  question,  "Whom  do  ye  say  that  I  am?" — be- 
fore Pontius  Pilate,  in  reply  to  the  question,  "  Art  thou  a  king, 
then  ?." — and  before  the  Sanhedrim,  when  adjured  by  the  high- 
priest  to  say  whether  he  was  the  Son  of  God.^  He  often  referred 
to  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  leaving  his  hearers  to  draw  the 
inference.  "While  he  was  with  his  disciples,  "  he  spake  to  them, 
saying,  that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled  which  were  written  in 
the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms,  con- 
cerning him."  He  often  used  appellations  such  as  "  the  Son  of 
God,"  and  "  the  Son  of  man" — appellations  given  in  the  pro- 
phetical oracles  of  the  Messiah, — in  a  way  which  showed  that  he 
applied  them  to  himself.  He  commenced  his  ministry  by  read- 
ing a  very  remarkable  prediction  respecting  the  Messiah,  recorded 
in  the  sixty-first  chapter  of  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  and  then 
declaring,  "This  day  is  this  Scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears."^ 
Wherf  he  proclaimed,  "I  am  the  light  of  the  world,  he  obviously 
referred  to  that  ancient  oracle  which  declares  that  Messiah  should 
be  "  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles ;'"  when  he  said,  "  I  came 
not  in  my  own  name,"  he  probably  referred  to  that  other  ancient 
oracle,  "  Blessed  be  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;"^ 
and  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that,  in  the  words  which 
form  the  subject  of  discourse,  he  referred  in  his  own  mind,  and 
he  meant  to  turn  the  minds  of  his  hearers,  to  those  passages  in 
the  inspired  predictions  in  which  the  great  Deliverer  promised 
to  God's  peculiar  people  is  represented  as  their  Shepherd — their 
proprietor  Shepherd — their  good  Shepherd.  It  is  just  as  if  he 
had,  in  the  hearing  of  those  whom  he  now  addressed  (as  in  the 
synagogue  at  Nazareth),  opened  the  book  of  the  prophets  and 
read: — "Get  thee  up  upon  a  high  moui^ain,  thou  that  publishest 
good  news  to  Zion  ;  raise  powerfully  thy  voice,  thou  that  publish- 
est good  news  to  Jerusalem.     Raise  it,  be  not  afraid ;  say  to  the 

'  Rev.  xix.  10. 

2  John  iv.  -IQ;  ix.  37.     Matt.  xvi.  11.     John  xviii.  37.     Matt.  xxvi.  63,  64. 

3  Luke  iv.  21.  *  John  viii.  12.     Isa.  jdii.  6. 
'  John  viii.  42.     Psal.  cxviii.  26. 


610  THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD,  [EXP.  XIII. 

cities  of  Judab,  Behold  your  God.  Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovah 
shall  come  with  might,  and  his  arm  shall  rule  for  him.  Behold, 
his  reward  is  with  him,  and  his  recompense  before  him.  He 
shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd ;  he  shall  gather  the  lambs  in 
his  arms,  and  carry  them  in  his  bosom :  he  shall  .gently  lead" 
the  milk-giving  ewes — "  those  who  are  with  the  young.""  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold  I,  even  I,  will  both  search  my  sheep, 
and  seek  them  out.  As  a  shepherd  seeketh  out  his  flock  in  the 
day  that  he  is  among  his  sheep  that  are  scattered ;  so  will  I  seek 
out  my  sheep,  and  will  deliver  them  out  of  all  places  Avhere  they 
have  been  scattered  in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day."  "  I  will  feed 
them,  in  a  good  pasture,  and  upon  the  high  mountains  of  Israel 
shall  their  fold  be :  there  shall  they  lie  in  a  good  fold,  and  in  a 
fat  pasture  shall  they  feed  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel.  I  will 
feed  my  flock,  and  I  will  cause  them  to  lie  down,  saith  the  Lord 
God.  I  will  seek  that  which  was  lost,  and  bring  again  that 
which  was  driven  away,  and  will  bind  up  that  which  was  broken, 
and  will  strengthen  that  which  was  sick."  "  And  I  will  set  up 
one  Shepherd  over  them,  and  he  shall  feed  them,  even  my  ser- 
vant David;  he  shall  feed  them,  and  he  shall  be  their  shepherd. 
And  I  the  Lord  will  be  their  God,  and  my  servant  David  a 
prince  among  them :  I  the  Lord  have  spoken  it."' — And,  on 
completing  the  reading,  had  closed  the  book,  and  proclaimed, 
"  This  day  is  the  Scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears," — "I  am  the 
good  Shepherd," — 'I  am  the  divinely-qualified,  the  divinely- 
commissioned,  the  divinely-accredited,  the  divine  Saviour,  prom- 
ised to  the  fathers.'  Such  is  an  attempt  to  get  at  the  import 
of  these  simple  but  sublime  and  striking  words,  "  I  am  the  good 
Shepherd." 

It  has  been  a  subject  of  discussion  among  interpreters,  wlicther 
the  leading  idea  suggested  by  the  term  "shepherd"  be  that  of  a 
ruler  or  of  an  instructor.  The  controversy  is  not  an  im])ortant 
one ;  for  though  it  does  seem  plain  that,  both  in  sacred  and  })rofane 
ancient  writers,  authority  rather  than  instruction  is  the  leading 
attribute  of  the  figurative  shepherd,*  yet,  in  the  case  before  us — 
that  of  the  ]\Iessiali — the  rule  referred  to  is  moral  rule,  the  empire 
of  truth  and  love  over  the  minds  and  hearts,  exercised  by  the 
agency  of  his  Spirit,  and  the  instrumentality  of  his  word.  In- 
deed, all  the  figurative  representations  of  the  Messiah,  as  a  proph- 
et, a  priest,  a  king,  a  physician,  a  husband,  a  surety,  a  shepherd, 
tlie  light  of  the  WDrld,  the  bread  of  life,  are  intended  to  bring 
before  our  minds  some  of  the  numerous  phases  of  the  all-com- 
prehensive character  of  Saviour — deliverer  from  evil  in  all 
its  forms,  and  in  all  its-  degrees ;  and  the  only  question  of  im- 
portance, in  reference  to  each  of  tliesc  figurative  representations, 
is,  What  is  the  truth  respecting  Christ's  saving  character  and 
work,  which  is  designed  to  be  presented  by  it  to  our  intelligent 
faith  and  affectionate  contemplation  ?     This,  then,  is  tlie  question 

«  Isa.  xl.  9-11. — Heiulerson.  ^  Ezek.  xxxiv.  11-24.     Mic.  ii,  12,  13. 

8  Horn.  Iliad  A,  263.     Jcr.  xxii.  22,  23. 


EXP.  XIII.]  THE   GOOD   SHEPHEKD.  511 

in  reference  to  the  figurative  representation  of  our  Lord  in  our 
text  as  tlie  good  Shepherd, — to  an  attempt  to  answer  which  the 
remaining  part  of  these  observations  are  to  be  devoted. 

That  question  might  be  answered  by  showing,  first,  that  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  does  indeed  possess  all  those  qualifications 
which  enable  him  to  perform  towards  his  peculiar  people  all  those 
kind  ofi&ces  which  are  naturally  emblematized  by  the  conduct  of 
a  good  shepherd  to  his  flock, — that  he  has  all  the  knowledge,  all 
the  wisdom,  all  the  power,  all  the  authority,  all  the  kindness,  all 
the  faithfulness,  all  the  peculiar  interest,  which  are  required  for 
this  purpose  ;  and  then,  that  our  Lord  Jesas  actually  does  mani- 
fest these  qualifications  in  a  performance  of  all  these  ofiices, — 
rescuing  his  sheep  from  the  power  of  the  great  thief  and  robber, 
and  bringing  them  into  His  own  flock,' — providing  them  witb 
nourishment,  refreshment,  and  repose, — guarding  them  from 
danger,  guiding  them  in  perplexity,  healing  their  diseases,  re- 
claiming them  fi-om  their  w^anderings  (for  though  the  Shepherd 
never  forsakes  the  sheep,  the  sheep  sometimes  forsake  the  Shep- 
herd) ;  and  at  last,  at  the  close  of  the  great  day  of  time,  safely 
housing  them  in  his  heavenly  fold.  This  would  open  up  a  very 
delightful  field  in  which  the  christianly  devout  mind  would  not 
soon  become  weary  of  expatiating ;  but  to  traverse  it  at  all  in  a 
satisfactory  way,  would  require  more  time  than  we  can  at  pres- 
ent devote  to  it. 

I  prefer  another,  and  what  I  cannot  help  thinking  a  better, 
way  of  answering  the  question.  I  shall  endeavor  to  bring  out, 
in  strong  relief,  our  Lord's  own  illustrations  of  his  own  declara- 
tion— "I  am  the  good  Shepherd."  He  is  the  good  Shepherd, 
as  he  secures  for  his  peculiar  people  all  the  blessings  they  stand 
in  need  of.  "While  the  "thief  cometh  not  but  to  steal,  and  to 
kill,  and  to  destroy,"  he  cometh  that  his  sheep  may  have,  and 
retain,  life ;'  and  that,  so  far  from  being  deprived  of  anything, 
they  may  have  abundance  of  everything  necessary  for  their  wel- 
fare. "  I  give  unto  my  sheep  eternal  life ;  and  they  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand."'"  He  is 
the  good  Shepherd,  as  he  secures  these  advantages  to  them  at 
the  greatest  conceivable  expense  to  himself, — he  secures  them  by 
"  giving  himself  for  the  sheep.""  He  is  the  good  Shepherd,  as 
there  subsists  the  most  intimate  and  endearing  mutual  acquaint- 
ance and  intercourse  between  him  and  his  people.  "  He  knows 
his  sheep,  and  he  is  known  of  his  sheep ;  even  as  the  Father 
knoweth  him,  and  he  knows  the  Father."'''  He  is  the  good  Shep- 
herd, as  he  cares  for  the  happiness,  he  secures  the  salvation,  of  all 
his  people.  "  Other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold ; 
them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice ;  and  there 
shall  be  one  fold  (rather  one  flock),  and  one  Shepherd.""  To 
these  FOUR  illustrations  of  our  Lord,  confirmatory  of  his  asser- 
tion, "  I  am  the  good  Shepherd,"  let  us,  then,  apply  our  awakened 

9  John  X.  10.  '«  John  x.  28.  "  John  x.  11. 

'2  John  X.  14,  15.  '3  John  x.  16. — rroi/iVTi,  not  av?.7J. 


512  THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  [EXP.  XIII. 

minds.  And,  oli !  may  all  of  us,  while  tlius  employed,  be  en- 
abled to  sing  to  Him  in  onr  hearts,  making  melody  in  his  ears, 
ever  open  to  such  music,  "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd,  I  shall  not 
want," — a  jDsalm  some  of  us  have  often  said  before  being  laid  to 
sleep  in  our  cradle, — a  psalm  which  we  would  wish  to  say  again, 
when  about  to  lay  ourselves  to  sleep  in  our  grave. 

I.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  good  Shepherd ;  as  he  secures  for  his 
peculiar  people  all  the  blessings  they  stand  in  need  of. 

An  official  person  deserves  the  epithet  good  in  the  degree  in 
which  he  answers  the  purpose  for  which  the  office  is  designed. 
He  is  a  good  king  who  secures  order,  peace,  and  prosperity  to  his 
subjects.  He  is  a  good  physician  who  preserves  health  and  cures 
disease.  He  is  a  good  Shepherd  who  protects  his  sheep  from 
danger,  and  obtains  for  them  abundant  wholesome  nourishment 
— refreshing  drink — seasonable  repose.  He  is  a  good  saviour 
who  delivers  from  all  evil,  and  who  obtains  for  those  whom  he 
saves  every  kind,  and  a  high  degree  of  every  kind,  of  enjoyment. 
Now  this  is  the  truth  in  regard  to  Jesus,  our  Saviour.  He  "  saves 
his  people  from  their  sins" — he  "  redeems  Israel  from  all  his  in- 
iquities"— he  delivers  them  from  all  their  enemies — he  dehvers 
them  "from  the  power  of  darkness" — he  delivers  them  from  "the 
present  evil  world" — he  delivers  them  from  "the  wrath  to  come" 
— and  he  gives  them  "  the  redemption  that  is  in  him,  through  his 
blood — the  forgiveness  of  sins ;"  he  gives  them  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  "  the  one  heart,"  and  "  the  new  spirit,"  which  are  the  result 
of  his  operation;  he  gives  them  "peace  with  God,"  and  "good 
hope,"  and  solid  jdy,  and  "  abundant  consolation,"  and  "  eternal 
life" — even  "  the  salvation  that  is  in  himself,  with  eternal  glory"'* 
— deliverance  from  evil  in  all  its  forms  and  degrees  for  ever  and 
ever,  and  enjoyments  suited  to  all  their  varied  capacities  of  en- 
joyment ;  and  filling  every  one  of  them  to  an  overflow,  during 
the  whole  eternity  of  their  being. 

The  fact  that  Jesus  Christ  does  thus  secure  for  his  peculiar  peo- 
ple all  the  blessings  they  stand  in  need  of,  is  brought  before  the 
mind  in  a  very  interesting  way  in  the  passage  before  us.  Our 
Lord  contrasts  the  tendency  and  the  effects  of  his  coming  as  the 
good  Shepherd  with  the  tendency  and  the  effects  of  the  coming 
of  one  whom  he  calls  "  the  thief.'''  '  The  thief  cometh  not  but  to 
steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to  destroy  ;  I  am  come  that  they  may  have 
life,  and  that  they  may  have  it  more  abundantly' — or  rather,  for 
you  will  notice  that  it^  being  printed  in  italics,  is  a  sapplemcnt — 
"that  they  may  have  in  abundance."  Many  good  interpreters 
suppose  that  our  Lord  contrasts  liimself  with  tlie  carnal  rulers 
and  teachers  of  the  Jews,  whose  objects  were  selllsh,  and  whose 
teaching  and  guidance  were  mischievous  and  destnictLve  ;  but  I 
cannot  help  thinking  that  this  is  a  mistake.  In  the  former  part 
of  the  cliajjtcr,  a  thief  is  contrasted  with  A  sheplicrd;  here,  it  is 

'^  Matt.  i.  21.  Psal.  cxxx.  8.  Col.  i.  13.  Gal.  i.  -1.  Eph.  i.  7.  Ezek.  .xi.  19. 
Rom.  V.  1.     2  Thess.  ii.  1«.     Rom.  vi.  2o.     2  Tim.  ii.  10. 


EXP,  XIII.]  THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  513 

THE  thief  and  the  shepherd.  "  The  thief"  either  signifies  some 
one  individual,  called,  by  way  of  eminence,  "the  thief;"  or  it  is 
•used  as  equivalent  to  "thieves,"  to  mark  what  is  common  to  the 
class. 

In  the  first  case  there  can  be  no  doubt  whom  "  the  thief"  would 
denote — the  murderous  felon.  Whom  could  it  denote  but  him 
who  stole  into  Eden,  stealthily  bereaved  man  of  his  best  property, 
and  proved  himself  a  murderer  as  well  as  a  thief — the  liar  and 
manslayer  from  the  beginning?  On  this  supposition,  the  contrast 
would  be  very  striking.  "  The  wicked  one"  came  originally,  and 
still  "  comes,  to  steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to  destroy,"  He  who  comes 
to  destro}^  the  works  of  this  wicked  one,  "  comes  not  to  kill,"  but 
that  life  might  be  retained;  "  nor  to  steal" — to  take  away  what 
is  valuable,  but  greatly  to  increase  the  property  of  those  to  whom 
he  comes.  The  great  objection  to  this  interpretation  is,  that  you 
cannot  carry  its  principle  throughout ;  for  if  the  thief  be  the  devil, 
then  who  is  the  hireling  ? 

The  second  mode  of  interpreting  the  term,  "  The  thief,"  as  being 
equivalent  to  "  thieves,"  seems  the  just  one.  In  this  case,  then,  as 
well  as  in  the  case  of  the  hireling,  we  have  the  usual  Hebraistic, 
emphatic  mode  of  announcing  a  truth,  by  stating  it  first  nega- 
tively and  then  positively.  "  I  am  not  like  the  thief  who,  when 
he  comes  to  the  sheep-fold,  comes  to  plunder  and  to  kill ;  I  am 
like  the  shepherd,  the  good  shepherd,  who,  when  he  comes  to  his 
flock,  comes  to  protect  their  life  and  to  increase  their  comforts." 
"  Life  and  abundance  "  are  a  comprehensive  summary  of  all  hap- 
piness— the  capacity  of  enjoyment,  and  everything  that  is  neces- 
sary to  fill  that  capacity,  Christ  secures  for  his  people,  not  only 
life,  but  a  royal  life — "they  rpign  in  life;"  not  only  "  grace  and 
the  gift  of  righteousness,"  but  "abundance  of  grace,  and  of  the 
gift  of  righteousness."  He  "  blesses  them  with  all  heavenly  and 
spiritual  blessings."  He  "supplies  their  need,  according  to  his 
glorious  riches."  He  "  makes  all  grace  to  abound  to  them  " — 
"forgiving  all  their  iniquities — healing  all  their  diseases — crown- 
ing them  with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies.""  And  the 
blessings  he  bestows  are  as  permanent  as  they  are  numerous,  and 
abundant,  and  valuable  :  "  I  give  unto  my  sheep  eternal  life  " — 
ever-during  happiness ;  "  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither 
shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father  who  gave  them 
me  is  greater  than  all ;  and  none  can  pluck  them  out  of  my 
Father's  hand.  I  and  my  Father  are  ONE."  Yes ;  "  the  counsel 
of  peace  is  between  them  both."" 

II.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  good  Shepherd ;  as  he  secures  those 
advantages  which  he  obtains  for  his  people  at  the  greatest  con- 
ceivable expense  to  himself 

It  is  a  proof  of  kindness  to  confer  benefits  ;  but  the  proof  be- 
comes greatly  stronger  when  the  conferring  of  the  benefit  neces- 

's  Rom.  V.  17.     Eph.  i.  3,     2  Cor.  ix.  8.     PsaL  ciii.  3,  4. 
"John  X.  30.     Zech.  vi.  13. 
VOL,  I.  d3 


5X4  THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  [EXP.  XIII. 

sarily  implies  macli  exertion,  sacrifice,  and  suffering,  on  the  part 
of  tlic  bencf\ictor.     In  the  case  of  the  good  Shepherd,  we  have 
this  additional  evidence  in  the  highest  conceivable  form.     These 
blessings  could  not  have  been  secured  for  the  sheep  but  l^J  the 
sacrifice  of  the  shepherd's  life ;  and  that  sacrifice  was  cheerfully 
made.     "  The  good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep  ;  but 
he  who  is  an  hireling,  and  not  the  shepherd,  whose  own  the  sheep 
are  not,  seeth  the  wolf  coming,  and  leaveth  the  sheep,  and  fleeth, 
and  the  wolf  catchcth  them,  and  scattereth  the  sheep.     The  hire- 
ling fleeth  because  he  is  an  hireling,  and  careth  not  for  the  sheep. 
Here  we  have,  as  in  the  former  case,  an  emphatic  double  state- 
ment :  '  I  am  not  like  a  hireling  shepherd.     He  may,  for  his  own 
advantage,  take  care  of  the  sheep,  when  the  care  of  them  exposes 
him  to  no  hazard ;  but  let  dangers  arise,  let  the  flock  be  attacked 
by  wild  beasts— resisting  which  might  endanger  his  life— he  be- 
takes himself  to  flight,  and  leaves  the  sheep  to  their  fate.     I  am 
like  the  proprietor  shepherd,  who  has  a  peculiar  interest  m  the 
flock ;  and  so  deep  is  that  interest  in  my  case,  that  I  not  only  ex- 
pose my  life  to  danger,  but  I  lay  it  down  for  the  sheep.      The 
thought  naturally  rises  :  But  if  he  lay  down  his  life  for  the  sheep, 
how  can  he  subsequently  take  care  of  them?     It  is  to  meet  this 
thought  that  he  says :  "  I  lay  down  my  life  that  I  may  take  it 
again."    '  I  lay  down  my  life  to  secure  these  blessings ;  I  take  my 
life  again,  that  I  may  bestow  them.     Because  I  die,  they  are 
saved  from  death  by  my  dying ;  because  I  live,  they  live  also  by 

my  life.'  .  ^  •   n 

Let  us  endeavor  to  bring  out  a  little  more  distinctly  this  figura- 
tive illustration  of  the  close  connection  subsisting  between  the 
death  of  Christ  and  the  salvation  of  his  people.  For  this  purpose 
a  clear  apprehension  of  the  figure  is  necessary.  It  may  be  this  : 
The  flock  has  been  carried  off  by  the  thief  and  robber,  and  he  is 
determined  to  resist  all  attempts  to  wrest  from  him  his  ill-earned 
booty.  The  shepherd  must  engage  in  conflict  with  him.  The 
proud  defiance  of  the  lawless  one,  supported  by  his  legions,  is : 
"  Shall  the  prey  be  taken  from  the  mighty  ;  shall  the  captives  of 
the  terrible  one  be  delivered  ?""  The  shepherd  enters  on  a  com- 
bat apparently  more  unequal  than  that  of  David  with  Goliath. 
Alone  he  attacks  his  numerous  assailants ;  and  falls  under  their 
foul  and  murderous  blows.  A  shout  of  triumph  rises  from  the 
felon  crew.  But  the  triumph  is  short— the  joy  is  but  for  a 
moment.  The  smitten  Shepherd,  having  touched  the  earth,  rises 
from  the  bed  of  death,  and,  armed  with  preternatural  strength, 
overwhelms  with  shame  and  discomfiture  the  arnues  of  robbers, 
and  takes  possession  of  his  flock,  now  doubly  his  own.  The  ap- 
plication of  the  figure,  in  this  view  of  it,  to  the  victory  of  Christ 
over  Satan,  and  the  emancipation  of  his  people,  who  were  en- 
thralled by  him,  is  obvious  and  easy. 

Or  this  may  be  the  figure  :   The  (lock  is  attacked  by  a  herd  ot 
ferocious  wild  beasts;   the  shepherd  rushes  in  between  them, 

'"  Isa.  xlix.  '24. 


EXP.  XIII.]  THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD.  515 

diverts  their  attention  from  the  sheep,  and  becomes  himself  a  prey 
to  their  ravenous  appetites.  But  scarcely  has  he  fallen,  when  he 
again  rises,  and  completely  destroys  the  whole  herd  of  wolves  and 
lions — setting  his  sheep  entirely  free  from  all  danger  from  their 
craft  and  cruelty.  In  this  view  of  the  figure,  we  see  death,  and 
the  other  penal  evils  to  which  the  whole  race  to  which  our  Lord's 
flock  belongs  had  exposed  themselves,  laying  hold  on  the  Ee- 
deemer ;  and  as  he  submits  to  these,  we  hear  him  saying :  "  Oh 
Death !  I  will  be  thy  plague  ;  Oh  Grave !  I  will  be  thy  destruc- 
tion.'"* "We  see  him  destroying  death,  by  dying ;  ransoming 
from  the  grave,  by  lying  down  in  it ;  redeeming  from  the  curse, 
by  becoming  a  curse  ;  bearing,  and  by  bearing,  bearing  away  the 
sins  of  men. 

In  either  view  of  the  figure,  it  strikingly  brings  out  the  con- 
nection there  is  between  the  death  of  Christ  and  the  salvation  of 
his  people.  The  last  view  strikes  us  as  most  probably  the  true 
one.  It  brings  more  fully  before  our  mind  the  great  truth  re- 
specting the  nature  of  this  connection,  so  often  indicated  by  the 
death  of  Christ  being  represented  as  an  expiatory  sacrifice  ;  that 
what  he  suffered,  was  suffered  not  only  for  the  benefit,  but  in  the 
room,  of  his  people  ;  that  he  suffered  what  they  are  liable  to ;  and 
that  it  was  by  his  having  suffered  it  that  they  are  freed  from 
suffering  it.  It  is  the  same  truth  that  is  so  beautifully  taught — 
taught,  as  some  excellent  expositors  suppose,  under  the  same  set 
of  figurative  representations  in  Isaiah's  prophecy  :  "  All  we  like 
sheep  had  gone  astray ;  we  had  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way  ; 
and  the  Lord  made  the  iniquities  of  us  all" — the  ill  deserts — the 
penal  evils  due  to  our  sins — like  so  many  beasts  of  pre}^  ready  to 
devour  zis — "to  fall  upon  /urn,"  our  surety-shepherd.  "  And  he 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our 
iniquities :  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  by 
his  stripes  we  are  healed."  In  the  first  view  of  the  figure,  we  see 
him  "  spoiling  principalities  and  powers,  and  triumphing  over 
them  in  his  cross.'"'  In  the  other,  we  see  him  making  provision 
for  our  being  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him,  hy  becoming 
a  siu-ofi'ering  in  our  room.^" 

In  dying,  and  in  thics  dying,  Jesus  Christ  manifested  in  a  re- 
markable manner  his  love  of  those  whom  he  terms  his  sheep : 
"  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his 
life  for  his  friends."'"  And  then  such  a  life  as  was  laid  down  ! — 
a  life  more  valuable  than  all  the  lives  of  men  or  of  angels — the 
life  of  an  absolutely  innocent,  an  absolutely  perfect,  man — a  man 
possessed  of  all  possible  wisdom,  and  holiness,  and  benignity — a 
man  infinitely  dignified  by  personal  union  to  Divinity !  The 
blood  shed  for  us,  and  by  which  we  are  redeemed,  is  infinitely 
more  valuable,  and  theretbro  the  shedding  of  it  infinitely  more 
expressive  of  love,  than  would  have  been  the  sacrifice  of  the  whole 
created  universe.  And  then,  still  further,  the  life  was  laid  down 
in  the  room  of  the  guilty ;  the  death  was  the  death  of  a  victim. 

'3  Ho8.  xiii.  14.        '3l8a.liii.  6,  6.  Col.  ii.  15.        2-j  2  Cor.  v.  21.        21  John  xv.  18. 


516  THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD.  [EXP.  XIH. 

Ah  !  to  die  on  the  field  of  battle  in  a  glorious  cause  is  a  very  dif- 
ferent thing  from  dying  on  a  cross  like  a  felonious  slave.  Yes, 
the  death  of  our  Lord,  for  the  salvation  of  his  people,  is  an  over- 
whelming proof  that  he  is  the  good  Shepherd  ! 

III.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  good  Shepherd,  as  there  subsists  the 
most  intimate  and  endearing  mutual  acquaintance  and  intercourse 
between  him  and  his  people. 

'  I  am  not  like  an  hireling,  who  cares  not  for  the  sheep,  and 
for  whom  the  sheep  do  not  care  ;  but  I  am  like  the  good  proprie- 
tor shepherd — ^I  have  a  deep  interest  in  them.'  "  I  know  my 
sheep,  and  am  known  of  mine ;  even  as  the  Father  knoweth  me, 
and  I  know  the  Father."  To  perform  the  offices  of  a  good 
shepherd,  intimate  knowledge  of,  and  ft-equent  kindly  intercourse 
with,  his  flock,  are  necessary ;  and  whenever  these  offices  are 
performed  the  sheep  readily  recognize  their  shepherd,  and  show 
satisfaction  in  seeing  his  person — hearing  his  voice — following  in 
his  steps.  This  is  remarkably  the  case  in  oriental  countries,  and 
affords  a  beautiful  figurative  representation  of  the  mut  nal  regard 
which  subsists  between  our  Lord  and  his  peculiar  peo|)le. 

He  knows  them — he  distinguishes  them  from  those  who  do 
not  belong  to  his  flock.  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his."" 
No  hypocritical  art,  however  exquisite,  can  impose  on  him  ;  and 
no  bashful  retiredness  of  disposition  can  conceal  genuine  disciple- 
ship.  The  best  of  the  under-shepherds,  however  sagacious,  may 
be  often  mistaken  both  ways ;  EH  may  mistake  Hannah  for  a 
drunkard,"  and  Jehoiada  may  suppose  Joash  a  pious  youth ;"  but 
the  good  Shepherd  is  never  deceived. 

He  knows  them ;  ^,  e.,  he  is  intimately  acquainted  with  them 
individually.  He  needs  not  that  any  one  should  testify  of  them 
— he  knows  what  is  in  them.  He  knows  everything  pertaining 
to  them — all  the  peculiarities  of  their  constitution,  "  he  knows 
their  frame" — all  the  incidents  of  their  historj' — all  their  excel- 
lencies and  all  their  faults — all  the  strong  and  all  the  weak  points 
of  their  character — all  their  fears,  anxieties,  and  sorrows — so  as  to 
be  able  to  suit  the  communications  of  his  grace  to  the  exigencies 
of  each  of  them. 

He  knows  them ;  i.  e.,  he  acknowledges  them  as  his  peculiar 
property — the  objects  of  his  peculiar  love  and  care.  This  is  not 
an  uncommon  use  of  the  word  know,  in  Scripture:  "You  only 
have  I  known  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth."  "Depart  from 
me ;  I  never  knew  you.""'  He  recognizes  them  as  his.  He 
manifests  himself  to  them  in  another  way  than  he  does  to  the 
world.  He  and  his  Father  come  to  them,  and  make  their  abode 
in  them — dwell  in  them — walk  in  them.  He  shows  them  his 
glory.  He  gives  them  his  spirit — the  seal  of  their  disciple- 
ship — the  earnest  of  their  inheritance.  He  sets  an  indelible  mark 
on  them,  showing  that  they  are  his  "  purchased  possession." 

22  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  23  1  Sam.  i.  13. 

'»  2  Kings  xii.  2S  Amos  iii.  2.     Matt.  vii.  28. 


EXP.  XIII.]  THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  517 

And  this  intimate  knowledge  and  intercourse  is  mutual.  As 
HE  knows  his  slieep,  he  is  known  of  them.  If  the  sheep  do  not 
know  the  shepherd,  it  is  a  proof  that  he  is  not  a  good  shepherd. 
Our  Lord  does  not  want  this  mark  of  being  a  good  shepherd ;  for 
all  his  peculiar  people  know  him. 

They  can  distinguish  him  from  all  others.  The  language  of 
their  minds  and  hearts  is,  "  None  but  Christ,  none  but  Christ," 
as  the  ground  of  hope — as  the  Lord  of  the  conscience — as  "  the 
one  mediator  between  God  and  man." 

They  are  intimately  acquainted  with  him.  They  know  him, 
and  follow  on  to  know'  him,  and  count  all  things  loss  for  his 
excellent  knowledge.  They  delight  in  studying  the  truth  about 
him,  as  revealed  in  his  Word.  The  divinity  of  his  person — the 
perfection  of  his  atonement — the  prevalence  of  his  intercession — 
the  omnipotence  of  his  grace — the  tenderness  of  his  conxpassion 
— the  faithfulness  of  his  promises — "  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
his  inheritance  in  the  saints — ^the  excellent  greatness  of  his  power 
towards  them  who  believe'"**- — ^these  are  among  the  things  most 
firmly  believed  among  them. 

And  they  know  him  experimentally.  They  have  experienced 
his  wise  guidance  and  his  condescending  care — ^the  depth  of  his 
wisdom  and  the  tenderness  of  his  heart — in  his  conduct  to  them 
individually.  They  have,  as  it  were,  not  only  heard  of  him,  but 
they  have  heard  his  voice — they  have  seen  his  countenance,  they 
have  "  looked  on  him,  and  their  hands  have  handled  the  Word 
of  Life."  They  have  eaten  his  flesh,  and  drunk  his  blood,  and 
know  and  are  sure  that  "  his  flesh  is  meat  indeed — ^his  blood  drink 
indeed."" 

Still  further:  they  acknowledge  and  recognize  him  as  their 
Shepherd.  He  is  "  the  Apostle,  the  High  Priest,"  the  Shepherd, 
of  "  their  profession."'*  They  hear  his  voice — ^they  follow  in  his 
steps.  Where  he  goes,  they  go ;  where  he  lodges,  they  lodge. 
His  people  is  their  people — his  God,  their  God,  Their  whole 
character  and  conduct  say,  "  I  am  Christ's."  What  is  said  in 
reference  to  the  faithfal  under-shepherd,  is  true  in  a  higher  sense 
of  the  great  Shepherd  :■ — "  The  sheep  follow  him,  for  they  know 
his  voice ;  and  a  stranger  they  will  not  follow,  but  will  flee  from 
him,  for  they  know  not  the  voice  of  a  stranger." 

The  illustration  which  our  Lord  gives  of  the  intimate  and 
endearing  acquaintanceship  and  intercourse  which  exist  between 
him  and  his  people,  is  derived  from  a  comparison  which  could 
scarcely  have  entered  into  any  human  imagination  ;  and  if  it  had, 
he  must  have  been  a  bold,  if  not  an  impious  man,  who  should 
have  dared  to  utter  it :  "I  know  my  sheep,  and  am  known  of 
mine  ;  even  as  the  Father  knoweth  me,  and  I  know  the  Father ;" 
for  this,  according  to  the  most  learned  and  judicious  interpreters, 
is  the  manner  in  which  the  words  should  be  construed.  An 
attentive  observer  of  mankind  miist  have  noticed  that  the  mode 
of  illustrating  a  sentiment  often  marks  the  peculiar  character, 

•^5  Eph.  i.  18,  19.  27  1  John  i.  1.     John  vi.  65.  ^  Heb.  iii.  1. 


518  THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  [EXP,  XIII. 

circumstances,  profession,  and  pursuit,  of  him  wlio  employs  it. 
The  same  subject — the  same  principle — is  very  differently  stated 
and  illustrated  by  different  men.  The  agriculturist,  the  mer- 
chant, the  lawyer,  the  physician,  the  soldier,  the  minister  of 
religion,  will  generally,  when  speaking  unrestrainedly  on  almost 
any  subject,  give  token  to  a  sagacious  hearer  by  which  to  form  a 
probable  conjecture  regarding  their  respective  professions. 

The  general  principle  now  referred  to  is  applicable  to  our 
Lord.  He  uses  illustrations  natural  to  him,  which  never  would 
have  occurred  to  any  other,  and  which  plainly  tell  us  he  was 
"  not  of  this  world" — he* was  "  from  above.""  He  borrows  his 
illustrations  from  the  heavenly  state,  and  from  the  very  adytum 
of  the  celestial  temple — the  holy  of  holies — the  holiest  of  all. 
Who  but  Christ — he  who  had  been  "in  the  bosom  of  the 
Father" — would  have  used  such  language  as  this  to  illustrate 
his  love  to  his  people  ?  "As  the  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have 
I  loved  you"  ?'"  And  who  but  he  would  have  sought,  in  the 
ineffable  intimacies  of  the  Father  and  his  Only  Begotten,  an 
illustration  of  the  mutual,  intimate  knowledge,  and  complacential 
intercourse  of  himself  and  his  chosen  ones? 

This  is  a  subject  dark  through  excess  of  brightness ;  yet  we 
cannot  choose  but  gaze  a  little  on  it.  However  incapable  we 
may  be  of  conceiving  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Divine  Persons 
apprehend  truth,  nothing  can  be  more  apparent  than  that  there 
must  be  the  most  perfect  mutual  knowledge  and  mutual  com- 
placency among  the  mj^sterious  Three,  who,  having  the  same 
Divine  nature,  must  have  one  mind — one  will ;  and  that  mind, 
the  perfect  light — that  will,  the  absolute  good.  The  Father 
knows  the  Son" — thoroughly  knows  him  ;  he  regards  him  with 
most  complacential  delight ;  and  he  acknowledged  him,  no  doubt 
— though  in  a  way  we  can  form  no  conception  of — from  all 
eternity.  We  can,  however,  form  a  conception  of  the  way  in 
which  he  acknowledged  him  on  earth,  and  is  acknowledging  him 
in  heaven.  He  gave  his  Spirit  to  him  without  measure.  He 
sustained  him  amid  all  his  toils  and  sufferings.  He  bore  witness 
to  bim  by  the  mighty  Avorks  which  he  enabled  him  to  perform. 
He  again  and  again,  from  the  most  excellent  glory,  proclaimed, 
"  This  is  my  beloved  Son ;  hear  ye  him."""  He  raised  him  from 
the  dust  of  death — he  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand,  and  said  to 
him,  "  Sit  on  my  rigiit  hand,  till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  foot- 
stool."" And  while  he  is  bringing  him  into  the  possession  of 
the  world  he  proclaims,  "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship 
him."^* 

In  like  manner,  "the  Son  knows  the  Father."  He  is  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  his  perfections,  his  purposes,  and  his 
works;  and  regards  all  these  with  infinite  complacency.  And 
as  he  knows,  so  also  does  he  acknowledge  the  Father.     This  he 

■^  Joliu  viii.  23.  »  John  i.  18  ;  xv.  9. 

J'  Matt.  xL  27.  ^2  Matt.  iii.  17  ;  xvii.  6. 

33  PsaL  ex.  1.  34  jieb.  i.  6  ;  comp.  Psal.  xcviL  7. 


EXP.  XIII,]  THE   GOOD  SHEPHERD.  51<^ 

did  when  on  earth ;  in  everything  doing  his  Father's  will,  and 
saying,  in  reference  to  his  human  inclinations,  "  Not  as  I  will, 
but  as  thou  wilt ;'"'  and  this  he  is  doing  in  heaven  ;  for  there  he 
is  "declaring  his  Father's  name  to  his  brethren;  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  congregation"  of  his  chosen  "is  he  singing  His 
praise.'""  When  it  is  said  that  as  the  Father  knoweth  the  Son, 
and  the  Son  knows  the  Father,  so  does  the  good  Shepherd  know 
his  sheep,  and  is  known  of  them,  the  meaning,  so  far  as  they  are 
concerned  at  least,  is  merely  that  there  is  resemblance,  not 
equality ;  for  "  as  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son,  so 
no  man  knoweth  the  Son  but  the  Father."  The  idea  is,  that 
there  is  as  really  a  peculiar,  mutual  knowledge  and  acknowledg- 
ment between  the  good  Shepherd  and  his  sheep,  as  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  and  that  it  has  the  same  character  of  com- 
placential  affectionateness. 

rV.  The  only  other  illustration  of  the  appellation,  "  the  good 
Shepherd,"  as  applied  to  our  Lord,  to  which  I  mean  to  call 
attention,  is  that  suggested  in  the  16th  verse  of  the  chapter. 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  good  Shepherd,  as  he  cares  for  all  his 
sheep:  "Other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold:  them 
also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice  ;  and  there  shall 
be  oneyo/(i,"  or  rather  one  JlocF'' — "one  Shepherd." 

He  is  not  a  good  shepherd  who  overlooks  any  part  of  the  flock 
committed  to  his  care:  he  is  the  good  shepherd  who  protects, 
and  guides,  and  feeds,  and  cares  for  all.  When  our  Lord  uttered 
the  words  before  us,  his  charge  on  earth  was  a  very  "  little 
flock,""®  and  was  chiefly,  if  not  exclusively,  to  be  found  within 
the  fold  of  the  Jewish  economy.  But  our  Lord  well  knew  that 
it  was  not  to  be  always  so.  He  remembered  the  decree  that  had 
gone  forth  :  "Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for 
thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy 
possession."^"  He  remembered  the  exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises  which  had  been  made  to  him, — that  he  should  "  see  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul — see  his  seed,  and  have  the  mighty  for  his 
portion — the  strong  for  his  spoil.""  He  remembered  that  it  had 
been  said  of  old  of  him,  "  He  shall  have  dominion  also  from  sea 
to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.  They  that 
dwell  in  the  Avilderness  shall  bow  before  him ;  and  his  enemies 
shall  lick  the  dust.  The  kings  of  Tarshish  and  of  the  isles  shall 
bring  presents :  the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba  shall  offer  gifts. 
Yea,  all  kings  shall  fall  down  before  him ;  all  nations  shall  serve 
him.""  He  knew  Him  who  had  said,  "  It  is  a  light  thing  that 
thou  shouldest  be  my  servant,  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob, 
and  to  restore  the  preserved  of  Israel ;  I  will  also  give  thee  for  a 
light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayest  be  my  salvation  unto  the 
end  of  the  earth.     Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  Kedeerner  of  Israel, 

3J  Matt  xxvi.  89.  ^^  Psal.  xxii.  22.  ^''  ■jzoifivr],  not  ailTJ. 

33  Luke  xii.  32. — The  roipvr]  was  indeed  noifiviov.         ^s  Psal.  ii.  8. 
<"  Isa,  liii.  12.  <'  Psal.  Ixxii.  8-11. 


520  THE   GOOD  SHEPHERD.  [EXP.  XUI. 

and  his  Holy  One,  to  Mm  whom  man  despiseth,  to  him  whom 
the  nation  abhorreth,  to  a  servant  of  rulers,  kings  sliall  see  and 
arise,  princes  also  shall  worship,  because  of  the  Lord  that  is 
faithful,  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  and  he  shall  choose  tliee. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  In  an  acceptable  time  have  I  heard  thee, 
,  and  in  a  day  of  salvation  have  I  helped  thee  ;  and  I  will  preserve 
thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  to  establish  the 
earth,  to  cause  to  inherit  the  desolate  heritages  :  that  thou  mayest 
say  to  the  prisoners,  Go  forth;  to  them  that  are  in  darkness, 
Show  yourselves :  they  shall  feed  in  the  ways,  and  their  pastures 
shall  be  in  all  high  places.  They  shall  not  hunger  nor  thirst, 
neither  shall  the  heat  nor  sun  smite  them :  for  he  that  hath 
mercy  on  them  shall  lead  them,  even  by  the  springs  of  water 
shall  he  guide  them.  And  I  will  make  all  my  mountains  a  way, 
and  my  highways  shall  be  exalted.  Behold,  these  shall  come 
from  far  ;  and  lo,  these  from  the  north  and  from  the  west ;  and 
these  Irom  the  land  of  Sinim."" 

In  the  full  assured  belief  of  these  declarations,  with  a  clear 
apprehension  of  the  vast  extent  of  ofl&cial  saving  care  committed 
to  him,  we  find  him  saying,  "Many  shall  come  from  the  east 
and  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  "  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  His  object  was,  to 
"  gather  together  in  one  the  children  of  God  that  were  scattered 
abroad"*^  in  all  the  countries  of  the  world,  throughout  all  the 
ages  of  time.  This  is  the  charge  committed  to  him,  and  he  will 
be  "  faithful  to  him  that  appointed  him.""  "  Of  all  whom  the 
Father  hath  given  to  him,  not  one  of  them,"  not  anything,  "  shall 
be  lost."  They  shall  all  be  "  raised  up  again  at  the  last  day."" 
In  reference  to  them  all,  the  Gospel  shall  be  brought  to  them,  or 
they  brought  to  the  Gospel.  Every  one  of  them  shall  be  brought 
into  the  fold,  and  kept  there ;  for  it  is  his  purpose  that  there  shall 
be  "  one  flock — one  Shepherd." 

It  is  generally  supposed,  and  justly,  thai  these  words  have  a 
direct  reference  to  the  termination  of  the  exclusive,  preparatory, 
economy,  and  the  introduction  of  that  better  order  of  things, 
where  there  should  be  neither  circmncision  nor  uncircumcision, 
Jew  nor  Greek,  bond  nor  free,  male  nor  female ;  but  all  one  in 
Christ  Jesus.  In  this  view  of  the  subject,  the  best  commentary 
on  the  text  is  to  be  found  in  the  words  of  the  apostle  :  "  Where- 
fore remember,  that  ye  being  in  time  past  Gentiles  in  the  flesh, 
who  are  called  Uncircumcision  by  that  which  is  called  the  Cir- 
cumcision in  the  flesh  made  by  liands ;  that  at  that  time  ye  were 
without  Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel, 
and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope, 
and  without  God  in  the  world :  but  now,  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye  wiio 
sometimes  were  far  off  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ" 
[through  the  great  Shepherd  giving  his  lile  for  the  sheep].     "  For 

«  Isa.  xlix.  6-12.  "  Matt.  viii.  11.     Joha  xii.  32  ;  xi.  52. 

"  Heb.  iii.  2.  ■■''  John  vi.  39. 


EXP,  XIII.]  THE   GOOD  SHEPHERD.  521 

he  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down 
the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  lis ;  having  abolished  in  his 
flesh  the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  commandments  contained  in 
ordinances ;  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain  one  new  man,  so 
making  peace ;  and  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one 
body  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby  ;  and  came  and 
preached  peace  to  you  which  were  afar  off,  and  to  them  that  were 
nigh.  For  through  him  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto 
the  Father.  Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  nor  foreign- 
ers, but  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of 
God ;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundations  of  the  apostles  and  proph- 
ets, Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  coruei'-stone  ;  in  whom  all 
the  building,  fitly  framed  together,  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple 
in  the  Lord :  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  an  habita- 
tion of  God  through  the  Spirit.""" 

"  The  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,"  very  soon  after  he  had 
been  raised  from  the  dead  by  the  God  of  peace,  began,  by  his 
apostles,  to  "  bring"  those  other  sheep  not  of  the  Israelitish  fold. 
He  spoke  to  them,  and  they  heard  his  voice.  His  Gospel  was 
"  preached  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven ;"  and 
Gentiles,  in  vast  numbers,  had  granted  to  them  that  repentance 
unto  life,  that  salutary  change  of  mind,  which  is  implied  in  the 
faith  of  the  truth.  Since  that  age,  the  gathering  of  the  sheep 
has  gone  forward  ;  and  though  now  on  earth  there  is  still  a  fear- 
ful prejDonderance  in  numbers  of  those  who  are  not  of  Christ's 
sheep,  yet  even  now  there  is  on  the  earth  a  multitude  which  could 
not  easily  be  numbered,  out  of  many  a  kindred,  people,  and  na- 
tion, who  were  "as  sheep  going  astray,  but  have  l)een  brought 
back  to  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls." 

But  it  may  be  said,  '  Here,  indeed,  are  many  sheep,  but  where 
is  "the  one  flock,"  the  one  fold?  Even  the  genuine  followers 
of  Jesus  Christ  are  far  from  forming  anything  like  that  visibly 
separated  and  united  body — separated  from  the  world  "  lying 
under  the  wicked  one," — united  among  themselves — that  the  im- 
age of  a  flock  in  a  fold  naturally  brings  before  the  mind.  They 
are  found  in  pens^  jealously  separated  from  one  another ;  while, 
in  too  many  instances,  these  pens  are  constructed  on  such  a  prin- 
ciple as  by  no  means  to  exclude  the  world,  though  they  do  ef- 
fectually shut  out  Christians  who  differ,  it  may  be,  even  on  a 
very  minor  point  of  doctrine,  or  worship,  or  order,  from  their 
occupants.  Instead  of  one  fold,  there  seem  to  be  innumerable 
pens  of  this  kind.'  Alas !  it  is  even  so.  It  is  with  shame  and 
sorrow  we  make  the  admission.  But  still,  in  the  eye  of  the  gxeat 
Shepherd,  his  sheep  are  one  flock  ;  and  nothing  is  necessary  to 
their  appearing  to  be  so  to  themselves  and  the  world,  but  their 
pulling  down  those  middle  walls  of  partition,  and  repairing  the 
great  wall  of  separation  between  the  church  and  the  world. 

A  time  is  coming — we  have  no  doubt,  notwithstanding  many 
imfavorable  appearances,  that  it  is  hastening  onward,  rapidly  ap- 

«Eph.  ii.  11-22. 


522  THE   GOOD  SHEPHERD.  [EXP.  XIU. 

proacliing — wTien  the  really  existing  union  among  genuine  Chris- 
tians shall  become  apparent,' — ^when  Christ's  church  shall  appear 
one  glorious  temple,  the  house  of  the  Lord,  from  which  no  "  Is- 
raelite indeed"  shall  be  excluded,  and  in  which  the  ''  Canaanite 
shall  no  more  be  found,"" — when,  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  the 
Saviour,  all  his  people  shall  be  one,  and  shall  so  appear  to  be  one, 
as  that  the  world  will  be  constrained  to  believe  that  "  the  Father 
hath  sent  him."" 

To  this  glorious  consummation  these  words  look  forward  ;  but 
I  mistake  if  they  look  not  beyond  it,  to  a  more  glorious  consum- 
mation still.  When  the  end  cometh,  "the  Son  of  Man,"  the 
good  Shepherd,  "  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels 
with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  :  and  be- 
fore him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations ;  and  he  shall  separate  them 
one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the 
goats :  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats 
on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right 
hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  pre- 
pared for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  "  Then  shall 
he  say  also  unto  them  on  the  left  hand.  Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels."  "  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment : 
but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."" 

As  the  glorious  results  of  his  pastoral  care,  he  will  present  them 
whom  the  Father  gave  him,  not  one  amissing,  "  a  beautiful  flock," 
— "  a  glorious  church," — "  redeemed  from  among  men,  not  having 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing," — "  before  the  presence  of 
tbe  divine  Majesty  witli  exceeding  joy."'°  On  the  high  moun- 
tains of  the  heavenly  Canaan  shall  their  fold  henceforth  forever 
be.  "  There  they  shall  lie  in  a  good  fold,  and  in  a  fat  pasture 
shall  they  feed,"  upon  the  hills  of  paradise ;  while  "  the  Lamb 
who  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,"  their  great  Shepherd,  feeds 
them,  and  leads  them  to  the  fountains  of  the  river  of  life.  "  They 
shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  shall  the}'-  thirst  any  more ;  neither 
shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat."  "  He  that  hath 
mercy  on  them  shall  lead  them,  even  b}^  the  springs  of  water 
shall  he  guide  them."'*' 

This  is  the  one  flock' — the  one  Shepherd.  Glorious  shepherd  ! 
— happy  flock !  Then  will  tlie  full  meaning  of  our  text  be  under- 
stood, ''  I  am  the  good  Sheplierd."  "  The  nations  of  the  saved," 
with  one  voice,  will  then  gladly  acknowledge.  He  has  done  as  he 
said, — "  He  is  the  good  Shepherd."  "  Unto  him  that  loved  us, 
and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made 
us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father ;  to  him  be  glory 

and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever."" 

• 

*^  Zech.  xiv.  21.  *^  John  xvii.  21. 

«  Matt.  XXV.  ;5I-4C.  ="  Eph.  v.  27. 

51  Rev.  vii.  14-17.     lea.  xlix.  10.  *2  Kqv,  i.  5^  g. 


EXPOSITION    XIV. 


THE  BON,  IN"  ACCOMPLISHING  THE  WORK  COMMITTED  TO  HIM,  THE 
OBJECT  OF  THE  FATHER'S  DELIGHT. 


John  x.  iV,  18. — "Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  me,  because  I  lay  down  my 
life,  that  I  might  take  it  again.  No  man  taketh  it  from  me,  but  I  lay  it  down  of 
myself.  I  have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  again.  This 
commandment  have  I  received  of  my  Father." 

These  words  immediately  follow  our  Lord's  instructive  repre- 
sentation of  his  own  saving  character  and  work,  under  the  emblem 
of  a  shepherd — a  good  shepherd — ^the  good  shepherd.  The  con- 
necting particle,  "  therefore,"* — '  for  this  reason,'  '  on  this  ac- 
count,'— usuall}^  looks  backward,  and  indicates,  that  what  is 
about  to  be  stated  is  the  result  or  consequence  of  what  has  been 
stated  in  the  previous  context.  Sometimes,  however,  it  looks 
forward,  and  indicates,  that  the  reason  of  the  statement  which 
follows  the  particle  is  just  about  to  be  assigned.  In  the  case  be- 
fore us,  it  does  not  much  matter  whether  you  consider  the  word 
as  looking  backward  or  forward. 

If  the  particle  look  backward,  it  refers  to  the  whole  of  what  our 
Lord  had  stated  respecting  his  conduct  to  "the  sheep."  He 
comes,  not  like  the  thief,  to  steal,  and  kill,  and  destroy  them, 
but  he  comes  to  preserve  them  alive,  and  secure  for  them  abun- 
dance of  every  blessing.  He  cares  for  them.  He  does  not  flee 
at  the  approach  of  danger,  but  lays  down  his  life  to  save  theirs. 
He  exercises  a  most  intimate  and  endearing  superintendence  of 
them.  He  gathers  them  together,  and  finall}^  lodges  them  all  in 
the  one  fold  above — in  a  state  of  absolute  security — ^perfect  hap- 
piness. "Therefore,"  for  being  all  this,  and  doing  all  this,  for 
and  to  the  sheep,  "  the  Father  loves  the  Son." 

If  the  particle  look  forward,  it  refers  to  the  words  that  imme- 
diately follow,  v/hich,  when  viewed  in  their  connection,  obviously 
contain  in  them  a  summary  of  what  he  had  already  said  of  him- 
self as  the  good  Shepherd.  '  For  this  reason,  the  Father  loveth 
me,'  "  because  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep,"  'in  their  room, 
and  for  their  deliverance  ;  and  I  lay  it  down,  not  that  I  should 
permanently  remain  dead — that  would  prevent  me  from  doing 
the  duty  of  the  good  shepherd  to  those  rescued  by  my  death, — 
but  that  I  may  live  again,  and  devote  my  restored  life  to  their 

'   dLU    TOVTO. 


524  THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.      [EXP.  XIV. 

happiness ;  gathering  them — reclaiming  them  from  their  wander- 
ings,— ^by  making  them  hear  my  voice,  and  conducting  them  all 
in  safety  to  the  fold  of  everlasting  rest,  where  there  shall  be  "  one 
flock,  one  shepherd." ' 

For  thus  executing  the  duties  of  the  great  Shepherd,  our  Lord 
declares  himself  fully  quahfied.  "  I  have  power  to  lay  down  my 
life," — that  is,  '  I  have  power  so  to  lay  down  my  life  for  the 
sheep,  as  that  they  shall  be  secured  from  death,  by  my  dying  in 
their  room,  "  and  I  have  power  to  take  up  my  life  again,"  so  that 
I  can,  having  secured  them  from  death,  give  them  abundance  of 
blessings,  gathering  them  together  into  one,  and  together,  making 
them  perfect.' 

"  This  commandment,"  adds  our  Lord,  "  I  received  from  the 
Father."  By  many  interpreters,  this  statement  is  considered  as 
referring  exclusively  to  what  immediately  precedes  it.  They 
consider  the  word  "power"  as  equivalent  to  "authority."  'I 
have  authority  to  lay  down  my  life,  and  I  have  authority  to  take 
it  again ;  and  this  authority  results  from  the  command  I  received 
from  the  Father  to  do  so."'  We  think  it  must  be  more  natural 
to  refer  the  commandment  to  the  whole  commission  given  to  the 
Son  as  the  good  Shepherd,  the  appointed  Saviour,  the  express- 
ion of  that  will  of  which  our  Lord  says :  "  I  came  down  from 
heaven,  not  to  do  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me. 
And  this  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all 
which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise 
it  up  again  at  the  last  day.'"  The  "  power"  referred  to  is  not, 
I  apprehend,  so  much,  if  at  all,  the  authority  which  the  Son,  as 
mediator,  had  to  execute  this  work,  but  the  power  which  he 
essentially  possessed,  and  on  account  of  the  possession  of  which, 
he  was  qualified  for  the  work  to  which  he  was  appointed,  and  to 
which  he  never  would  have  been  appointed  had  he  not  been  thus 
qualified.  The  statements  in  these  verses,  then,  though  at  first 
sight  they  may  appear  somewhat  disjointed,  in  reality  express 
one  complex  thought.  '  The  Father  hatli  committed  to  the  Son 
a  great  work ;  for  that  work  the  Son  is  fully  qualified ;  and,  in 
performing  it,  he  is  the  object  of  the  Father's  most  complacential 
regard:'  or  thus,  'Jesus  Christ,  satisfactorily  accomplishing  the 
great  work  of  salvation  committed  to  him,  in  the  exercise  of 
powers  every  way  adequate  to  it,  is  the  object  of  the  Father's 
entire  approbation  and  most  tender  love.'*  To  the  illustration  of 
this  dehghtful  truth,  I  mean  to  devote  the  remaining  part  of  this 
discourse. 

Our  blessed  Lord  is  the  object  of  his  Father's  love  on  other 
grounds  besides  that  specified  in  the  text.  "  The  Father  loveth 
the  Son."  lie  loves  him  on  account  of  that  independent  absolute 
perfection,  of  Avliich  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  equally  pos- 
sessed;  and  he  loves  him  on  the  ground  of  tliat  most  intimate 
relation  which  subsists  between  them,  as  in  some  way  distinct, 
though  in  essence  one,  and  of  which  the  relation  of  sonship  is 
2  John  vi.  38.  *  i^ee  Note  A. 


EXP.  XIV.]  INTRODUCTION.  52r) 

the  fittest  analogy  to  be  found  among  men.  Yes, — the  Father 
loved  the  Son  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  From  the 
ages  of  eternity  he  was  in  his  bosom ;  in  the  beginning,  before 
his  works  of  old,  he  possessed  him  as  his  invaluable  treasure,  and 
he  was  daily — ^.  e.,  continually — his  delight.  This  love  is  tiv. 
source  of  the  appointment  of  the  Word,  who  was  with  God  in 
the  beginning,  and  who  was  God,  to  be  the  great  revealer  of  di- 
vinity, in  the  august  economies  of  creation,  providence,  and  re- 
demption. 

The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  on  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
he  unfolds  the  Divine  character,  in  the  creation  and  the  govern- 
ment of  the  world.  He  regards  with  infinite  complacency  those 
displays  of  wisdom,  and  holiness,  and  righteousness,  and  be- 
nignity, which  he  made,  when  "  by  him  all  things  were  created 
that  are  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  principali- 
ties and  powers,  thrones  aivl  dominions  ;  and  which  he  continues 
to  make,  while  he  uphold  1  ,  \>y  the  word  of  his  power,  all  things 
which  subsist." 

But  the  love  here  referred  to,  is  love  drawn  forth  by  the  mani- 
festation— the  still  more  illustrious  manifestation — ^of  these  excel- 
lences, on  the  part  of  the  Son,  in  the  accomplishment  of  the 
great  and  beneficent  work  assigned  to  him  as  the  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep — the  Saviour  of  the  lost ;  a  work  expressly  committed  to 
him  by  the  Father — a  work  performed  by  him,  in  the  exercise 
of  adequate  powers,  in  a  manner  absolutely  perfect — and,  there- 
fore, the  proper  object  of  the  entire  approbation,  the  most  com- 
placential  regard,  of  Him  who  appointed  him. 

To  bring  out  the  truth  on  this  subject — so  far  as  we  can  dis- 
cover it — in  the  manner  most  fitted  to  enlighten  our  minds  and 
impress  our  hearts,  it  may  be  useful  for  us  to  inquire,  what  is  the 
great  work  in  which  the  Son  is  engaged ;  then  to  show  that  this 
work  has  indeed  been  committed  to  him  by  the  Father ;  then  to 
attend  to  the  qualifications  which  he  possesses  for  this  work ;  then 
to  consider  the  manner  in  which  he  performs  it;  and  then, 
finally,  to  show  how,  in  the  performance  of  this  work,  he  is,  and 
must  be,  the  object  of  the  Father's  most  complacent  approbation 
and  most  tender  love.  And  may  the  Holy  Spirit — equally  the 
Spirit  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son — take  the  guidance  of  the 
thoughts  and  the  affections  both  of  the  speaker  and  of  the  hearers, 
that,  on  a  subject  dark  with  excess  of  brightness,  he  may  not 
still  farther  darken  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge ;  and 
may  not  only  be  prevented  from  thinking,  or  speaking,  or  feeling, 
in  any  way  inconsistent  with  the  sacredness  of  the  subject,  but 
that  his  heart  may  "  indite  a  good  matter,  and  his  tongue  be  as 
the  pen  of  a  ready  writer,  while  he  speaks  of  the  things  touching 
the  King ;"  and  that  they,  perceiving  that  though  the  voice  is 
on  earth,  the  speaker  is  in  heaven,  may  listen  with  holy  rever- 
ence to  the  Father  proclaiming,  "  This  is  my  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased,"  and  have  conscious  fellowship  with  Him  in  His 
complacent  approbation,  His  tender  love. 


526  THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.      [EXP.  XIV. 


I— THE  GREAT  WORK  IN  WHICH  THE  SON  IS  ENGAGED. 

The  great  work  in  wliicli  the  Son  is  engaged  is  salvation — 
deliverance — ^the  deliverance  of  men — of  a  particular  class  of 
men.-  In  the  discourse  of  our  Lord,  it  is  represented  under  the 
figure  of  rescuing  a  flock  of  sheep  fi'om  circumstances  of  extreme 
impending  danger,  and  bringing  them  into  circumstances  of  com- 
plete security  and  perfect  happiness.  It  is  plainly  of  primary  im- 
portance to  our  forming  just  judgments  of  this  work,  that  we 
have  clear  apprehensions  as  to  the  class  of  individuals  who  are 
here  termed  "  the  sheep." 

It  is  obvious  that  they  are  men ;  and  some  interpreters  and 
divines  have  been  disposed  to  think,  that  "the  sheep"  is  just 
another  name  for  the  human  race,  viewed  as  the  subjects  of  the 
Divine  property,  and  the  objects  of  the  Divine  care  ;  but  we  are 
persuaded  that  this  is  false  interpretation,  and  naturally  leads  to 
unsound  theology.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  divinely-appointed  Saviour  of  the  world;  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  salvation  he  came  to  work  out,  is  a  salvation 
which  all  men  need — which  is  suited  to  all  men — and  which  all 
men,  without  exception,  are  made  heartily  welcome  to  participate 
in.  There  is  no  doubt  that  "the  one  Mediator  gave  himself  a 
ransom  for  all" — that  he  is  "the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world"' — that  no  man  perishes  because  there  is  not  an 
all-perfect  sacrifice  for  sin — and  that  no  man,  to  whom  the 
Gospel  comes,  need  want  a  personal  interest  in  the  saving  effects 
of  that  sacrifice,  but  for  his  own  simple  refusal  to  accept  of  what 
is  freely  given  to  him  of  God — and  that,  in  this  view  of  the 
matter,  men  might  have  been  represented  as  "  the  sheep,"  in 
opposition  to  the  fallen  angels,  for  whom  no  mediator  has  been 
provided,  to  whom  no  Saviour  has  been  offered. 

But  while  all  this  is  truth — important  truth — it  is  plain  that 
"  the  sheep"  here  are  but  a  portion  of  mankind,  for  we  read  in  the 
context  of  men  who  are  not  Christ's  sheep ;  and  the  salvation 
here  spoken  of  is  not  only  a  possible,  but  an  actual  salvation ; 
not  only  the  means  of  deliverance,  but  deliverance  itself;  salva- 
tion not  only  procured,  but  applied.  The  good  Shepherd  not 
only  gives  his  life  for  "  the  sheep," — which  he  did  when  he  gave 
himself  a  sacrifice,  the  just  in  the  room  of  the  unjust,  when  he 
died  "  once  for  all"* — but  he  gives  unto  "  the  sheep  eternal  life ; 
and  they  shall  never  perish,"''  but  "  shall  have  everlasting  life." 
Now,  we  know  these  statements  are  not  true  of  all  mankind ; 
for,  while  "  the  sheep"  at  last  enter  into  life  eternal,  there  is 
another  class  of  men  who  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment. 

"  The  sheep"  are  obviously  the  same  persons  who  are  termed 
"  the  called  ones" — "  the  faithful  or  believing  ones" — "  the  holy 
ones" — "  the  heirs  of  salvation" — "  the  chosen  generation" — "  the 
royal  priesthood" — "  the  holy  nation" — the  disciples  of  the  great 

3  1  Tim.  ii.  5,  C.     1  John  ii.  2.  '  Heb.  x.  10.     i(pa:rai.  ^  John  x.  28. 


PAET  I.]      GREAT  WORK  IN  WHICH  THE  SON  IS  ENGAGED.  627 

Propliet — ^those  who,  sprinkled  by  the  blood  of  the  atoning  sacri- 
fice, come  to  God  through  the  great  High  Priest — the  obedient 
subjects  of  the  King,  whom  God  has  set  on  his  holy  hill.  "  The 
sheep"  is  just  a  general  name  for  "the  innumerable  company,  out 
of  ever}^  kindred,  and  people,  and  tongue,  and  nation,"  who  shall 
be  made  possessors,  in  all  its  blissful  extent,  of  the  salvation  that 
is  in  Christ  with  eternal  glory.  In  other  words,  they  are  "  the 
elect  of  God,"  for  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is  the  same  class 
of  individuals  who  are  "  blessed  with  all  spiritual  and  heavenly 
blessings  in  Christ  Jesus" — who  were  "  chosen  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  and  predestinated  unto  the  adoption  of 
children  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  God  the  Father,  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  will."®  Whether  the  term  "  sheep"  have  a 
direct  reference  to  their  being  "  elected,"  or  rather  to  their  being 
"selected" — whether  it  be  intended  as  descriptive  of  them,  as 
objects  of  eternal,  special,  sovereign  favor,  without  reference  to 
spiritual  character,  or  of  them  as  possessed  of,  or  to  become  pos- 
sessed of,  certain  distinctive  characters,  in  connection  with  certain 
distinctive  privileges,  is  a  question  of  minor  import ;  though  I 
confess  that,  while  I  can  have  no  doubt  that  "  the  sheep"  and 
"  the  elect"  are  two  terms  descriptive  of  the  same  class,  I  should 
hesitate  to  say  that  they  are  synonymous  expressions — two  terms 
which  are  intended  to  be  expressive  of  the  same  truths  with 
regard  to  that  class.  "  The  sheep"  are  just  the  same  persons 
as  "  the  many  sons"  whom  the  Son — the  first-born  among  many 
brethren — as  the  Captain  of  salvation,  is  certainly  conducting  to 
glory — the  brethren,  whom  he  is  to  present  to  his,  and  their. 
Father  and  God. 

Their  deliverance,  their  salvation,  is  the  great  work  referred 
to  in  the  passage  before  us.  Now,  what  is  this  work  ?  In  the 
case  of  every  work  of  deliverance,  it  is  quite  obvious  that  just 
views  of  it  cannot  be  acquired  without  a  clear  apprehension  of 
what  the  evils  are,  under  which  the  subjects  of  it  labor,  and 
from  which  they  require  to  be  delivered.  Now,  "  the  sheep" 
are  a  portion  of  the  fallen  race  of  man,  and  the  evils  they  labor 
under  are  just  the  evils  common  to  men  as  sinners.  In  the  pas- 
sage before  us,  these  evils  are  represented  under  the  fignre  of 
the  evils  to  which  strayed  sheep  are  subject.  They  have  exposed 
themselves  to  certain  death,  from  which  they  can  be  delivered 
only  by  the  Shepherd  laying  down  his  life  to  save  them ;  and 
they  are,  moreover,  away  from  the  fold,  indisposed  to  return, 
and  they  need  to  be  guided  back  to  it. 

In  consequence  of  having  violated  the  Divine  law, — by  up- 
holding which  alone,  not  merely  the  honors  of  the  character  and 
government  of  God  can  be  sustained,  but,  what  is  really  the 
same  thing,  the  true,  permanent  happiness  of  his  intelligent 
creatures  can  be  secured — those  who  are  to  be  saved  are  exposed 
to  those  penal  evils,  by  which  He  vindicates  the  wisdom,  right- 
eousness, and  excellence  of  that  law,  and  by  which  He  shows  the 
s  Eph.  i.  3-5.  7  Heb.  ii.  10. 


528  THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.      [EXP.  XIV. 

folly  and  wickedness  of  "  every  one  who  continuetli  not  in  all 
things  written  in  the  book  of  that  law  to  do  them."  From  these 
evils  they  must  be  delivered,  or  they  shall  be  miserable,  without 
measure  and  without  end ;  and  they  can,  in  the  nature  of  the 
case,  be  delivered  by  nothing  but  what  "  magnifies  and  makes 
honorable"  the  Divine  law,  and  secures  its  holy  and  benignant 
ends — at  least  in  the  same  degree  as  the  perfect  obedience  of  in- 
nocent man,  or  the  everlasting  destruction  of  sinning  man,  would 
have  done.  This,  then,  is  the  fundamental  part  of  the  work  of 
the  salvation  of  man — equally  fundamental  to  a  salvation  suited 
to  all,  offered  to  all,  and  to  a  salvation  received  and  enjoyed  by 
"the  sheep."  Their  salvation  must  be  made  consistent  with  the 
perfections  of  the  Divine  character,  and  the  principles  of  Divine 
government ;  in  other  words,  with  the  good  order  and  happiness 
of  the  intelligent  creation  of  God. 

But  while  this  is  the  fundamental  part  of  the  work,  it  is  not 
the  whole  work.  "  The  sheep"  who  have  been  rescued  from  the 
evils  ready  to  destroy  them,  by  the  self-sacrifice  of  their  Shep- 
herd, must  be  induced  to  turn  their  straying  feet  towards  the 
fold;  they  must  be  made  to  listen  to,  and  obey,  "  the  great  Shep- 
herd, brought  again  from  the  dead,  by  the  blood  of  the  everlast- 
ing covenant ;"  and  following  him  to  "  the  green  pastures,  and 
the  still  waters,"  they  must  be  prepared  for  being,  at  the  close  of 
the  day  of  time,  all  brought  together  into  the  heavenly  fold — a 
state  of  perfect  holy  happiness. 

"  The  sheep,"  as  they  are  by  nature  as  guilty,  so  they  are  also, 
by  nature,  as  depraved,  as  the  rest  of  the  race  ;  and  an  essential 
part  of  their  salvation  consists  in  being  delivered  from  this  de- 
pravity— in  "  being  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  their  mind" 
— in  being  made  like  "  the  ever-blessed  God,"  by  being  made 
like  the  Holy,  Holy,  Holy  One.  All  the  evils  of  life  in  them- 
selves— the  manifestation  of  the  Divine  displeasure  against  sin — 
even  death  itself — must  be  made  to  bear  their  part  in  the  bring- 
ing about  this  perfect  conformity  of  mind  and  heart  to  God ;  and 
then,  when  they  have  served  this  purpose — so  different  from  that 
which  He  whose  work  they  are,  intended  them  to  serve — they 
must  all  cease :  the  afflictions  of  life  at  death,  when  the  spirit  en- 
ters into  a  state  of  entire  freedom  from  sin  and  pain  ;  and  death 
itself  at  the  resurrection,  when  even  "  the  last  enemy  shall  be 
destroyed  :"*  and  the  sheep, — the  saved  ones,  in  all  the  entireuess 
of  their  natures  as  embodied  spirits,  endowed  with  high  powers 
of  intellect,  affection,  and  action, — must  be  delivered  from  evil  in 
all  its  forms  and  in  all  its  degrees,  and  a  liappy,  holy  company 
be  put  iu  possession  oi'  a  ha]jpiness  filling,  to  an  overflow,  all  the 
capacities  of  enjoyment  of  their  now  perfected  natures,  through- 
out the  eternity  of  their  being.  Such  is  a  hasty  sketch  of  the 
work  of  salvation  which  man  needs.  All  this  must  be  done,  or 
"the  sheep"  cannot  be  saved. 

It  was  tne  determination  of  God  that  they  should  be  saved ; 

»  1  Cor.  XV.  26. 


PART  II.]   APPOINTMENT  OF  THE  SON  TO  HIS  GREAT  WORK.  529 

but  wliere  was  to  be  found  the  Saviour  who  was  capable  of  doing 
all  this  ?  Had  Jehovah,  on  a  day  "  when  the  sons  of  God  came 
to  present  themselves  before  him,"  unfolded  his  purpose  of  mercj, 
stated  what  was  necessary  to  be  done  to  carry  that  purpose  into 
effect,  and  proclaimed,  "  Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go 
for  us?"  there  would  have  been  silence  in  heaven.  Willingly 
as  they  "  do  his  commandments,  hearkening  to  the  voice  of  his 
word,"  the  highest  angels  would  have  shrunk  from  a  task 
which  they  must  have  seen  clearly  no  created  arm  could  ac- 
complish. To  use  the  quaint  but  expressive  language  of  holy 
Herbert, — 

"  When  man  was  lost,  God's  pity  looked  about 
To  see  what  help  in  th'  earth  or  sky ; 
But  there  was  none  :  at  least  no  help  without ; 

The  help  did  in  God's  bosom  lie. 
There  lay  his  Son." 

He  was  a  party  to  the  council  of  peace,  and  gladly  consented  to 
become  man's  Goel,  Kinsman-Kedeemer,  and,  at  whatever  cost, 
re-purchase  the  forfeited  inheritance  :  "  Lo,  I  come  ;"  "  I  delight 
to  do  thy  will."" 

II.— THE   APPOINTMENT    OF   THE  SON   TO    HIS    GREAT  WORK    BY 
THE    FATHER. 

To  the  accomplishment  of  this  great  work,  the  Father  appoint- 
ed him.  This  is  the  second  topic  to  which  I  wish  to  turn  your 
attention  :  "  This  commandment" — the  commandment  to  act  the 
part  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  in  all  its  extent,  to  the  sheep — "  this 
commandment  I  received  of  the  Father." . 

There  was  no  danger  of  any  created  being  ultroneously  assum- 
ing this  character,  or  doing  the  work  that  belongs  to  it.  The 
wisdom  and  the  power  necessary  for  its  accomplishment  were 
wanting ;  and,  even  if  they  had  been  present,  where  was  to  be 
found,  among  creatures,  the  self-sacrificing  pit}'  which  was  not 
less  necessary?  It  was  for  the  Father' — the  economical  repre- 
sentative of  Deity — to  determine  whether  such  a  work  should  be 
undertaken,  and  to  determine,  too,  who  should  undertake  it. 
He  had  no  confidence  in  his  angels  for  such  a  purpose ;  and, 
wise  as  they  are  in  managing  the  affairs  entrusted  to  them,  the}^ 
soon  would  have  been  found  chargeable  with  folly  here.  Love 
to  the  Son,  and  love  to  those  who  were  to  be  saved  by  him,  in- 
duced the  Father  to  appoint  Him  to  be  the  Saviour. 

This  principle,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  divinely -appointed 
Saviour,  holds  a  high  place  in  the  revealed  system.  In  ancient 
prophecy,  he  is  spoken  of  as  "  He  who  should  come  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  to  save."  "  Behold,"  says  Jehovah  to  the  church,  by 
his  prophet,  seven  hundred  years  before  he  that  should  come  did 
come — "  Behold  my  servant  whom  I  uphold  ;  mine  elect,  in  whom 
my  soul  delighteth  :    I  have  put  my  Spirit  upon  him ;    he  shall 

»  PsaL  xl.  7. 
VOL.  I.  34 


530  THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.      [EXP.  XIV. 

bring  forth  jiulgment  to  tlie  Gentiles."  "  Thiis  saith  God  the 
Lord,  he  that  created  the  heavens,  and  stretched  them  out ;  he  that 
spread  forth  the  earth,  and  that  which  cometh  out  of  it;  he 
that  giveth  bread  unto  the  people  upon  it,  and  spirit  to  them 
that  walk  therein  :  I  the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteousness, 
and  will  hold  thine  hand,  and  will  keep  thee,  and  give  thee  for 
a  covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles.""  "  The 
Lord  hath  called  me,"  says  Messiah  himself  by  the  prophet ; 
•'  The  Lord  hath  called  me  from  the  womb;  from  the  bowels  of 
my  mother  hath  he  made  mention  of  my  name.  And  he  hath 
made  my  mouth  like  a  sharp  sword ;  in  the  shadow  of  his  hand 
hath  he  hid  me,  and  made  me  a  polished  shaft;  in  his  quiver 
hath  he  hid  me;  and  said  unto  me,  Thou  art  my  servant,  0 
Israel,  in  whom  I  will  be  glorified."  "It  is  a  light  thing  that 
thou  shouldest  be  my  servant,  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob, 
and  to  restore  the  preserved  of  Israel ;  I  will  also  give  thee  for 
a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayest  be  my  salvation  unto 
the  end  of  the  earth,""  "  We  all,  like  sheep,  have  gone  astray  ; 
■we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way ;  and  the  Lord  hath 
laid  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all.""  Exaction  was  made,  and 
he  became  answerable.  "  I  will,"  says  Jehovah,  "  set  up  one 
Shepherd  over  my  sheep,  and  he  shall  feed  them,  even  my 
servant  David ;  he  shall  feed  them,  and  he  shall  be  their  shep- 
herd."'=' 

The  fact  that  the  Father  had  sent  him,  and  sent  him  to  save 
his  people  from  their  sins,  occupied  a  leading  place  in  the  declara- 
tions made  by  our  Lord  himself.  He  declares  that  "  the  Son  of 
man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give 
his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  He  came  "  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost."  And  He  "came  not  of  himself,  but  the  Father 
sent  him."  "  The  Father  sent  his  Son  into  the  world,  not  to  con- 
demn the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him  should  be  saved." 
"  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name."  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth 
me  shall  come  to  me :  for  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to  do 
mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me.  And  this  is  the 
Father's  will  wliich  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given 
me  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last 
day."  "  And  this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one 
which  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting 
life :  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  "  The  Father  which 
sent  me,  he  gave  me  a  commandment."  "I  came  to  do  the  will 
of  him  that  sent  me."  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."" 

His  forerunner,  John  the  Baptist,  calls  hiin,  by  way  of  eminence, 
"  He  whom  God  hath  sent.""     His  apostles  often  teach  the  same 

'^  Isa.  xlii.  1,  5,  G.  "  Isa.  xlix.  1-3,  6. 

'2  Isa.  liii.  6,  7.  '■*  Ezek.  xxxiv.  23. 

"  Matt.  XX.  28.  Luke  xix.  10.  John  viii.  42;  iii.  17;  v.  13;  vi.  37-40;  xii.  49; 
iii.  10.  '^  John  iii.  84. 


PART  II.]   APPOINTMENT  OF  THE  SON  TO  HIS  GREAT  WORK.  531 

doctrine,  aware  that  it  lies  at  the  foundation  of  human  hope. 
"  God  sent  forth  his  Son,"  says  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  made  of  a  woman, 
made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  that 
we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons."  "God  sent  his  own  Son 
in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin," — i.  e.  as 'a  sin-oflfering, — 
"  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  miglit  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who 
walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  Explaining  an  Old 
Testament  oracle,  he  says  that  when  it  had  become  plain  that 
"sacrifice  and  offerings,"  and  "burnt-oflfering,"  which  were  under 
"the  law,"  could  not  take  away  sin,  Christ  "came  to  do  the  will 
of  God,"  "  which  will  was  the  sanctification  of  the  called  ones, 
through  the  offering  of  his  body  once  for  all."  "  God  sent  his 
only  begotten  Son,"  says  the  Apostle  John,  "  into  the  world,  that 

3  might  live  by  him."  "  The  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the 
baviour  of  the  world."" 

So  abundant  is  the  evidence  that  the  Son,  in  becoming  "  the  good 
shepherd  of  the  sheep,"  "the  Saviour  of  the  body,"  did  not  "  take 
this  honor  to  himself,  but  was  chosen  of  God,  as  was  Aaron." — 
He  who  said  to  him,  "  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  I  have  begotten 
thee,"  said  also,  "  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after  tlie  order  of  Mel- 
cliisedec."  "Thou  art  my  servant,  in  whom  I  will  be  glorified." 
To  use  another  figure,  he  said,  "  Behold  I  will  bring  forth  my 
servant,  The  Branch;"  "He  shall  build  the  temple  of  the  Lord: 
Even  he  shall  build  the  temple  of  the  Lord ;  and  he  shall  bear 
the  glory."  "  The  counsel  of  peace  is  between  them  both."  But 
in  the  new  economy,  even  this  originates  with  the  Father.  "  All 
things  are  of  God," — of  the  Father — "by  Christ  Jesus  the 
Son."'^ 

And  now,  let  us  reflect  on  the  depth  and  variety  of  misery  into 
which  man  had  plunged  himself,  by  his  unprovoked  violation  of 
that  law  which  is  holy,  just,  and  good,  and  his  intlituated  depart- 
ure from  Him  who  is  the  fountain  of  all  good, — on  the  infinity 
of  power,  and  wisdom,  and  kindness,  which  was  necessary  to  rescue 
us  from  these  miseries,  and  restore  us  to  the  enjoyment  of  life,  of 
what  is  better  than  life, — on  the  resolve  of  sovereign  grace,  that 
out  of  the  ruins  of  the  stately  fabric  demolished  by  Satanic  malig- 
nity and  human  folly  and  sin,  should  be  erected  a  building  of 
mercy,  in  which  unnumbered  millions  of  the  self-ruined  race  should 
enjoy  a  hapjjiness,  higher  in  its  nature,  because  rising  out  of  a 
fuller  display  of  the  grandeur  and  graces  of  the  Divine  character, 
than  they  could  have  enjoyed  had  they  never  fallen, — and  on  the, 
if  possible,  still  more  marvellous  means  by  which  this  marvellous 
purpose  was  to  be  executed.  Let  all  that  is  within  us  bless  the 
thrice  holy  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son, — of  him  who  came 
to  save  us,  and  of  Him  who  sent  him.  Let  us  honor  the  Father; 
and  let  us  honor  the  Son  as  the  Father ;  for  this  is  the  Father's 
will.     "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  oi'  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

■s  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.     Rom.  viii.  3,  4.     Heb.  x.  5-10.     1  John  iv.  9,  14. 
'7  Heb.  V.  6,  0.     laa.  xlix.  3.     Zech.  iii.  8;  vi.  12,   13.     2  Cor.  v.  18.     1  Cor. 
viiL  6. 


532  THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.      [EXP.  XIV. 

who,  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  has  blessed  us  with  all 
heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus."  "  And  to  him 
that  loved  us,"  so  as  not  to  love  his  own  life  to  the  death  for  our 
salvation ;  to  him  who  loved  us,  "  and  washed  us  from  our  sins 
in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God, 
even  his  Father,  to  Him  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever."  Nor  forgot- 
ten be  the  Holy,  the  good.  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son, 
whose  dwelling  without  measure  in  the  incarnate  Son  made  hu- 
manity in  him  the  perfection  of  moral  beauty,  and  who,  shed  forth 
on  his  chosen  ones,  gradually  conforms  them  to  his  image,  till  at 
last  they  become  like  him,  seeing  him  as  he  is.  "0  give  thanks 
unto  the  Lord ;  for  he  is  good :  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever. 
0  give  thanks  unto  the  God  of  gods :  for  his  mercy  endureth  for 
ever.  O  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  of  lords :  for  his  merc}^  endur- 
eth for  ever."  "  Who  remembered  us  in  our  low  estate  :  for  his 
mercy  endureth  for  ever :  And  hath  redeemed  us  from  our  ene- 
mies :  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever."  "  O  give  thanks  unto  the 
God  of  heaven :  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever."    Hallelujah. 


III.— THE  qualifications  OF  THE  SON  FOR  HIS  GREAT  WORK. 

To  every  one  who  reflects  on  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  work 
to  be  accomplished,  it  must  be  obvious,  that  qualifications  of  no 
ordinary  kind  were  requisite  for  its  accomplishment.  Whether 
we  fix  our  mind  on  that  part  of  the  work  which  lay  in  rendering 
the  salvation  of  men  consistent  with  the  perfections  of  the  Divine 
character,  and  the  principles  of  the  Divine  government,  or  on 
that  part  of  it  which  lay  in  actually  putting  individual  men  in 
possession  of  salvation,  the  truth  of  the  remark  now  made  will 
appear  with  equal  clearness. 

He  who  is  to  make  atonement  for  human  guilt,  must  himself 
be  completely  free  from  guilt ;  he  must  have  a  perfectly  accurate 
knowledge  of  that  law  which,  by  obedience  to  its  precepts,  and 
endurance  of  its  sanctionary  penalties,  he  is  to  "  magnify  and 
make  honorable ;"  he  must  have  an  entire  conformity  of  mind  and 
will  with  the  great  Lawgiver,  rendering  his  obedience  and  suffer- 
ings the  intelligent,  hearty  expression  of  complete  satisfaction 
with,  entire  acquiescence  in,  supreme  admiration  of,  that  law 
which  man  had  contemned  and  violated ;  lie  must  be  a  person 
who  is  not  naturally  subject  to  the  requisitions  of  the  law,  either 
preceptive  or  sanctionary, — a  person  avJio  is  not  "  under  the  law," 
but  who  must  "be  made  under  it;"  and,  in  fine,  he  must  possess 
such  a  dignity  of  nature,  as  well  as  perfection  of  character,  as  that 
His  cheerfully  and  perfectly  satisfying  the  demands  of  the  law 
violated  by  man,  shall  j)lace  the  excellence  of  that  law,  its  wisdom, 
righteousness,  and  benignity,  in  at  least  as  strong  a  light  as  the 
perfect  obedience  of  an  unsiuning  human  race,  or  the  everlasting 
misery  of  a  guilty  human  race,  would  have  done. 

When  you  reflect  on  the  luiture  of  some  of  these  obviously  ne- 


PAET  III,]      THE  SON'S  QUALIFICATIONS   FOB  HIS  WOEK.  533 

cessary  qualifications,  and  on  the  degree  in  which  others  of  them 
are  requisite,  it  is  plain,  that  no  mere  created  being  could  be  the 
expiator  of  human  guilt ;  and  it  is  equally  plain,  that  the  uncreat- 
ed Being,  viewed  merely  as  uncreated,  could  not  perform  this 
most  wondrous  and  difiicult  of  all  works.  Nothing  short  of  the 
union  of  Divinity  with  humanity,  could  serve  the  purpose,  God, 
as  God,  cannot  obey,  suffer,  and  die,  Man,  as  man,  can  never  do 
more  than  answer  the  demands  of  the  law  on  himself, — can  never 
do  more  than  it  is  his  duty  to  do,' — far  less  yield  an  obedience 
and  satisfaction,  so  overflowing  with  meritorious  value,  as  to  lay 
a  foundation  for  the  just  God  justifying  an  innumerable  multitude 
of  ungodly  sinners,  justly  doomed  to  destruction  for  their  offences 
and  transgressions.  The  expiator  must  be  God.  He  must  be 
MAN,     He  must  be  "  God  manifest  in  flesh,"" 

Nor  are  qualifications  less  extraordinary  requisite  for — ^because 
adequate  to — the  second  portion  of  the  great  work  entrusted  to 
the  Son,  the  actually  putting  individual  men  in  possession  of 
that  salvation,  for  the  communication  of  which  he  has  opened  up 
a  way,  by  that  perfect  satisfaction  to  the  demands  of  the  Divine 
law,  which  we  term  his  atoning  sacrifice.  What  is  the  extent  of 
power  and  knowledge,  and  wisdom,  and  purity  of  principle,  and 
firmness  of  purpose,  and  benignity  of  disposition,  that  is  necessary 
in  him  who  is  to  raise  man  from  the  depths  of  ignorance,  error, 
ungodliness,  sensuality,  malignity,  and  wretchedness,  and  to 
make  him  wise,  good,  and  happy,  in  a  degree  corresponding  to 
his  ever-increasing  capacities  of  intellectual  and  moral  excel- 
lence, and  of  the  happiness  which  springs  out  of  these?  Think 
what  is  necessary,  both  as  to  the  control  of  external  event,  and 
the  communication  of  internal  influence,  in  order  to  effect  this  in 
a  single  instance,  even  the  most  favorable ;  think  of  what  must 
be  necessary  to  effect  this,  in  the  case  of  all  "  the  nations  of  the 
saved,"  scattered  over  the  whole  habitable  globe,  during  all  the 
ages  of  its  existence,  in  all  the  various  stages  of  human  civiliza- 
tion ;  then  think  of  what  is  necessary  to  the  destruction  of  the 
last  enemy, — to  the  restoration  of  immortal  life  to  the  dead — to 
the  changing  of  the  vile  bodies  of  his  people,  and  fashioning 
them  like  unto  his  own  glorious  body — superinducing  immortal- 
ity on  mortality — incorruptibility  on  corruption — swallo-wing  up 
death  in  victory ; — think  of  all  this,  and  say  if  the  qualifications 
required  for  such  a  work,  are  not  of  an  extraordinary  kind  ? 
How  inadequate  were  the  powers  of  the  highest  angel — how  in- 
adequate the  concentrated  energies  of  the  created  universe — to 
the  production  of  such  effects  as  these !  The  entire  conduct  of 
the  government  of  the  universe — the  control  of  all  beings,  in- 
fluences, and  events — "  power  over  all  flesh  "■ — "  all  power  in 
heaven  and  in  earth  "• — guided  b}^  divine  wisdom  influenced  by 
human  sympathy — is  obviously  necessary  for  the  accomplishment 
of  this  mighty  work. 

Now,  all  these  qualifications,  high  and  varied  as  they  are,  are 

'^  1  Tim.  iii.  16. 


534  THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.      [EXP.  XIT. 

to  be  found  in  liim  to  wliose  management  tlie  Father  liatli  com- 
mitted it.  The  good  shepherd  has  all  the  qualifications  for  sav- 
ing his  sheep.  He  saves  them  from  death,  by  laying  down  his 
life ;  and  having  resumed  the  life  he  laid  down,  he  can  rescue, 
and  guide,  sustain,  feed,  and  guard  them,  till  he  bring  them  to 
the  fold  above,  the  abode  of  inexhaustible  abundance,  of  perfect 
security,  of  endless  peace. 

The  view  given  us  of  the  Son's  qualifications  for  his  work,  in 
the  passage  before  us,  is  a  very  interesting  and  comprehensive 
one.  "  I  have  power  to  lay  down  my  life,  and  I  have  power  to 
take  it  up  again."  These  words  imply,  that  the  Son  had  a^  life 
to  lay  down  for  the  sheep,  by  the  laying  down  of  which,  they 
would  be  rescued  from  destruction ;  that  he  had  power  to  lay 
down  that  life ;  and  that  life  which  he  had,  if  resumed,  would 
enable  him  to  give  to  his  sheep  eternal  life ;  and  that  he  had 
power  to  take  it  up  again,  to  employ  it  for  this  purpose.  Let  us 
look  a  little  at  these  statements  respecting  our  Saviour's  qualifi- 
cations, thus  implied  or  expressed  in  the  passage  before  us. 

He  had  a  life  to  lay  down,  which  could  make  expiation  for  sin, 
and  save  the  sheep.  There  never  was  a  life  in  the  universe  which 
could  have  served  this  purpose,  but  his — the  life  of  a  perfectly 
holy  man  in  union  with  God.  The  life  of  God  could  not  have 
served  the  purpose ;  but  life  could  not  be  laid  down,  for  God 
lives  by  necessity  of  nature.  And  if  that  life  could  be  laid  down, 
the  consequences  would  be,  not  the  salvation  of  man,  but  the 
annihilation  of  the  universe.  The  life  of  man  could  not  have 
done  it.  The  life  of  even  an  innocent  man  is  God's  gift ;  and 
when  God  calls  back  his  gift,  A\^hat  merit  is  there  in  quietly, 
gratefully  restoring  it  ?  The  life  of  guilty  man  could  not  do  it. 
"None  could  redeem  his  brother:"  none  could  redeem  himself, 
for  the  desert  was,  in  every  case,  death — "  ever-dying  death  " — 
death,  beyond  which  there  is  no  life.  Tlie  life  of  the  whole 
animal  creation  was  obviously  utterly  inadequate,  utterly  unfit, 
to  take  away  sin.  The  only  life,  by  the  laying  down  of  which 
expiation  could  be  made,  was  the  life  of  the  incarnate  Only- 
begotten,  the  man  in  union  with  God ;  one,  whose  life  was  his 
own  property — and  such  a  pro])crty  as  was  fully  adequate  to  the 
end  contemplated.  When  wc  think  of  the  Son  la3dng  down  his 
life,  we  are  not  to  fix  our  mind  on  the  simple  fact  of  dying ;  it  is 
HIS  dying.  The  sacrifice  was  himself,  the  thinking,  feeling, 
active,  suffering  being — Himself,  in  every  thought,  feeling,  and 
action,  from  the  moment  of  the  commencement  of  his  human  ex- 
istence, perfectly  conformed  to  the  will  of  God,  and  tliis  con- 
formity made  meritorious  by  the  supreme  dignity  of  that  higher 
nature  which,  in  iiim,  was  united  to  the  human.  His  whole 
human  life  was  the  sacrifice,  and  we  call  his  death  so  by  way  of 
eminence,  merely  because  it  was  the  termination,  and  the  most 
striking  display,  of  that  course  of  entire  devotedness  to  the  Divine 
will,  wliich  commenced  with  his  human  being. 

Now,  this  lif'  which  ouv  Lord  had,  he  hud  "a  power  to  lay 


PART  ni.]      THE  SON'S  QUALIFICATION'S  FOR  HIS  WORK.  535 

down,""  No  man  did,  no  man  could,  wrest  it  from  liim.  "  He 
laid  it  down  of  himself — he  had  a  power  to  lay  it  down."  Jesus 
died  a  violent  death.  He  was  "taken,  and  with  wicked  hands 
crucified  and  slain."  Yet  his  death  Avas  in  the  highest  degree 
voluntary.  He  died,  because  he  chose  to  die.  "  Himself  he  can- 
not save,"  said  his  enemies;  and  it  was  true,  though  not  in  their 
sense.  He  could  not,  because  he  would  not.  For  this  cause,  he 
had  come  to  that  hour.  His  enemies  had  no  power  over  him, 
but  what  was  given  them  from  above.  His  smiting,  by  a  look, 
to  the  earth,  an  armed  band,  showed  how  easily,  without  asking 
for  legions  of  angels,  he  could  have  baf&ed  the  powers  of  his  ene- 
mies and  rescued  himself.  But  there  is  something  more  in  the 
words,  than  that  our  Lord's  death  was  voluntary.  They  intimate, 
that  he  was  Lord  of  his  own  life ;  that  it  was  his  own  independent 
property.  He  had  submitted,  in  the  economy  of  redemption,  to 
be  appointed  to  exercise  this  independent  right  in  laying  it  down ; 
but  had  it  not  been  for  the  possession  of  this  independent  right, 
no  Divine  appointment  to  lay  down,  an  entirely  dependent  life, 
could  have  made  the  sacrifice  of  such  a  life  adequate  to  the  re- 
demption of  mankind.  The  words  arc  equivalent  to,  '  I  can,  b}^ 
my  death,  rescue  the  sheep  from  destruction,  for  I  have  a  life  to 
lay  down,  over  which  I  have  entire  independent  control.' 

And  as  the  laying  down  this  life,  over  vrhich-  he  had  power, 
was  necessary  and  sufficient  for  the  expiation  of  the  sins  of  the 
saved,  so  the  resumption  of  this  life  was  necessary  and  sufficient 
for  their  actual  salvation.  Had  that  life  been  laid  down,  never 
to  be  taken  up  again,  man  could  not  have  been  saved.  Actual 
salvation  is  to  be  enjoyed  through  the  constant  activities  of  the 
ever-living  God-man,  who  "  was  dead,  but  who  is  alive,  and  lives 
for  evermore,"  as  "Lord  of  all."  The  Son,  then,  as  an  all-accom- 
plished Saviour,  had  power  to  resume  the  life  he  laid  down. 
When  men  destroyed  the  temple  of  his  humanity,  he  had  power 
— and  he  exercised  it — to  raise  it  on  the  third  day.  When  "put 
to  death  in  the  flesh,"  he  was  "  quickened  by  the  Spirit."  He 
could  not,  "  it  was  not  possible  that  he  should,  be  bound  with 
the  cords  of  death."  The  exertion  of  this  power  is  the  evidence 
that  he  is  "  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  coming  to  God  bv 
him."^" 

Our  Lord's  qualifications  as  an  actual  Saviour  are  reducible  to 
two  classes :  Qualifications  which  rise  out  of  Divine  appointment : 
and  qualifications  which  he  at  the  foundation  of  Divine  apj^oint- 
inent.  And  it  is  chiefly,  I  apprehend,  to  the  last  of  these  that 
our  Lord  refers,  when  he  says,  "  The  Son  hath  life  in  himself, 
even  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself," — '  has  an  independent 
power  over  his  life,  which  makes  that  life,  when  given,  an  ade- 
quate expiation  for  sin, — which  makes  that  life,  when  resumed, 

'9  "No  man  taketh  it  from  me:"  rather,  with  CaDipbell,  "no  oueforceth  it  from 
me."  "  'Eyu  rlOif/u  avrr/v  u~'  mavToi;  bifariam  expoui  possuut,  vel  quod  se  vita 
exuat  Christus,  manens  ipse  integer,  ac  si  quis  vestera  a  corpore  suo  deponeret, 
vcl  quod  suo  arbitrio  moriatur." — Calvin. 

-"  ilev.  i.  18.     Jo!in  ii.  li>.     1  Pot.  iii.  18.     Acts  ii.  '21.     Ileb.  vii.  25. 


536    THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.   [EXP.  XIV. 

tne  effectual  instrument  of  salvation.'     The  true  cause  wliy,  be- 
cause lie  dies,  liis  people  shall  not  die,  and  why,  "because  he 
lives,  they  shall  live  also,"  is  to  be  found  in  his  true  divinity — 
"the  power  he  had  to  lay  down  his  life,  and  the  power  he  had  to  . 
take  it  up  again.'"" 

This  power  he  has  exercised ;  and  in  exercising  it,  he  has  ac- 
complished, and  is  accomplishing,  the  great  work  given  him  to 
do, — the  salvation  of  his  chosen  ones. 

How  different  the  death  of  Christ  from  the  death  of  an  ordina- 
ry man !  There,  there  is  a  display  of  nothing  but  weakness ;  here, 
there  is  the  weakness  of  humanity,  and  the  power  of  Divinity 
equally  manifested  by  him  who  died.  He  has  put  forth  his  power 
in  laying  down  his  life,  and  he  has  put  forth  his  power  in  taking 
it  again.  In  laying  down  his  life,  he  has  expiated  the  sins  of  his 
people.  He  has  laid  down  his  life  "  for  the  sheep," — in  their 
room,  for  their  salvation.  His  death  was  a  powerful  death :  it  has 
made  atonement  for  the  sins  of  men,  having  satisfied  the  demands 
of  Divine  justice,  and  made  it  consistent  with  these  demands  to 
extend  forgiveness  and  salvation  to  every  sinner  believing  in 
Jesus. 

rV.— THE   SON'S  ACCOMPLISHMENT  OF  HIS  GREAT  WORK. 

This  is  the  very  first  principle  of  the  Gospel,  as  stated  by  the 
Apostle  Paul.  "He  is  set  forth  a  propitiation  in  his  blood." 
"  I  declare  unto  you  the  Gospel  which  I  preached  unto  you, 
which  also  ye  have  i-eceived,  and  wherein  ye  stand."  "  For  I 
delivered  unto  you  first  of  all  that  which  I  also  received  [first  of 
all],  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures." 
Yes,  he  suffered  for  sin,  "the  just  in  the  room  of  the  unjust,  that 
he  might  bring  us  to  God."  He  was  "delivered  for  our  offences." 
He  "redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  having  become  a 
curse  for  us."  He  "bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree." 
In  him  we  have  "  redemption  through  liis  blood,  the  forgiveness 
of  sins."  He  "loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that 
lie  might  purify  it  by  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word."  He 
"  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity." 
As  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  he  submitted  to  death, 
that  "  through  his  death,  the  transgressions  which  remained, 
unatoned  under  the  former  covenant  might  be  expiated."" 

And  this  offering  has  been  effectual  for  the  purpose  for  which 
it  was  presented.  It  has  "  finished  transgression,  made  an  end 
of  sin,  and  brought  in  an  everlasting  righteousness."  This  "one 
offering  has  perfected  for  ever  all  them  that  are  sanctified."  This 
"  blood  cleanses  from  all  sin :"  it  "  purges  the  conscience  on 
which  it  is  sprinkled  from  dead  works,"  to  serve  the  holy  God. 
None  can  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect,  since  Christ 

2»  John  V.  26  ;  xiv.  19. 

«  Rom.  iii.  25.  1  Cor.  xv.  1-3.  Rom.  iv.  25.  1  Pet.  iii.  18.  Gal.  iii.  13. 
1  Pet  ii.  24.     Eph.  i.  7.     Eph.  v.  25.     Tit.  ii.  14.     Ilcb.  ix.  15. 


PART  v.]  PROOFS  OF  THE  FATHER'S  COMPLACENCY,  537 

has  died ;  and  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  who  are  "  in 
Him"  who  was  "  delivered  for  our  offences." 

And  as  the  exercise  of  this  power,  in  laying  down  his  life,  has 
rescued  his  people  from  guilt ;  so  the  exercise  of  this  power,  in 
taking  his  life  again,  lays  the  foundation  for  their  actual  deliver- 
ance from  all  the  evils  consequent  on  guilt.  He  "  who  was  given 
for  our  offences,"  has  been  "  raised  again  for  our  justification." 
He  who  "  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures,"  has 
''  risen  again  from  the  dead  according  to  the  Scriptures."  And 
the  life  he  has  resumed — the  life  of  the  God-man — is  devoted  to 
the  bestowing  on  his  sheep  all  the  blessings  of  his  salvation.  He 
is  "  exalted  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins."  He  is  "  head  over  all  things,  to  his  body  the 
church."  "He  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come 
unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for 
them,"  And  "  because  he  lives,  they  shall  live  also."  Kaised 
from  the  dead,  he  comes  in  the  administration  of  his  Gospel,  and 
the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  to  bless  them,  turning  them  from  their 
iniquities ; — ascended  on  high,  and  having  received  gifts  for  men, 
he  sheds  forth  the  Holy  Spirit  abundantly,  and  is  "  the  author 
of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him."^' 

The  one  part  of  his  work  is  completely  finished.  He  offered 
himself  once  for  all.  "  There  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for 
sin,"  for  no  more  is  necessary ;  and  the  other  part  of  his  work 
proceeds  successfully — "  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  prospers  in  his 
hand."  Vast  multitudes  of  degraded,  depraved  men,  are  now, 
through  his  mediation,  "  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect ;"  and 
vast  multitudes  more  are  preparing,  through  the  same  mediation, 
for  joining  that  holy  happy  assembly. 


v.— THE  COMPLACENCY  MANIFESTED  BY  THE  FATHER  TO  THE 
SON,  IN  THE  ACCOMPLISHMENT,  AND  FOR  THE  ACCOMPLISH- 
MENT,  OF  HIS   GREAT  WORK. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  complacent  approbation, 
the  tender  love,  with  which  the  Father  regards  the  Son,  on 
account  of  his  thus,  in  the  exercise  of  these  qualifications,  suc- 
cessfully accomplishing  this  glorious  work  :  "Therefore  doth  my 
Father  love  me,  because  I  lay  down  my  life,  that  I  may  take  it 
again," 

That  the  conduct  of  the  Son,  in  accomphshing  the  work  given 
him  to  do,  must  have  been  regarded  by  the  Father  with  infinite 
complacency,  must  be  obvious  to  every  one  who  reflects  on  the 
leading  features  of  the  Divine  character,  and  on  the  nature  and 
design  of  that  work.  Jehovah  loves  holiness,  and  hates  iniquity  ; 
his  nature,  as  well  as  his  name,  is  love ;  and  He  must  have 
surveyed,  with  infinite  delight,  the  disinterested  sacrifices,  the 

23  Dan.  ix.  24.  Heb.  x.  14.  1  John  i.  1.  Heb.  ix.  14.  Rom.  viii.  1,  33; 
iv.  25.  1  Cor.  xv.  3.  Acts  v.  31.  Eph.  i.  22.  Heb.  vii.  25.  Acts  iii.  26. 
Eph.  iv.  8.     Tit.  iii.  6.    Heb.  v.  9. 


538  THE  SON'S  WOEK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.    [EXP.  XIV. 

unwearying  labors,  the  intense  sufferings  to  which,  the  Son  sub- 
mitted, to  make  God  glorious  and  man  happy,  and  the  complete 
success  Avhich  crowned  these  sacrifices,  and  labors,  and  sufferings. 
The  manner  in  which  this  satisfaction  has  been  displayed,  will 
be  best  described  in  the  words  of  the  prophetic  and  apostolic  tes- 
timony. When,  in  prosecuting  his  great  work,  he  descended  into 
the  state  of  the  dead,  God  "  did  not  leave  his  soul  in  hell" — the 
separate  state — nor  did  he  allow  even  the  body  of  his  Holy  One 
to  see  corruption.  He  showed  him  the  path  of  life  ;  he  introduced 
him  into  his  immediate  presence,  where  there  is  "  falness  of  joy ;" 
he  set  him  "  at  his  right  hand,  where  are  pleasures  for  evermore." 
And  there  He  who  is  the  King  and  the  King's  Son  "joys  in  his 
Father's  strength,  and  in  his  salvation  he  greatly  rejoices.  He 
has  given  him  the  desire  of  his  heart ;  he  has  not  withholden  the 
desire  of  his  lips.  He  has  prevented  him  with  the  blessings  of 
goodness  ;  He  has  set  a  crown  of  pure  gold  on  his  head  :  he  asked 
life  and  He  gave  it  him,  even  length  of  days  for  ever  and  ever : 
His  glory  is  great  in  his  salvation ;  honor  and  majesty  have  been 
laid  on  him.  For  He  has  made  him  him  most  blessed  for  ever; 
He  has  made  him  exceeding  glad  with  His  countenance."  "  The 
Son  loved  righteousness,  and  hated  iniquity ;  therefore  God,  even 
his  God,  has  anointed  him  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  his  fel- 
lows." He  has  "  set  him  on  his  own  right  hand,  and  said.  Sit  on 
my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool ;"  and  the 
decree  has  gone  forth,  "  Ask  of  me,  and  I  Avill  give  thee  the 
heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
for  thy  possession."  He  has  "  given  to  him  dominion,  and  glory, 
and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should 
serve  him :  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall 
not  pass  away,  and  that  kingdom  shall  not  be  destroyed."  "  All 
kings  shall  fall  down  before  him ;  all  nations  shall  serve  him." 
"  His  name  shall  endure  for  ever:  his  name  shall  be  continued  as 
long  as  the  sun ;  and  men  shall  be  blessed  in  him :  all  nations 
shall  call  him  blessed."  And,  while  the  Father  brings  Him,  as 
his  first-begotten,  into  the  world — puts  him  in  possession  of  his 
inheritance  of  the  nations — He  gives  forth  the  mandate,  "Let  all 
the  angels  of  God  worship  him."  Jehovah  has  been  "  well  pleased 
for  his  righteousness'  sake  :"  and  "  when  he  had  made  his  soul  an 
offering  for  sin,  he  saw  liis  seed,  he  prolonged  his  daj'S,  and  the 
jjleasiu-e  of  the  Lord  prospered  in  his  hand.  He  saw  of  the  trav- 
ail of  his  soul,  and  was  satisfied."  Jehovah  has  assigned  him 
"  the  great  for  his  portion,  and  the  strong  for  his  spoil ;  because 
he  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death  :  and  he  was  numi)ered  with 
the  transgressors ;  and  bare  the  sin  of  many,  and  made  inter- 
cession for  the  transgressors.""  Such  is  the  prophetic  testimony 
respecting  Jehovah's  satisfaction  in  the  work  of  his  Son  and 
Servant,  and  respecting  the  manner  in  which  tliis  satisfaction  is 
expressed. 

2<  Psal.  xvi.  10,  11;  xxi.  1-G ;  xlv.  7;  ex.  1;  ii.  8.     Dan.  vii.  14.     Paal.  Ixxii. 
11,  17;  xcvii.  7.     Hcb.  i.  G.     Isa.  liii.  lU-l'J. 


PAKT  v.]     PE00F3  OF  THE  FATHER'S  COMPLACENCY.        539 

Let  us  now  sliortly  attend  to  the  apostolic  testimony  on  the 
same  subjects.  In  answer  to  his  suppHcation,  as  the  God  of  peace, 
the  Father  "  brought  him  again  from  the  dead,  through  the 
blood  of  the  everlasting  cos^enant,"  received  him  up  into  heaven, 
and  hath  "  glorified  him  with  the  glory  which  he  had  with  him 
before  the  world  was."  He  hath  "made  him  both  Lord  and 
Christ" — "Lord  of  all."  "He  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead, 
and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand,  in  the  heavenly  places,  far 
above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and 
every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that 
which  is  to  come ;  and  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and 
hath  given  him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  church, 
which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all,"  He 
"hath  committed  all  judgment  to  him" — given  him  power  over 
all  flesh — all  power  in  heaven  and  earth — and  commanded  that 
all  should  "  honor  the  Son,  even  as  they  honor"  himself.  "  Be- 
cause he,  who  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  reckoned  not  equality 
with  God  a  prey — emptied  himself — took  on  him  the  form  of  a 
servant — w^as  made  in  the  fashion  of  man — and  being  found  in 
that  fashion,  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross ;  therefore  God  has  highly  exalted 
him,  and  given  him  a  name  above  every  name  :  that  at  the  name 
of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  and  every  tongue  confess  that 
he  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  He  "  is  gone  into 
heaven,  and  is  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  angels,  and  authorities, 
and  powers,  being  made  subject  to  him." 

And  when  the  end  comes,  then,  in  a  still  more  illustrious 
manner,  will  the  Father  manifest,  before  the  assembled  universe, 
how  he  loves  the  Son,  because  "  he  laid  down  his  life,  that  he 
might  take  it  again."  He  shall  then  "  appear  in  his  own  glory, 
and  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels.  Then  shall 
he  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  before  him  shall  be 
gathered  all  nations  ;"  and  his  righteous  sentence,  as  the  supreme 
Judge,  shall  fix  the  eternal  destinies  of  men  and  angels."  Then 
will  it  be  made  apparent  to  all  intelligent  beings,  that  this  is  the 
God-man  whom  Jehovah  delights  to  honor,  and  indelibly  will  it 
be  engraved  on  every  mind  in  the  universe,  "  The  Father  loveth 
the  Son" — "  Behold  how  he  loveth  him." 

Thus  have  I  endeavored,  with  all  the  brevity  and  distinct- 
ness in  my  power,  to  lay  before  your  minds  the  various  parts  of 
that  magnificent  thought  which  the  text  expresses — '  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Only-begotten  of  God,  satisfactorily  accomplishing  the 
great  work  of  human  salvation  committed  to  him,  in  the  exercise 
of  powers  every  way  adequate  to  it,  is  the  object  of  his  Father's 
entire  ap|)robation  and  most  tender  love.'  1  have  turned  your 
attention  to  the  great  work  of  the  Son — showed  you  that  this 
work  was  committed  to  him  by  his  Father — unfolded  the  qualifi- 
cations which  fitted  him  for  such  a  trust — described  the  manner 

2'  Heb.  xiii.  20.  John  xvii.  5.  Acts  ii.  36 ;  x.  36.  Eph.  i.  20-23.  John  v.  22, 
23.     Phil.  ii.  9-11.     1  Pet.  iii.  22.     Matt.  xxv.  31-16. 


540     THE  SON'S  WORK  APPROVED  BY  THE  FATHER.   [EXP.  XIV. 

in  which,  in  the  exercise  of  these  qualifications,  he  performed  the 
work  entrusted  to  him — and,  finally,  pointing  out  the  manner  in 
which  the  Father  has  manifested,  is  manifesting,  and  will  manifest, 
his  entire  approbation  of  the  work,  and  his  infinite  complacency 
in  its  author. 

And  now,  my  brethren,  "What  think  ye  of  Christ?"  You 
have  heard  of  his  qualifications  as  a  Saviour ;  you  have  heard 
how  he  has  manifested  these  qualifications  in  procuring  and  be- 
stowing salvation  ;  you  have  heard  of  his  all-perfect  atonement ; 
you  have  heard  of  his  prevalent  intercession  ;  you  have  heard  of 
his  boundless  dominiom  ;  you  have  heard  of  his  resistless  power ; 
you  have  heard  of  his  infinite  grace  ;  you  have  heard  what  the 
Father  thinks  of  him  and  his  work ;  you  have  heard  how  He 
loves  him,  why  He  loves  him,  and  how  He  manifests  his  love  to 
him  ;  and  shall  all  this  appear  to  you  a  matter  of  slight  interest, 
of  little  moment  ?  and  shall  we,  who  speak  to  you  of  these  things, 
seem  to  you  as  those  who  mock  ?  can  you  make  light  of  it  ? 
You  may  do  so  now,  but  you  will  not  be  able  to  do  so  always — 
likely  not  on  a  death-bed — certainly  not  at  the  judgment-seat; 
and  how  soon  may  you  be  laid  on  the  one — placed  before  the 
other  !  I  scarcely  think  one  of  you  would  dare  to  speak  deroga- 
torily  of  the  person  and  work  of  the  Son  of  God ;  but  if  you 
think,  if  you  feel,  if  you  act,  derogatorily  of  them,  it  is  the  same 
thing  in  the  estimation  of  Him  with  whom  you  have  to  do — 
who,  while  men  look  at  the  outward  appearance,  looks  on  the 
heart.  His  question  is,  "  What  thinh  je  of  Christ  ?"  and  he 
asks  it,  not  that  He  may  obtain  information,  but  that  you  may  be 
led  to  reflection.  Oh,  remember  that,  as  you  judge  of  Him,  you 
shall  be  judged  by  Him  :  "  By  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye  shall 
be  judged."  Can  your  judgmeilt  be  right,  if  it  is  not  in  accord- 
ance with  that  of  God,  whose  judgment  is  always  according  to 
truth?  God  loves  Christ;  ought  not  you  to  love  him?  God 
loves  him,  because  he  died  to  save  you,  and  will  you  not  love 
him  for  this  reason  ?  Will  you  not  love  him  who  so  loved  you, 
as  not  to  love  his  life  to  the  death  for  your  salvation?  God  is 
well  pleased  with  his  work  ;  why  should  not  you  ?  God  rewards 
him;  why  should  not  you  seek  to  avail  yourself  of  the  high 
honor  put  within  your  reach,  of  being  workers  together  with 
God  in  this  liighest  and  holiest  of  his  works,  rewarding  his  Son? 
You  do  not  rightly  estimate  him  and  his  work,  if  you  do  not,  on 
account  of  that  work,  devote  yourselves  entirely  to  him,  who 
devoted  himself  entirely  for  you — if  you  do  not  henceforth  live, 
not  to  yourselves,  but  to  him  who  died  for  you,  and  rose  again  ; 
and,  taught  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Clirist  Jesus,  learn  to  deny 
"  ungodliness,  and  worldy  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously, 
and  godly,  in  this  present  world  ;  looking  for  that  blessed  hope, 
and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ ;  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us 


EXP.  XIV.]  NOTE,  541 

from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zeal- 
ous of  good  works.'"" 


Note  A,  p.  524. 

"  V.  17-19.  "/»'«  ^«(9w  may  be  connected  with  the  latter  member, 
rldTjjui  T.  ip.  luov,  or  with  the  former,  (ij'aTioc.  In  the  last  case  the  sense 
would  be — '  Therefore,  because  I  give  my  life,  8iu  tovto  on,  the  Father 
loveth  me  so  much,  that  I  shall  recover  my  life  again.'  This  construc- 
tion, however,  is  somewhat  forced.  It  is  more  natural  to  connect  ?»"« 
with  the  latter  member, — 'because  I  lay  down  my  life  that  I  may 
take  it  again ;'  for  the  final  end  of  all  the  agency  of  Christ  was  the 
resurrection  with  which  his  glorification  commenced,  "/''a  is  not  ne- 
cessarily ecbatic  merely,  ix^arixCiig,  [See  an  able  essay  on  the  use  of 
it'ot  in  the  New  Testament,  by  Tittmann,  translated  by  Prof.  Stuart  for 
the  Bib.  Repos.  Jan,  1835,]  Theod.  Mopsuest. :  oux  (xnodfr'iaxsi  I'fu 
di'aCTT'fj,  uXlu  xard  to  idiMjua  to  j'p«qrtxo»',  wg  ultlav  to  hrrof^svov  iqii]-  '  He 
did  not  die  for  the  purpose  of  rising  again ;  but,  conformably  to  a 
scriptural  idiom,  he  calls  that  a  cause  which  was  merely  a  consequence.' 
Calvin  :  '  dicit  non  hac  lege  se  moriturum,  ut  absorbeatur  a  morte,  sed 
ut  victor  mox  resurgat.'  '  He  says  that  he  is  not  about  to  die  in  such 
a  way  as  to  be  swallowed  up  of  death,  but  to  the  end  that  he  might  rise 
again  victorious  from  the  grave.' — It  would  seem  that  the  only  ground 
on  which  the  Father  could  love  Christ  for  his  entrance  into  death,  was 
the  fact  that  he  devoted  himself  to  it  freely  from  a  personal  impulse  of 
love.  He  therefore  adds,  that  he  of  his  own  accord  had  come  to  accom- 
plish those  designs  of  salvation  which  God  had  for  the  human  race, 
through  his  death.  This  expression  of  necessity  leads  to  the  assump- 
tion, that  in  the  man  Christ  there  was  a  full  personality,  human  and 
free,  while,  at  the  same  time,  we  cannot  suppose  that  this  was  separated 
from  the  Being  of  God  in  him  ;  for  it  was  only  by  its  unity  with  God 
that  it  had  power,  i^o^alu,  to  re-assume  life.  As  he  correctly  marked 
in  the  edition  of  Knapp,  this  verse  is  parenthetic,  and  nxviijv  refers  either 
directly  to  verse  17,  or,  as  Grotius  thinks,  to  the  whole  section  con- 
cerning Christ's  solicitude  for  his  flock." — ^Tholuck. 

2«  Tit.  ii.  12-14. 


EXPOSITION   XY. 

CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS  AT  THE  FEAST  OF  DEDICATION. 
John  x.  22-42. 

The  extreme  circumstantiality  of  tlie  gospel  narratives  is  a 
strong  presumptive  proof  of  their  truth.  Nobody  can  read  them 
without  being  struck  by  this  characteristic.  There  is  often  a 
very  minute  detail  of  circumstances, — a  variety  of  little  occur- 
rences are  mentioned  which  could  never  have  entered  into  the 
mind  of  an  inventor,  but  which  naturally  suggested  themselves 
to  the  mind  of  an  eye-witness,  when  about  to  record  'the  event 
with  which  they  were  connected.  The  time,  the  place,  the  wit- 
nesses, are  very  generally  noticed.  Now,  this  was  what  no  im- 
postor would  have  ventured  to  do.  Is  it  conceivable,  that  in  a 
book  published  in  the  place  where,  and  soon  after  the  period 
when,  the  supposed  events  are  said  to  have  taken  place,  such  a 
person  should  state,  that  at  such  a  time,  in  such  a  place,  in  the 
presence  of  such  individuals,  such  transactions  took  place,  while 
there  were  many  who,  from  their  own  experience,  could  contra- 
dict his  testimony,  and  declare  that  no  such  transactions  hap- 
pened ?  Imposture  has  generally  found  it  necessary  to  deal  in 
general  undefined  statements ;  or,  if  it  descends  to  particulars,  the 
scene  and  the  period  are  placed  at  such  a  distance  as  to  make  con- 
futation difiicult.  The  more  of  circumstance  wc  introduce  into  a 
stor}'',  it  has  been  justly  remarked,'  the  more  do  we  multiply  the 
chances  of  detection  if  it  be  false,  and  the  means  of  confirmation 
if  it  be  true;  and,  therefore,  Avhere  a  great  deal  of  circumstance  is 
naturally  introduced,  it  proves  that  the  narrator  feels  the  confi- 
dence of  truth,  and  labors  under  no  apprehension  for  the  fate  of 
liis  narrative.  Even  tliough  we  have  it  not  in  our  power  to  verify 
a  single  circumstance,  yet  the  mere  fact  of  a  story  being  minutely, 
yet  naturally,  circumstantial,  is  always  felt  to  be  a  strong  pre- 
sumption of  its  truth.  No  narratives  possess  this  character  in  a 
superior,  perhaps  in  an  equal,  degree,  to  the  gospel  Ijistories.  And 
when  it  is  considered  that,  at  the  time  of  tlieir  jmblication,  there 
were  multitudes  of  highly-influential  persons  who  would  have 
eagerly  embraced  every  method  of  proving  their  falsehood,  the 
corroborative  evidence  thus  suggested  of  their  truth  will  be  felt, 
by  all  honest  minds,  to  be  ])owerful  indeed. 

'  Paley. 


EXP.  XV.]  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS.  543 

We  have  an  example  of  tlie  circumstantiality  referred  to  in  the 
verses  which  introduce  the  subject  of  our  exposition.  "  And  it 
was  at  Jerusalem  the  Feast  of  the  Dedication,  and  it  was  winter. 
And  Jesus  Avalked  in  the  temple  in  Solomon's  porch."*  An  inter- 
val of  from  two  to  three  months  appears  to  have  elapsed  between 
the  occurrence  of  the  events  described  in  the  first  part  of  this 
chapter  and  of  those  detailed  in  the  latter  part  of  it.  The  whole 
of  the  transactions  recorded  from  tlie  beginning  of  the  seventh 
chapter  of  this  gospel  down  to  the  21st  verse  of  this  chapter,  seem 
to  have  taken  place  at  Jerusalem  at  the  feast  of  Tabernacles,  which 
was  celebrated  in  the  latter  part  of  our  month  of  September,  and 
in  the  beginning  of  October.  The  conversation  we  are  now  about 
to  consider  took  place  in  that  city  at  the  feast  of  Dedication,  which 
was  celebrated  about  the  middle  of  our  December. 

Where  our  Lord  was  during  the  interval,  and  how  employed, 
has  been  a  question  among  harmonists,  and  like  many  of  their 
questions,  it  is  one,  not  of  very  great  importance,  nor  of  very  easy 
resolution.  It  is  doubtful  v/hether  we  have  any  account  of  this 
period,  that  is,  whether  any  of  the  events  recorded  by  any  of  the 
evangelists  took  place  during  it.  We  know  that  whatjs  recorded 
in  the  gospels  is  but  a  specimen  of  what  took  place.  John,  refer- 
ring not  only  to  his  own  narrative,  but  to  others,  says,  "  There 
are  also  many  other  things  which  Jesus  did,  the  which,  if  they 
should  be  written  every  one,  I  suppose  that  even  the  world  itself 
could  not  contain  the  books  that  should  be  written."'  Wherever 
our  Lord  was,  and  however  employed,  wc  know  that  he  was  about 
his  Father's  business,  going  about  doing  good,  finishing  the  work 
of  Him  who  sent  him.  It  seems  probable,  however,  from  John's 
usually  relating,  with  considerable  minuteness,  the  circumstances 
connected  with  our  Lord's  leaving  Jerusalem  for  Galilee,  and  his 
returning  to  that  city,  that,  in  this  instance,  he  remained  in  the 
metropolis  or  its  neighborhood,  during  the  interval  between  the 
feast  of  Tabernacles  and  the  feast  of  Dedication. 

This  last  festival  did  not  belong  to  the  number  of  the  divinely- 
appointed  feasts.  No  festival  was  appointed  or  observed  in  com- 
memoration of  the  dedication  either  of  the  first  or  of  the  second 
temple.  They  were  both  solemnly  dedicated.  We  have  an  ac- 
count of  the  one  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  2d  Kings,  and  in  the  fifth 
chapter  of  2d  Chronicles ;  and  of  the  other,  in  the  sixth  chapter 
of  the  book  of  Ezra.  Neither  of  these  dedications  took  place  in 
the  winter.  Some  have  supposed  that  the  dedication  referred  to 
was  the  dedication  of  the  temple  as  rebuilt  by  Herod  the  Great. 
But  though  that  temple  was  dedicated  with  great  pomp  and  solem- 
nity, we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  its  dedication  had  an  anni- 
versary commemoration.  It  is  all  but  universally  admitted  that 
the  dedication  of  the  temple  here  spoken  of,  is  that  which  took 
place  after  its  being  purified  from  the  desecration  to  which  it  was 
subjected  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  who  had  sacrificed  a  great  sow 
on  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings,  and  sprinkled  broth  made  of  its 

2  Jolin  X.  22.  3  John  xxi.  25. 


544  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS  [EXP.  XV 

flesli  all  over  the  temple.  For  three  years  the  services  were  sus- 
pended, and  great  dilapidations  made  on  the  building.  In  the 
fourth  chapter  of  the  1st  book  of  Maccabees  we  read  that,  after 
Judas  Maccabeus  had  repaired  the  temple,  and  cleansed  it  from  its 
pollutions,  the  people  kept  the  dedication  of  the  new  altar  of 
burnt-offering  for  eight  days,  with  songs,  and  anthems,  and  harps, 
and  cymbals,  worshipping  and  praising  the  God  of  heaven,  offer- 
ing burnt-offerings  with  gladness,  and  sacrificing  the  sacrifice  of 
praise.  This  dedication  took  place  in  the  winter  season,  and  was 
commemorated  by  an  annual  festival,  not  in  Jerusalem  only,  but 
over  the  whole  land.  The  historian  informs  us  that  "Judas  and 
his  brethren,  and  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel,  ordained  that 
the  days  of  the  dedication  of  the  altar  should  be  kept  in  their 
season  from  year  to  year,  by  the  space  of  eight  days,  with  mirth 
and  gladness."*  Neither  the  dedication  nor  its  commemoration 
were  of  direct  Divine  appointment,  and  the  festival  seems  to  have 
been  rather  a  civil  than  a  sacred  one. 

There  is,  I  believe,  much  in  the  Bible  which  has  never  yet 
been  brought  out  of  it,  and  there  has  been  much  brought  out  of 
the  Bible  that  was  never  in  it.  Many  passages  of  Scripture  are 
not  turned  to  all  the  purposes  they  are  intended  to  serve,  and 
some  have  been  turned  to  purposes  which  they  are  neither  calcu- 
lated nor  intended  to  serve.  The  passage  before  us — ^like  the 
famous  passage,  "  Thou  art  Peter,  and  on  this  rock  will  I  build 
my  church,"  on  which  has  been  built  a  Avondrous  superstructure 
of  error  and  superstition,  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  a  stupendous 
fabric  of  imposture — ^belongs  to  the  last  of  these  classes.  From 
our  Lord's  being  present  at  this  festival,  very  extraordinary  con- 
clusions have  been  drawn, — such  as,  that  the  church,  or  the  state, 
has  a  right  to  decree  rites  and  ceremonies  which  shall  be  obliga- 
tory on  the  conscience,  and  that  the  consecration  of  churches, 
and  the  commemoration  of  such  consecration,  are  usages  having 
scriptural  sanction. 

We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  our  Lord  went  up  to  Jeru- 
salem for  the  purpose  of  observing  this  festival,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  divinely-appointed  Jewish  feasts,  such  as  the  Passover,  and 
the  feast  of  Tabernacles.  He  was  at  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of 
this  feast ;  and,  wherever  he  had  been  at  that  time,  he  would 
have  found  it  observed.  The  peculiar  services  of  this  festival  had 
no  Divine  authority,  and  were,  therefore,  not  likely  to  be  taken 
I)art  in  by  one  who  said,  "  Well  hath  Esaias  prophesied.  In  vain 
do  they  worship  me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments 
of  men."'  And,  besides,  the  ccremotiies  were  of  a  very  childish 
kind.  It  was  called  the  feast  of  lights,  from  the  custom  of  light- 
ing up  candles  in  every  house — one  on  the  first  day  of  the  feast, 
two  on  the  second,  and  so  on,  till  on  the  eighth  day  there  were 
eight  candles  burning  in  every  house ;  and  sometimes  the  more 
zealous  lighted  a  candle  for  each  individual  in  the  family,  so  that, 

*  Vide  Joseph.  Antiq.  xii.  7,  7.  1  Mac.  iv.  5C.  2  Mac.  i.  18.  Lightfoot,  Hor. 
Heb.  *  Mark  vii.  6,  7. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  545 

in  a  family  of  twelve,  by  the  end  of  tlie  feast  there  would  be  a 
blaze  of  nearly  a  hundred  candles.  All  this  could  be  but  little 
to  the  mind  of  him  who  said,  "  God  is  a  Spirit :  and  they  that 
worship  him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."*  There 
is  no  proof  that  Judas  Maccabeus  did  right  in  instituting  such  a 
custom,  or  that  succeeding  generations  did  right  in  observing  it. 

With  regard  to  the  practice  of  the  consecration  of  edifices  foi- 
religious  purposes,  "we  may  remark,  that  there  is  an  obvious  pro- 
priety, when  taking  possession  of  a  house  to  be  permanently  em- 
ployed for  the  worship  of  God,  in  invoking  His  blessing  on  the 
religious  ordinances  that  are  there  to  be  performed ;  and  if  those 
using  the  edifice  for  these  purposes  choose  annually  to  express 
solemnly  their  thanks  to  God  for  furnishing  them  with  a  com- 
modious place  in  which  to  worship  him,  and  for  the  goodness 
and  truth  he  has  made  to  pass  before  them  there,  I  do  not  see 
how  any  valid  objection  could  be  made  against  such  an  observ- 
ance ;  but  it  is  at  most  a  matter  of  laudable  expediency,  not  of 
absolute  duty.  But  to  seek  for  sanction  to  the  foolish  customs  of 
the  popish  church  in  consecrating  churches,' — painting  twelve- 
crosses  on  various  parts  of  the  building,  and  lighting  up  a  lamp 
before  every  cross, — ^the  bishop  knocking  at  the  closed  door  -with 
a  pastoral  staff,  ordering  the  devil  to  depart,  and  invoking  the 
presence  of  God,  the  angels,  and  the  saints,' — scattering  ashes 
over  the  floor  of  the  place, — sprinkling  the  place  with  holy  water, 
— anointing  the  crosses  and  the  altar  ;  or  for  the  only  somewhat 
modified  fooleries  observed  in  some  churches  calling  themselves 
reformed,  on  such  occasions — to  seek  sanction  for  such  mummer- 
ies in  the  passage  before  us,  is  absurd  indeed.  It  is  difficult  to 
say  whether  the  effrontery  of  those  who  employ  such  arguments, 
or  the  folly  of  those  who  are,  or  who  profess  to  be,  convinced  by 
them,  be  most  deplorable. 

There  was  a  time  when  I  should  have  thought  it  utterly  need- 
less to  make  such  remarks ;  but  there  is  much  passing  around  us 
to  impress  us  with  the  importance  of  guarding  against  introduc- 
ing an_y  thing  human  into  the  services  of  religion,  and  with  the 
possibility  of  the  most  absurd  rites  of  a  superannuated  and  ap- 
parently deceased  superstition  being  extensively,  though  it  must 
be  only  temporarily,  revived.  It  is  impossible  to  be  too  zealous 
in  reference  to  the  purity  of  christian  doctrine  and  the  simplicity 
of  christian  usage.  Let  us,  my  brethren,  stand  fast  in  the  libcrt}' 
wherewith  Christ  has  made  us  free,  and  refuse  to  bend  our  neck 
to  any  yoke  of  bondage.  I  trust  I  shall  never  have  occasion  to 
say  of  you,  "  I  am  afraid  of  you ;  ye  observe  da3^s,  and  months, 
and  years.'"  "  Let  no  man  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in  drink,  or  in 
respect  of  a  holiday  ;"  "  let  no  man  beguile  you  by  a  voluntary 
humility  ;"*  by  a  vain  show  of  unsanctioned  ceremonies.  Sanctify 
the  day  the  Lord  has  made  holy ;  and  what  God  has  left  common, 
dare  not  thou  to  consecrate,  any  more  than  to  desecrate  what  he 
has  sanctified.     Those  who  do  the  one  are  most  likely  to  do  the 

6  John  iv.  24.  '  Gal.  iv.  lo,  11.  ^  Col.  ii.  10,  18. 

VOL.   I.  35 


54:6  CONVERSATION   WITH   THE  JEWS  [eXP.  XV. 

otlier.  Tlie  slave  of  liunian  authority  is  ever  ready  to  be  a  rebel 
against  Divine  authority. 

The  only  fair  conclusion  you  can  draw  from  the  statement  in 
the  text  is,  that  our  Lord  availed  himself  of  the  opportunitv 
aflforded  by  the  assembling  of  such  multitudes  in  Jerusalem  and 
the  temple,  of  proclaiming  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  at  hand. 
He  could  not  be  absent  from  some  one  or  other  of  the  places 
where  this  festival  wa;^  observed,  for  it  was  observed  all  over  the 
land  of  Judea.  He  would  not  intermit  his  beloved  work, — ^and 
where  could  he  carry  it  on  with  greater  advantage  than  in  the 
place  where  the  largest  assemblage  of  men  was  to  be  met  witli  ? 
And  here,  too,  he  has  set  us  an  example  that  we  should  follov.- 
his  steps. 

*'  It  was  winter."  It  was  so,  as  a  matter  of  course,  at  the  fes- 
tival of  Dedication  ;  but  that  does  not  seem  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase.  It  was  not  only  the  winter  season,  but  it  was  winter 
weather ;  and,  therefore,  he  walked  in  the  temple  in  Solomon's 
porch.  Neither  the  heats  of  summer,  nor  the  colds  of  winter, 
could  hinder  him  from  prosecuting  his  great  object,  the  instruc- 
tion of  his  countrymen. 

"  The  righteous,"  said  Solomon,  "  shall  be  held  in  everlasting 
remembrance;"  and  here  his  proverb  is  exemplified  in  reference 
to  himself.  The  temple  he  was  honored  to  raise  for  the  worship 
of  Jehovah  had  long  ago  crumbled  into  ruins  under  the  sacri- 
legious hands,  and  by  the  devouring  fires,  of  the  Babylonian 
invaders.  The  magnificent  portico  on  the  east  of  the  temple, 
400  cubits  long,  its  principal  entrance,  overlooking,  from  a  height 
of  600  feet,  the  deep  valley,  along  which  runs  the  brook  Kedron, 
remained  when  the  rest  of  the  edifice  was  destroyed ;  and  though 
no  doubt  in  the  course  of  ages  frequently  repaired,  continued  to 
retain  its  original  name,  and  i)robabl3"  materially  its  original 
form  ;  for  we  find  that,  when  Herod  Agrippa  was  j)etitioned  by 
the  people  to  rebuild  it,  that  employment  might  be  found  for  the 
many  thousand  workmen  (18,000  according  to  Josephus)  who 
had  been  engaged  in  the  repairing  of  the  temple,  which  was  then 
finished^  a  very  short  time  before  its  final  destruction,  he  refused 
to  allow  so  venerable  a  relic  of  antiquity  to  be  pulled  down." 
But  the  porch  of  Solomon,  as  well  as  his  temple,  had  long  been 
levelled  with  the  dust ;  not  one  stone  of  it  stands  on  another. 
Yet  the  services  of  that  jjrince  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  piety 
shall  never  be  forgotten ;  and  the  latest  generation  of  mankind 
will  study  his  writings,  and  venerate  him  as  the  wisest  of  men. 

In  this  spacious  colonnade, — ibrming  the  eastern  entrance  to 
the  temple,  properly  so  called,  and  along  with  the  whole  build- 
ings around,  included  in  the  general  name  of  the  temple, — of 
which  we  read  repeatedly  in  the  New  Testament,"  we  are  in- 
formed Jesus  walked.  The  picture  these  words  call  up  to  the 
mind  is  an  interesting  one.  On  one  of  the  days  of  the  festival, 
the  mysterious  Galilean  peasant  is  seen  walking,  as  in  deep 
9  Joseph.  Antiq.  xx.  9,  7.  '"  Acts  iii.  10 ;  v.  12. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT   THE   FEAST   OF   DEDICATION.  547 

meditation,  apart  from  the  crowd  whicli  bustled  around.  It  was 
but  a  few  months  ago  that  his  enemies  here  had  taken  up  stones 
to  put  him  to  death  as  a  blasphemer.  Yet  he  retTirned  undis- 
mayed, conscious  that  he  was  not  only  "  the  Lord  of  the  temple," 
but  of  his  own  life,  knowinsi:  that  no  man  could  take  it  from  him 
till  he  laid  it  down  of  himself 

While  thus  "  walking  in  the  temple  in  Solomon's  porch,  then 
came  the  Jews  round  about  him,  and  said  unto  him.  How  long 
dost  thou  make  us  to  doubt?      If  thou  be  the  Christ,   tell  us 
plainly.""      The  term  "  the  Jews,"  here,  and  often  elsewhere  in 
the   gospel   history,  signifies   some  of    the   more   distinguished 
among  the  Jews — some  *of  their  scribes  or  rulers.     They  eagerly 
clustered  around  the  wonder-working  Nazarine,  who  had  made 
very  evident  that  he  could  not  be  turned  into  a  tool  to  serve 
taeir  purposes,  and  whom  they  were  determined  to  crush,  per- 
ceiving that  his  influence  must  be  fatal  to  theirs,  desirous  of  en- 
tangling him  in  his  talk,  that  they  might  obtain  the  means  either 
of  inflaming  popular  prejudice  against  him,  or  of  preferring  an 
accusation  against  him  to  the  Eoman  government.     They  pro- 
fess to  be  in  a  state  of  great  anxiety  in  reference  to  the  ques- 
tion, whether  he  was  indeed  the  Messiah.      They  intimate  that 
their  minds  were  in  a  state  of  painful  suspense ;  and,  by  impli- 
cation, they  blame  him  as  tlie  cause  of  this.     "  How  long  dost 
thou  make  us  to  doubt?""      'How  long  dost  thou  keep  our 
minds  in  suspense,  as  if  on  tenterhooks?'     This  statement,  with 
regard  to  themselves,  was  not  true,  and  their  imputation  against 
him  was  .utterly  unfounded.     They  were  anxious,  indeed,  very 
anxious  ;  for  this  Gralilean  peasant  was  undermining  their  power. 
Their  desire  was  not  to  get  evidence  that  he  was  the  ]\Iessiah, 
but,  if  possible,  evidence  that  he  was  not  the  Messiah ;  or  rather, 
having  made  up  their  minds  that  he  was  not,  and  could  not  be, 
the  Messiah,  they  were  desirous  that  he,  in  making  a  direct  claim 
on  Messianic  honors,  might  afford  them  an  opportunity  of  crush- 
ing him,  either  by  means  of  popular  tumult,  or  by  judicial  pro- 
cess.    The  imputation  against  him  was  entirely  unfounded.    If 
they  were  in  suspense,  it  was  not  his  fault.      Evidence,  abundant 
evidence,  had  been  presented  to  them  ;  and  if  they  had  been  but 
willing  to  do  the  will  of  God,  they  could  not  but  have  known 
the  doctrine,  whether  it  was  of  God.     If  they  were  in  suspense, 
it  was  not  want  of  evidence,  but  want  of  disposition  to  make  an 
honest  use  of  evidence,  that  was  the  cause  of  it.     The  struggle 
in  their  mind  was  a  struggle  between  the  evidence  which  seemed 
to  prove  that  he  was  the  Messiah  and  their  indisposition  to  re- 
ceive such  a  Messiah.     Much  less  evidence  would  have  satisfied 
them,  had  he  been  the  kind  of  Messiah  they  wished  and  ex- 
pected. 

It  is  so  still.  It  is  dissatisfaction  with  the  substance  of  Chris- 
tianity which  induces  men  to  reject  it;  and  this  dissatisfaction, 
with  its  substance  they  endeavor  to  cloak  under  a  complaint  in 

"  John  X.  23,  24.  '2  x^vxiiv  vfK^v  alpcic-     2  Kings  xviii.  29.     LXX. 


548  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

reference  to  its  evidence,  as  if  that,  in  its  kind  or  measure,  were 
not  what  they  had  a  right  to  expect.  They  impute  to  Christianity 
what  is  owing  to  themselves.  It  is  not  the  Gospel  which  makes 
men  doubt.  It  is  their  OAvn  ignorance,  or  prejudice,  or  immoral 
principles.  The  fault  is  not  in  the  object,  but  in  the  eye.  The 
tendency  of  Christ's  words  and  works — their  only  tendency — ^is 
to  make  men  believe.  If  men  doubt,  it  is  in  spite  of  them,  not 
because  of  them. 

"  If  thou  be  the  Christ,  tell  us  plainly."  These  words,  like  the 
inquii'y  addressed  to  John  the  Baptist,"  plainly  intimate  that  the 
Messiah  was  generally  expected  to  make  his  appearance  at  this 
time :  all  were,  if  we  may  use  the  phrase,  on  the  out-look  for  him. 
They  indicate,  likewise,  that  the  surmise  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes- 
siah was  common.  They  also  seem  intended  to  convey  the  idea, 
though  a  false  one,  that  "the  Jews"  had  been  impressed  with  a 
conviction,  from  what  they  had  seen  and  heard,  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah,  and  that  they  wanted  little  more  than  an  explicit 
declaration  from  him,  to  induce  them  to  acknowledge  his  claim. 
If  he  would  but  speak  out,  their  suspense  would  be  at  an  end. 
They  acted  like  "the  spies,  who  feigned  themselves  just  men." 
If  we  might  believe  these  men,  they  were  willing — anxious — to 
acknowledge  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  if  he  himself  would  but 
avow  it.  Nothing  was  nearer  their  heart;  but  they  could  not  ac- 
count for  this  reserve  on  his  part. 

The  words  imply  a  very  dark  insinuation  against  our  Lord's 
character.  It  is  either,  '  He  knows  that  he  is  not  the  Messiah ; 
but  he  is  well  pleased  to  enjoy  the  consequence  which  his  being 
supposed  to  be  so,  gives  him  with  the  ignorant  vulgar ;'  or,  '  Fear 
prevents  him  from  making  an  avowal,  which  he  is  very  much  dis- 
posed to  do,  though  he  knows  that  it  is  false.'  This  was  a  most 
unworthy  imputation  on  the  Great  Prophet,  who  was  "faithful, 
like  Moses,"  in  all  his  transactions  respecting  the  house  or  family 
of  God  committed  to  his  care ;  who  never  "  concealed  God's  right- 
eousness in  his  heart,  but  published  his  salvation  in  the  great  con- 
gregation."" 

The  vile  imputation,  tliough  groundless,  was  not  without  some 
appearance  of  -foundation ;  for  Jesus  had  never  yet  declared, 
plainly  and  openly  in  public,  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  He  never 
did  so,  till,  under  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  he  was  required  to  do 
so ;  and  then  his  acknowledgment  was  as  explicit  as  was  the  denial 
of  his  forerunner,  when  materially  the  same  question  was  put  to 
him.  "  He  confessed,  and  denied  not,  but  confessed"  he  was  the 
Son  of  God,  the  King  of  Israel.  But  hitherto  he  had  declared 
his  Messiahship  explicitly  onl}'  to  the  twelve  disciples,  to  the 
Samaritan  woman,  and  tlie  Sychemitcs,  and  to  the  man  blind  from 
his  birth,  whom  he  had  miraculously  cured. 

The  reasons  for  this  reserve  are  obvious.  He  could  not  have 
made  such  a  declaration  without  hazarding  revolt,  or  giving  his 
enemies  an  opportunity  of  destroying  him  before  his  hour  was 

13  John  i.  19.  "  lleb.  iii.  2.     Psal.  xl.  9,  10. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  549 

come;  and  his  object  was  to  test  men's  characters,  by  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  revealed  himself.  There  was  enough — far  more 
than  enough — to  convince  the  honest-minded ;  there  was  not  so 
much  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  the  prejudiced  to  refuse  assent. 

The  principle  on  which  this  demand  on  our  Lord  proceeds, 
that  men  are  entitled  to  the  highest  possible  degree  of  clearness, 
in  statement  and  evidence,  in  the  case  of  a  divine  revelation,  is  a 
false  one.  To  that  degree  of  both  they  are  entitled  that  is 
necessary  to  reasonable  belief,  but  to  nothing  more ;  to  such  a 
degree  of  them  as  annihilates  all  objection,  all  difficulty,  they  are 
not  entitled.  Such  information  and  evidence  are  seldom  given 
in  any  case.  The  words  of  Jonathan  Edwards  are  full  of  wis- 
dom :  "  The  human  understanding  is  the  ear  to  which  the  word 
of  God  is  addressed,  and  if  it  be  so  spoken  that  that  ear,  '  if  open 
and  attentive,'  may  plainly  hear  it,  it  is  enough.  If  the  mind  of 
God  be  but  revealed  to  us,  if  there  be  but  sufficient  means  for  the 
communication  of  his  mind  to  our  minds,  that  is  sufficient ; 
whether  we  hear  so  many  express  words  with  our  ears,  or  see 
them  in  writing  with  our  eyes  ;  or  whether  we  see  the  thing  that 
he  would  signify  to  us  by  the  eye  of  reason  and  understanding. 
It  is  not  for  us  to  teach  God  how  he  should  teach  us,  nor  pre- 
scribe to  him  how  clearl}^  he  should  tell  his  mind  and  will ; 
but  to  be  thankful  for  divine  revelation  as  we  have  it,  which,  if 
we  do  not  believe,  neither  would  we  be  persuaded  though  it  were 
never  so  much  adapted  to  our  humor.  The  question  at  last 
will  be,  not,  had  you  such  demonstration  that  you  could  not 
resist,  but  such  evidence  as  you  ought  to  have  yielded  to ;  not, 
was  it  made  so  plain  that  you  could  not  misunderstand  it,  but 
was  it  made  plain  enough  that  you  might  have  understood  it  ?"" 
In  the  case  before  us,  our  Lord  had  not  said  openly  that  he  was 
the  Messiah ;  and  if  he  had,  there  was  no  ground  to  suppose  that 
these  men  would  have  acknowledged  his  Messiahship,  but  the 
very  reverse ;  but  he  had  said  and  done  enough  to  instruct  and 
convince  all  who  were  disposed  to  be  instructed  and  convinced 
on  this  subject. 

To  the  unreasonable  and  insidious  demand  of  these  Jews, 
"Jesus,"  with  his  ordinary  depth  and  "  meekness  of  wisdom," 
"  answered  them,  I  told  you,  and  ye  believed  not :  the  works  that 
I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they  bear  witness  of  me.'"*  These 
Avords  have  been  very  generally  interpreted,  as  if  they  were  a 
direct  answer  to  the  demand  of  the  Jews,  and  an  appeal  to  his 
miracles  as  evidence  that  what  he  had  previously  said,  when  he 
asserted  his  Messiahship,  and  what  he  had  now  said,  was  true, — 
'  I  told  you  that  I  am  the  Messiah,'  Though  he  had  never  done 
this  in  so  many  words,  in  direct  terms,  he  had  often  done  it  sub- 
stantially. He  had  used  the  expressions,  "the  Son,"  "the  Son 
of  God,"  "  the  Son  of  man,"  in  a  way  which  nobody  could  doubt 
referred  to  himself;  and  the  Son  of  God,  and  Messiah,  and  the 
Son  of  man,  though  by  no  means  synonymous  terms,  were  weU 
15  Edwards'  Works,  vii.  502.     Loud.  1817.  '^  John  x.  25. 


550  CONVERSATION   WITH  THE  JEWS  [eXP.  XV. 

known  to  be  different  significant  appellatioDS  of  tlie  same  person. 
He  had  called  liimself  "  the  Light  of  the  world,"  and  "the  good 
Shepherd,"  which,  to  persons  well  acquainted  with  the  prophetical 
writings,  were  understood  to  be  descriptive  titles  of  the  Messiah. 
He  had  told  them,  that  "  Abraham  saw  his  day,"  and  "  Moses 
spoke  of  him," — statements  which  plainly  intimated,  that  the 
speaker  was  "  He  that  was  to  come."  He  had  thus  declared  his 
Messiahship  in  such  a  way  that  no  intelligent  Jew  could  doubt 
his  meaning :  '  I  have  thus  told  you  that  I  am  the  Christ,  and 
though  I  did  so,  you  did  not  believe  me.  You  are  not  likely  to 
believe  me  now,  if  I  only  repeat,  in  somewhat  more  explicit 
language,  the  declaration  I  have  so  often  made  to  you.  Yet  you 
ought  to  have  believed  me,  for  "  the  works  which  I  do  in  my 
Father's  name,  they  bear  witness  of  me."  The  miracles  which  I 
perform,  professedly  as  a  person  sent  by  God,  whom  I  claim  as 
my  Father  in  a  peculiar  sense,  clearly  prove  that  whatever  I  de- 
clare is  worthy  of  credit.  No  man  could  do  such  works  as  I  do, 
unless  God  was  with  him ;  and  God,  who  is  the  God  of  truth, 
would  never  affix  his  seal,  which  cannot  be  counterfeited,  to  what 
is  untrue.' 

This  brings  quite  a  consistent  sense  out  of  the  words ;  yet  I 
more  than  doubt  whether  it  exhibits  an  accurate  statement  of  our 
Lord's  meaning.  It  is  too  much  like  a  giving  the  go-by  to  the 
demand  of  the  Jews — appearing  to  reply  to  it,  while,  in  reality, 
it  does  not.  I  apprehend  the  view  wliich  Dr.  Campbell,  Mr. 
Scott,  and  other  good  interpreters  prefer,  is  the  true  one.  When 
men  proposed  questions  to  obtain  gratification  to  their  curiosity, 
or  food  for  their  malice,  our  Lord  often  returned  answers  which 
disappointed  both  expectations,  and  conveyed  reproofs  which 
their  own  consciences  enabled  them  to  understand.  It  is  so  here. 
The  verse  is  but  one  sentence :  "I  told  you,  and  ye  believed 
not,  that  the  works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they  bear 
witness  of  me."  It  is  as  if  our  Lord  had  said,  '  I  have  not 
"plainly"" — rather  "openly" — declared  that  I  am  the  Messiah: 
there  are  very  good  reasons  why  I  should  not  do  this ;  but  I 
have  not  left  you  at  all  in  the  dark  respecting  who  I  am,  unless 
you  voluntarily  choose  to  remain  so.  I  have  said  to  you  again 
and  again,  that  the  "  works  which  I  do  in  my  Father's  name, 
they  bear  witness  of  me ;"  they  distinctly  tell  who  I  am  ;  they,  to 
every  intelligent  reflecting  man,  proclaim  that  I  am  the  Christ.' 

Our  Lord  seems  to  refer  to  such  sayings  as  the  following,  re- 
corded in  the  fifth  chapter  of  this  gospel : — "  If  I  bear  witness  of 
myself,  my  witness  is  not  true.  There  is  anotlicr  that  beareth 
witness  of  me  ;  and  I  know  that  the  witness  wliicli  he  witncsseth 
of  me  is  true.  Ye  sent  unto  John,  and  he  bare  witness  unto  the 
truth.  But  I  receive  not  testimony  from  man  :  but  these  things 
I  say,  that  ye  might  be  saved.  He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light;  and  ye  were  wilhng  for  a  season  to  rejoice  in  his  light. 
But  1  have  greater  witness  that  that  of  John  :  for  the  works 

'"  TTai'if')qaia. 


EXP.  XV.]       AT  THE  FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  551 

■whicli  the  Fatlier  hath  given  me  to  finish,  the  same  works  that  I 
do,  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath  sent  me.  Ye  have 
neither  heard  his  voice  at  any  time,  nor  seen  his  shape.  And  ye 
have  not  his  word  abiding  in  you :  for  whom  he  hath  sent,  him 
ye  beheve  not..  Search  the  Scriptures  ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye 
have  eternal  life  :  and  they  are  they  Avhich  testify  of  me.  And 
ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life."  This  is  a 
summary  of  the  evidence  of  our  Lord's  divine  mission  and 
Messiahship.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  My  own  unsupported 
testimony,  as  to  who  I  am,  would  not  be  accounted  worthy 'of 
credit ;  but  I  have  a  witness  who  is  worthy  of  all  credit.  I  do 
not  refer  to  John,  though  he,  a  divinely-authorized  teacher  of 
great  eminence,  and  whom  you  for  a  season  greatly  reverenced, 
gave  testimony  in  my  favor  when  you  made  inquiry  of  him, — 
a  circumstance  I  refer  to,  not  to  add  to  my  claims  on  your  belief, 
but  for  your  advantage.  The  witness  I  refer  to  is  one  infiniteh^ 
higher  than  John  :  it  is  God,  my  Father.  He  bears  evidence  to 
me  in  various  ways.  These  works,  far  surpassing  human  created 
power,  which  I  perform,  as  one  sent  by  him,  they  declare  the 
truth  respecting  me.  ISTor  is  this  all.  You  have  heard  his  voice 
proclaiming,  "This  is  my  well-beloved  Son,  hear  him;"  and  ye 
have  seen  the  cloud  of  glory  from  which  that  voice  proceeded. 
Nor  is  this  all.  In  the  writings  of  the  prophets,  who  spake  as 
they  were  moved  by  his  Spirit,  there  is  a  testimony  concerning 
me  ;  and  yet  ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life.' 

The  words  of-  our  Lord  now  under  consideration  plainly  mean 
more  than — '  The  miracles  I  work  prove  my  divine  mission  ;'-— 
the  meaning  is,  '  They  declare  my  distinctive  character, — they 
prove  not  only  that  I  am  a  divine  messenger,  but  that  I  am  the 
Messiah.  The  miracles  which  I  perform,  are  the  miracles  which 
the  prophets  declared  the  Messiah  would  perform.'  The  best  com- 
mentary on  them  is  to  be  met  with  in  the  reply  of  our  Lord 
to  the  message  which  John  the  Baptist  sent  him  by  two  of  his 
disciples, — "Art  thou  he  that  should  come?  or  look  we  for 
another?"  And  in  the  same  hour  he  cured  many  of  their 
infirniities  and  plagues,  and  of  evil  spirits ;  and  unto  many  that 
were  blind  he  gave  sight.  Then  Jesus  answering,  said  unto 
them.  Go  your  way,  and  tell  John  what  things  ye  have  seen  and 
heard ;  how  that  the  blind  see,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are 
cleansed,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raised,  to  the  poor  the  Gos- 
pel is  preached.  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be  of- 
fended in  me.""  These  were  the  precise  verifications  of  the 
ancient  predictions  as  to  what  was  to  take  place  when  the  divine 
Saviour— the  Messiah— appeared.  "  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind 
sliall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped : 
then  shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the 
dumb  sing.'"'  Our  Lord's  miracles,  taken  in  connection  with 
ancient  j^rophecy,  clearly  proved,  not  only  his  divine  mission, 
but  his  Messiahship.     'I  told  you  then,'  says  our  Lord,  'my 

'^  Luke  vii.  21-23.  '^  Isa.  xxxv.  5,  6. 


652  CONVERSATION   WITH  THE   JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

miracles  show  who  I  am,  but  you  did  not  believe  me  when  I  said 
this  to  you;  would  you  more  readily  believe  that  direct  claim  to 
Messiahship  which  3^ou  are  endeavoring  to  draw  from  me?' 
They  pretended  tliat  the}^  only  doubted.  Jesus  tells  them  they 
did  not  believe.  "  Scepticism  in  religion,"  as  Matthew  Henry 
says,  "  is  no  better  than  infidelity."  The  truth  is,  they  were 
seeking,  in  such  a  declaration,  not  the  means  of  confirming 
their  wavering  faith,  the  fixing  their  unsettled  minds,  but  the 
means  of  carrying  out  their  fixed  determination  to  destroy  him. 
They  would  have  found  in  such  a  declaration  new  ground  of 
cavil,  and  have  said,  '  Thou  bearest  witness  of  thyself, — ^thy 
witness  is  not  true.'  What  they  needed  was,  not  clearer  state- 
ments, more  cogent  arguments,  more  striking  miracles, — it  was 
a  humble,  docile  mind  and  heart,  a  disposition  to  know  and 
do  the  will  of  God — to  know  what  was  true,  to  do  what  was 
right. 

The  verj'-  interesting  question.  How  is  it  that,  in  all  ages,  so 
many  who  have  been  furnished,  in  a  statement  of  the  truth  and 
its  evidence,  with  the  means  of  christian  faith,  have  yet  remained 
unbelievers?  resolves  itself  into  two  inquiries.  The  first  question 
is.  Why  do  men  not  believe  what  Jesus  Christ  declares  to  them 
— why  do  they  not  account  it  true,  just  because  he  declares  it? 
The  answer  to  that  question  is.  Because  they  do  not  believe  that 
he  is  what  he  professes  himself  to  be.  They  do  not  believe  the 
testimon}^  of  the  Father  respecting  him,  that  he  is  his  well- 
beloved  Sou — his  sent  and  sealed  messenger.  They  disbelieve 
the  testimony  given  hy  him,  because  they  disbelieve  the  testimony 
that  is  given  of  him.  They  do  not  hear  the  Son,  because  they 
do  not  hear  tbe  Father  bidding  theui  hear  him.  The  second 
question  is,  But  why  do  they  not  believe  the  testimony  of  the 
Father  concerning  the  Son  ?  This  is  not  owing  to  any  want  of 
clearness  in  the  testimony,  nor  from  any  want  of  sufficiency  in 
the  evidence  that  it  is  indeed  the  Father's  testimony.  It  is  to  be 
found  ultimately  in  the  operation  of  some  immoral  principle — in 
the  working,  in  some  particular  mode,  of  the  depravity  of  nature 
wliich  characterizes  all  mankind,  preventing  the  testimony  from 
being  apprehended  in  its  meaning  and  evidence,  so  as  to  produce 
its  proper  effect. 

The  questions  referred  to  are  intimately  connected,  but  they 
are  obviously  distinct,  and  ought  not  to  be  confounded.  The 
want  of  faith  in  the  doctrines  arises  out  of  want  of  faith  in  the 
Teacher ;  and  the  want  of  faith  in  the  Teacher  arises  out  of  the 
want  of  faitli  in  his  credentials ;  and  want  of  feith  in  these  arises 
out  of  their  not  being  riglitly  apprcliended ;  and  want  of  right 
apprehension  arises  out  of  want  of  right  examination ;  and  want 
of  right  examination  arises  out  of — it  can  arise  out  of  notliing 
else — some  modification  of  immoral  principle,  profligacy,  thought- 
lessness, or  pride — the  pride  of  worldly  distinction,  or  of  wisdom, 
or  of  self-riglitcousncss.  It  is  unbelief,  in  the  first  of  these 
phases,  to  which  our  Lord  refers  here ;  and  he  traces  it  to  its 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST   OF   DEDICATION.  553 

true  cause.  "  But  ye  believe  not ;  because  ye  are  not  of  my 
sheep,  as  I  said  unto  you.'"" 

These  Jews,  seeking  to  entangle  bur  Lord  in  his  talk,  speak 
as  if  ready  to  acknowledge  his  Messiahship,  if  he  would  but  avow 
it.  Our  Lord's  reply  is  substantially,  '  There  is  no  room  to 
suppose  that,  though  I  were  to  make  the  avowal  which  for  your 
own  malignant  reasons  you  urge  on  me,  you  would  credit  it, 
however  plainly  and  solemnly  made.  I  have  told  you  that  the 
works  which  I  perform,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  contain  in 
them  a  testimony  respecting  me  sufficiently  explicit  to  all  who 
are  desirous,  or  even  not  indisposed,  to  nttend  to  and  receive  it. 
You  did  not  believe  that  statement.  You  are  not^  disposed  to 
believe  any  statement  I  may  make  ;  and  the  reason  is,  "ye  are 
not  of  my  sheep."  "  Let  us  inquire  for  a  little  what  our  Lord 
means  by  being  of  his  sheep ;  and  then  show  how  these  men,  not 
being  of  his  sheep,  accounts  for  their  not  believing  him. 

Christ's  "  sheep"  are  obviously  those  who  are  peculiarly  re- 
lated to  hi:n — his  "  peculiar  peoj)le" — the  objects  of  his  especial 
love  and  saving  care.  They  stand  in  a  peculiar  relation  to  him 
as  the  great,  the  good,  the  proprietor- Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  and 
are  characterized  by  a  peculiar  mode  of  thinking,  and  feeling, 
and  acting,  in  reference  to  him.  They  are  "the  election  of 
grace,"  "those"  chosen  "of  Grod  from  among  the  fallen  race  of 
Adam,"  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  "to  be  redeemed  by 
the  incarnate  Son  from  all  evil,"  and  to  obtain  "  the  salvation 
that  is  in  Him,  with  eternal  glory." 

But  though  "the  sheep"  and  'the  elect'  are  two  appellations 
that  refers  to  the  very  same  individuals,  they  are  not  to  be  con- 
sidered as  synonymous  terms.  The  truths  intended  to  be  con- 
veyed to  our  minds  respecting  them  by  these  two  designations  are 
by  no  means  entirely  coincident.  When  we  call  the  peculiar  peo- 
ple of  Christ  "  the  elect,"  we  mean  that  they  are  the  objects  of  a 
sovereign  special  love  and  purpose  of  salvation.  Their  relation 
to  Christ,  as  elected,  is  that  of  persons  who  are  certainly  to  be 
saved  by  him ;  but  their  state  and  character,  as  elect,  are  in  no 
way  different  from  those  of  the  rest  of  mankind.  They  are  just 
a  part  of  the  fallen  family  of  man,  under  the  curse  of  the  violated 
law,  and  common  heirs  of  the  universal  depravity  which  charac- 
terizes their  race ;  "  children  of  wrath,"  "  children  of  disobe- 
dience," righteously  condemned,  thoroughly  depraved,  in  them- 
selves hopelessly  lost,  apart  from  Christ.^''  When  we  call  them 
"  the  sheep,"  though  we  are  speaking  of  the  same  individuals,  we 
mean  that  their  state  and  character  are  materially  different 
from  those  of  the  rest  of  their  race — ^the  purpose  of  mercy,  in 
reference  to  them,  has  begun  to  develop  itself.  Influenced  by 
the  Divine  Spirit,  enlightened  by  the  Divine  word,  they  have  been 

2u  John  X.  26. 

21  Ammonius'  gloss  is  good,  et  (5e  fifi  uKO?uOv6elTe  /joi,  ovk  inEc6//  ovk  el/xi.  ■koijitjv, 
iiXK  ETCELd?/  i'fiEic  OVK  tcTE  TipojiaTa.     Corderii  Catena  in  Joan. 

22  X'^P^^  XpiCTOi'. 


554  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE   JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

brought  to  Jesus  Christ  as  the  good  Shepherd.  They  have  been 
taught  by  tlie  Father  to  come  to  the  Son.  In  the  behef  of  tlie 
truth  respecting  him,  they  have  been  phiced,  and  have  placed 
themselves,  under  his  care.  They  are  thus  brought  into  a  rela- 
tion to  Christ  which  gives  them  an  actual  interest  in  the  blessings 
of  his  salvation.  They  are  pardoned  on  the  ground  of  his  atone- 
ment, justified  by  liis  righteousness,  and  regenerated  and  sancti- 
fied by  his  Spirit,  They  hear  his  voice,  and  they  follow  him,  a 
declaration  which  is  not  true  of  any  sinner,  merely  as  elected ; 
for,  till  he  is  "  brought  nigh,"  he  is  just  as  far  off  as  those  who 
are  never  brought  nigh — just  as  guilty,  as  depraved,  as  rebellious, 
as  obstinate,  as  the  rest  of  the  race.  The  sheep  of  Christ,  then, 
are  those  who,'  under  a  special  divine  influence,  have  been  induced 
to  believe  the  truth  respecting  the  Saviour,  and  whose  spiritual 
state  and  character  have  been  thus  savingly  changed. 

We  are  prepared  now  to  reply  to  the  question.  How  these  men 
not  being  of  Christ's  sheep,  accounts  for  their  not  believing  what 
he  says  to  them?  Whether  none  of- these  men  were  among  "the 
elect"  we  cannot  tell ;  for  anything  we  know,  some  of  them  maj^, 
at  an  after  period,  being  taught  of  the  Father,  have  come  to  the 
Son  as  the  good  Shepherd  ;  and  we  are  quite  sure  that  if  they 
came  to  him  he  would  not  cast  them  out.  But  it  was  quite  evi- 
dent that  they  were  not,  at  this  time,  "  of  his  sheep  ;"  their  rela- 
tion to  him,  and  their  disposition  towards  him,  were  anything  but 
those  of  his  sheep ;  and  this  being  the  case,  it  was  not  wonderful 
that  they  should  not  believe  what  he  said,  to  them.  They  did  not 
regard  him  as  their  sliepherd, — how  then  should  they  "  hear  his 
voice  and  follow  him"  ?  They  did  not  believe  his  divine  mission 
as  a  teacher, — how  then  should  they  credit  his  declaration,  es- 
pecially when  so  much  opposed  to  all  that  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  consider  as  true?  They  did  not  believe  his  divine 
mission  as  a  Saviour,  how  then  should  they  rely  on  him  for  sal- 
vation ? 

Some  excellent  divines,  though,  iu  this  instance,  not  very  ac- 
curate interpreters,  considering  "  the  sheep"  and  "  the  elect,"  as 
not  only  descriptions  of  the  same  persons,  but  as  synonymous 
terms,  have  supposed  that  our  Lord's  statement  is,  '  Ye  do  not  be- 
lieve, because  ye  are  not  among  the  elect.'  Now,  though  the  faith 
of  every  believer  must  be  traced  to  the  sovereign  love  in  which 
his  election  originated,  manifesting  itself  in  that  special  divine 
influence  which  alone  can  produce  the  faith  of  the  truth  in  the 
human  mind,  yet  the  non-election  of  the  unbeliever  is  not,  in 
any  proper  sense,  the  cause  of  his  unbelief.  To  himself  it  is  some- 
tlnng  entircl)'  unknown,  and  therefore  it  cannot  influence  his 
mind;  and,  most  certainly,  there  is  nothing  in  the  Bible  which 
would  lead  us  to  the  dreadful  conclusion  that  God  prevents  men 
from  doing  what  he  calls  on  them  to  do.  The  cause  of  holiness 
and  salvation  is  to  be  sought  in  the  sovereign  grace  of  Jehovah, 
of  which  the  first  operation  is  the  purpose  of  mercy ;  but  the 
cause  of  sin  and  perdition  is  to  be  sought,  not  iu  the  Divine  de- 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST   OF   DEDICATION.  555 

cree,  but  in  man  himself, — his  perdition  is  tlie  just  punishment 
of  his  sin, — and  his  sin,  his  actual  violation  of  the  Divine  law,  is 
the  development  of  the  depravity  of  his  nature.  It  were  dread- 
ful presumption  in  any  minister  to  say  of  any  set  of  men,  or  any 
individual  man,  "  You  do  not  believe,  you  cannot  believe,  because 
you  are  not  elected ;"  not  merely  because  these  very  persons  may 
yet,  in  believing  the  truth,  by  their  calling,  make  their  election 
evident,  but  because  in  no  case  is  it  non-election  which  is  the 
cause  of  men's  unbelief.  Unbelicl^  tliough  it  is  a  negative  word, 
is  a  positive  tiling,  and  requires  a  positive  cause,  and,  in  all  its 
forms,  is  always  charged  on  men  as  something  for  which  they  are 
culpable  ;  and  it  surely  was  not  our  Lord's  design  to  furnish  these 
men  witli  a  plausible  excuse  for  their  unbelief,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, to  charge  it  home  on  them  as  a  sin  which  would  necessarily 
exclude  them  from  deriving  any' advantage  from  Him,  as  the 
great  and  good  Shepherd  ?  It  would  be  strange,  indeed,  if  he 
who  "  came  not  to  condemn  the  world,"  had  in  these  words  (as 
he  has  done  if  they  bear  the  sense  which  has  been,  by  a  mistaken 
interpretation,  imposed  on  them)  anticipated  as  to  these  individu- 
als, the  final  condemnatory  sentence  of  the  judgment-day.  A 
plain  obvious  meaning  comes  out  of  the  words,  '  It  is  because  ye 
have  never  seen  me  to  be  the  good  Shepherd,  and,  under  this 
conviction,  come  into  my  fold,  that  ye  have  discredited  what  I 
have  said  to  you;  and  while  you  continue  in  this  state,  you  will 
continue  to  discredit  whatever  I  may  say.  If  ye  were  of  my 
sheep,  ye  would  believe  what  I  have  said  to  you — you  would  be- 
lieve whatever  I  shall  say  to  you.' 

The  words,  "  as  I  said  to  you,"  in  our  version,  are  connected 
with  what  precedes  them.  If  that  be  the  true  connection,  our 
Lord  must  either  refer  to  something  he  had  said  which  is  not  re- 
corded— for  nowhere  in  any  of  the  gospels  is  he  represented  as 
having  said  to  those  men,  or  those  like  them,  '  ye  are  not  my 
sheep'' — or  to  declarations  which  he  had  formerly  made  of  equiv- 
alent meaning,  as,  "  I  said  unto  3'ou,  That  ye  also  have  seen  me, 
and  believe  not.'""  'I  know  that  ye  have  not  the  love  of  God 
in  you.'  "  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your 
father  ye  will  do.""  It  seems,  however,  more  probable  that  these 
words  ought  to  be  connected  with  what  follows  rather  than  with 
what  goes  before,  or  rather  that  they  are  the  junction  of  the  two 
statements.  "  As  I  said  unto  you,  my  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and 
I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me,"'^  in  which  case  he  refers  to 
what  he  had  said  in  the  discourse  delivered  to  tlicm  a  few  months 
before  in  the  same  place.  '  Ye  are  not  my  sheep,  according  to 
what  I  said  to  you,'  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice," — 'they  attend 
to,  they  believe,  they  obey  me  ;'"  and  they  follow  me" — 'they 
acknowledge  me  as  their  leader,  their  teacher,  their  exemplar — 
they  take  the  course  I  point  out  to  them,  and  not  only  point  out 
to  them,  but  in  which  I  go  before  them.  Such  is  the  character 
and  conduct  of  my  sheep.     Such  is  not  your  character  and  con- 

23  John  vi.  36.  21  j^lm  viii.  44.  "'  Jolm  x.  27. 


556  CONVERSATION   WITH   THE   JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

duct.  Ye  do  not  hear  my  voice, — ye  do  not  follow  me.'  "I 
know  my  sheep."  '  I  know  who  are  sincere  believers  in  me ; 
and,  knowing  who  are  my  sheep,  I  know  who  are  not  my  sheep, 
— and  I  know  that  ye  are  not  of  my  shec^  .  You  profess  an 
anxiety  to  hear,  a  readiness  to  receive,  an  avovval  of  my  Messiah- 
ship  ;  but  I  am  not  to  be  imposed  on.'  To  many  who  professed 
faith  in  him,  he  committed  not  himself,  for  he*knew  what  was  in 
man ;  he  needed  not  that  any  one  should  testify  of  man.  He 
tries  the  heart  and  the  reins.  All  things  are  naked  and  open  be- 
fore him.  Or,  the  words  may  be  taken  thus,  '  I  acknowledge 
my  sheep,  but  I  do  not  acknowledge  you  for  my  sheep.' 

This  statement  respecting  the  conduct  of  his  sheep  towards 
him,  and  his  knowledge  of  them,  introduced  apparentl}"  for  the 
purpose  of  illustrating  the  fact,  that  the  Jews  were  not  his  sheep, 
and  that  he  Avas  well  aware  of  this,  leads  to  a  declaration  of  the 
blessedness  and  security  enjoyed  by  those  who  were  his  sheep — a 
declaration  which  contains  in  it,  and  which  seems  to  have  been 
intended  to  convey  to  the  minds  of  the  hearers,  the  truth  with 
regard  to  his  Messiahship.  He  does  not  say  plainly,  in  so  rhany 
words,  *Iam  the  Messiah,' but  he  represeats  himself  as  being 
what  none  but  the  Messiah  was,  and  doing  what  none  but  the 
Messiah  could  do,  "  And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life ;  and  they 
shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand."*" 

This  is  a  declaration  equivalent  to  that  of  the  apostle,  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  "He  became  the  author  of  eternal  salva- 
tion unto  all  tbem  that  obey  him.""  To  all  his  sheep, — that  is, 
to  all  who,  taught  by  the  Father,  have  come  to  him — to  all  who, 
under  special  divine  influence,  have  believed  the  testimony  of 
the  Father  concerning  him,  and  been  placed  by  Him,  and  have 
placed  themselves,  under  his  care  as  the  good  Shepherd — in  other 
words,  to  all  believers, — he  gives  eternal  life.  In  restoration  to 
tlie  favor,  image,  and  fellowship  of  God,  he  bestows  on  them 
true  permanent  happiness. 

It  is  not  said  he  will  give  them  eternal  life,  but,  he  gives  them 
eternal  life.  On  their  believing  in  him,  he  puts  them  iu  possess- 
ion of  true  happiness,  and  the  state  of  happiness  into  which  he 
brings  them  is  a  permanent  state.  He  quickens  them,  makes 
tiiem  alive,  gives  them  the  capacity  and  the  enjoyment  of  true 
happiness.  Their  life  is  never-dying, — 'they  shall  never  cease  to 
be  happy.  The  happiness  they  obtain  is  tiie  same  in  nature  as 
that  whicli,  in  larger  and  ever-increasing  measure,  is  to  constitute 
tlie  felicity  of  their  eternity. 

He  "  gives  "  them  this  happiness.  It  is  not  worked  for,  it  is 
not  purchased  by  them.  "  Eternal  life  is  the  gift  of  God  throughi 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."^*  It  cost  him  much  to  open  up  a  channel 
lor  this  eternal  life  to  find  its  way  to  us, — "  dead  in  trespasses  and 

2«  John  X.  28. — "  uv  fii/  uTToXui'Tai — Med.  noii  perdeiit  acne.  koI  ovx — nec  per 
uUurn  hostem  exlernum  eos  a  manu  mea  rapi  sinam." — Benoel. 

27  Heb.  V.  9.  -w  Rom.  vi.  23. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  557 

sins,"  sunk  in  spiritual  death,  doomed  to  eternal  death  ;  but  it 
comes  to  us  "  freely,  by  God's  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  Indeed,  it  plainly  could  not  have  been 
got  by  us  at  all,  had  it  not  been  given. 

And  this  "  gift  and  calling  is  without  repentance."'^'  They  to 
whom  he  gives  eternal  life  "  shall  never  perish."  The  state  of 
grace  into  which  believers  are  brought  is  one  "  in  which  they 
stand"'" — continue — stand  by  faith — continue  in  by  continued 
believing — which  is  secured  by  the  continued  influences  of  that 
good  Spirit  which  first  led  them  to  believe,  which  the  Saviour 
perfected  by  his  sufferings,  has  shed  forth  on  them,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  impart  to  them.  It  is  their  relation  to  the  good  Shep- 
herd, their  being  "  in  his  hand,"  his  property,  under  his  care, 
that  secures  them;  for  otherwise  they  are  not  secure.  They 
have  many  and  powerful  enemies  who  seek  their  destruction, 
and,  without  his  protection,  would  assuredly  effect  it ;  for  neither 
in  wisdom  nor  in  power  are  they  at  all  a  match  for  their  foes. 
But  "  their  Eedeemer,  who  is  in  the  midst  of  them,"  is  mighty 
— "the  mighty  God," — and  "none  can  pluck  them  out  of  his 
hand."  No  being,  human  or  angelic — no  power,  earthly  or  in- 
fernal— can  accomplish  their  ruin.  "  The  gates  of  hell  cannot 
prevail  against""  Christ's  church,  as  a  body,  nor  against  the 
feeblest  of  its  genuine  members.  The  Father  has  put  them  into 
his  hands,  and  who  shall  pluck  them  out  of  his  hands  ?  What 
power  can  overpower  Him  who  has  "  all  power  in  heaven  and 
in  earth,"  and  has  all  that  power  just  for  this  end,  "that  he 
should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  the  Father  has  given  him," 
— "  who  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself"?'^  And 
what  wisdom  can  overreach  Him  whose  name  is  "  Counsellor," 
• — "in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge," 
— who  is  the  "  wisdom  of  God,"  as  well  as  "  the  power  of  God  "?^^ 
Nothing  but  a  want  of  love  on  the  part  of  him  whose  "  saints 
are  in  his  hand,"  then,  could  account  for  their  being  "  plucked 
out  of  his  hand."  But  he  who  loved  them  so  as  to  give  his  life 
for  their  salvation, — can  he  be  deficient  in  love  ?  No  ;  "he  rests 
in  his  love," — "he  hateth  putting  away," — "whom  he  loves,  he 
loves  to  the  end;" — "Jesus  Christ,  is  the  same  yesterday,  and 
to-day,  and  for  ever."  "  The  mountains  may  depart,  the  hills 
may  be  removed  ;  but  his  loving-kindness  shall  not  depart  from 
his  people,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  his  peace  be  removed." 
"  His  mercy  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that 
fear  him  "^^ — his  chosen  ones. 

The  security  of  the  sheep  of  the  good  Shepherd  is  farther  illus- 
trated by  the  declaration,  that  "  the  Father  which  gave  them  to 
Christ  is  greater  than  all ;  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of 
his  Father's  hand.'"'     The  Father,  in  the  economy  of  human  sal- 

29  Rom.  xi.  29.  so  Rom.  v.  2.  3i  Matt.  xvi.  18. 

32  Matt,  xxviii.  18.     John  xvii.  2.     Phil.  iii.  21. 
3a  Isa.  ix.  6.     Col.  ii.  3.     1  Cor.  i.  24. 

3<  Zeph.  iii.  17.     Mai.  ii.   16.     John  xiii.  1.     Heb.  xiii.  8.     Is.  lir.  10.     PsaL 
ciii.  17.  3'.  John  x.  29. 


558  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

vation,  sustains  the  majesty  of  Divinity,  All  tilings  are  of  the 
Father,  hy  the  Son,  throurjh  the  Spirit.  From  eternity,  the 
Father  of  onr  Lord  Jesiis  Christ,  who  blesses  all  the  "  faithful " 
— ^that  is,  all  believers — with  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessings  in 
Christ  Jesus,  in  love  chose,  or  elected^  them  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  having  predestinated  them  according  to 
the  good  pleasure  of  his  will  :^°  and,  in  prosecution  of  this  pur- 
pose of  sovereign  mercy,  he  in  time  selects  them  from  the  world 
lying  under  the  Avicked  one,  takes  from  among  them  the  Gentiles 
a  people  to  his  name,  calls  them  with  a  holy  calling,  leads  them 
by  his  word  and  Spirit  to  Christ,  and  puts  them  under  his  care. 
It  is  a  question  among  christian  interpreters  whether  the  phrase 
now  before  us — the  giving  of  the  sheep  to  the  good  Shepherd  by 
the  Father — refers  to  the  first  or  the  second  of  these.  It  is  not  a 
matter  of  vital  importance  how  the  question  is  settled,  though  I 
am  disposed  to  think  that  the  latter  is  the  more  jDrobable  inter- 
pretation. The  two  things,  however,  go  together — ^tbey  cannot 
be  separated — sovereign  personal  election,  and  special  saving 
divine  influence.  The  Father  entrusts  his  Son  with  the  care  of 
these  objects  of  his  sovereign  love — his  eternal  choice — his  effect- 
ual grace.  He  puts  them  into  his  hand,  not  as  if  he  were  hence- 
forth to  take  no  more  concern  of  them,  for  "  the  Son  does 
nothing  of  himself,"  apart  from  the  Father.  All  His  resources 
are  available — are  pledged — for  tlie  salvation  of  the  sheep. 

He  is  greater  than  all — infinitely  exalted  above  all  creatures  in 
all  excellence.  In  the  economy  of  grace,  the  Father  is  supreme 
— greater  than  the  Son — greater  than  the  Spirit,  both  of  whom 
He  sends.  In  essence  there  is  none  of  the  divine  persons  greater 
or  less  than  the  rest,  for  they  are  one.  The  reference  here  is  to 
the  supreme  authority,  and  unbounded  power,  and  infinite  wisdom, 
of  Divinity,  "  And"  here,  as  in  some  other  places,  is  equivalent 
to  '  therefore.'"  "  None  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's 
hand."  The  Father  also  loves  them.  Had  he  not  loved  them, 
there  never  would  have  been  either  the  Shepherd  or  the  sheep  ; 
and  as  his  love  has  destined  them  to  "the  salvation  that  is  in 
Christ  with  eternal  glory,"  so  he  will  "keep  them  by  his  power 
unto  salvation" — will  "  deliver  them  from  every  evil  work,  and 
preserve  them  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom."  He  will  "  take  the 
wise" — enemies  of  his  chosen — "in  their  own  craftiness,"  and 
make  their  devices  subservient  to  the  attainment  of  ends  the  very 
reverse  of  those  for  which  the}'  were  intended;  He  will  "keep 
the  feet  of  his  saints,"  and  Avho  can  make  them  so  stumble  as  to 
fall  into  perdition?  He  will  "preserve  them  for  ever;"  He  will 
"  perfect  that  which  concerneth  them ;"  He  will  not "  turn  away  from 
them  to  do  them  good."  They  in  whose  hearts  he  puts  his  fear 
"  shall  not  depart  from  him ;"  He  who  begins  the  good  work  in 
them  "will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  The  Apos- 
tle Paul  is  a  beautiful  exempHfication  of  tlie  state  of  one  of  Christ's 

i«  Eph.  i.  3-5. 

37  Mark  iii.  22. — The  LXX.  repeatedly  render  '\Z-~7  by  Kat.     Isa.  xliv.  23. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  559 

sheep,  realizing  the  trutli  of  the  exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises  contained  in  the  passage  before  us: — "  What  shall  we 
then  sa}^  to  these  things?  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against 
us?"  "Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall 
tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or 
peril,  or  sword?"  "Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than 
conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded,  that 
neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers, 
nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor 
any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."^^ 

It  does  not  appear  to  me  to  be  possible,  without  using  an  ex- 
treme degree  of  violence  to  the  ordinar}^  laws  of  language,  to 
bring  out  of  these  words  of  our  Lord,  illustrated  by  the  com- 
mentary of  the  apostle,  any  other  doctrine  than  that  the  final  sal- 
vation of  all  the  sheep  of  Christ, — all  true  believers  (and  all  who 
are  true  believers  are  so  in  consequence  of  the  special  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  given  them  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of 
Him  who  "  has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  com- 
passion on  whom  he  will  have  compassion"^'),  is  as  secure  as  the 
infinite  love,  power,  wisdom,  and  faithfulness  of  the  divine  Father 
and  Son  can  make  it.  , 

The  perseverance  thus  secured  is  not  a  perseverance  in  the  en- 
joyment of  blessedness  connected  with  the  Divine  favor,  irrespect- 
ive of  holiness — a  security  of  heaven,  though  the  individual  con- 
tinue in  sin.  While  God  continues  what  he  is,  and  man  continues 
what  he  is,  such  a  perseverance  can  never  be  anything  but  the 
wild  dream  of  the  deluded  antinomian,  or  the  monstrous  creation 
of  the  unfair  polemic.  The  perseverance  which  Jesus  promises, 
and  in  which  Paul  exults,  is  a  perseverance  in  the  possession  of 
that  holy  happiness  which,  from  the  very  nature  of  things,  as 
well  as  by  the  appointment  of  God,  can  grow  only  out  of  the  con- 
tinued faith  of  the  truth,  which  just  as  naturally  and  certainly 
purifies  as  it  rejoices  the  heart — as  certainly  transforms  the  char- 
acter, as  it  pacifies  the  conscience.  It  is  a  blessing  which  none 
but  a  true  believer  can  enjoy,  and  the  comfort  of  the  enjoyment 
of  which  must  correspond  to  the  measure,  the  extent,  and  the 
practical  efficacy  of  his  faith.  To  a  regenerate  man,  under  the 
influence  of  unbelief,  giving  way  to  sinful  propensity,  this  doctrine 
must  be  ''•  a  well  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed."  It  is  only  those  who 
have  evidence  that  they  are  Christ's  sheep,  that  can  legitimately 
rejoice  in  what  he  says  of  his  sheep.  The  promise,  however,  ob- 
viously not  only  secures  final  salvation  to  those  who  persevere  in 
believing,  but  it  secures  perseverance  in  believing  to  those  who 
have  believed  through  grace.  It  is  by  faith,  which  God  works  in 
us  by  his  Spirit,  that  we  are  put  into  Christ's  hand ;  and  if  he  who 
truly  believes  in  Christ  could  fall  from  faith,  he  would,  by  so  faU- 

38  1  Pet.  i.  5.  2  Tim.  iv.  18.  Job  v.  12.  1  Sam.  ii.  9.  Psal.  xxxvii.  28.  PsaL 
cxxxviii.  8.     Jer.  xxxii.  40.     Phil.  i.  6.     Rom.  viii.  31-39. 

39  Rom.  ix  15. 


560  COXVEESATIOX   WITH  THE   JEWS  [EXP,  XV. 

ing,  fall  out  of  Christ's  hand,  and  tbe  promise  would  become  of 
none  effect."  When  Satan  desh^ed  to  liave  Peter  to  sift  him  as 
Avheat,  his  object  was  to  pluck  him  out  of  Christ's  hand ;  but  our 
Lord  said,  "  I  have  praj^ed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  Peter's 
perseverance  in  believing  was  insured  by  Christ's  intercession. 
The  event  was  certain ;  but  the  exhortation  to  "watch  and  pray" 
was  not  superfluous.  Had  Peter  but  regarded  it  as  he  ought,  he 
would  have  been  saved  agonizing  remorse,  unspeakable  anguish. 
The  perseverance  of  all  true  believers  is  secured  in  the  same  way, 
and  the}'  have  the  assurance  of  it  in  the  "exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises"  which  we  have  been  considering, — promises, 
however,  the  sweetness  and  invigorating  influence  of  which  they 
can  taste  only  in  the  degree  in  which  they  have  evidence  that  they 
are  the  sheep  of  Christ. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  this  doctrine  renders  nuga- 
tory, exhortations  and  warnings  to  true  believers.  It  is  by  the 
truth  dwelling  in  the  mind,  and  influencing  the  conduct — it  is 
thus,  and  thus  alone,  that  the  promise  can  be  fulfilled ;  and  hence 
our  Lord  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Abide  in  me ;"  "  If  ye  continue 
in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed  ;"  "he  that  endureth 
to  the  end  shall  be  saved."  And  the  apostle  tells  all,  without  ex- 
ception, "  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die :  but  if  ye  through 
the  Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live."  "  He 
that  soweth  to  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption."  "  He 
that  turns  back,  turns  back  to  perdition."  The  safety  of  Paul's 
companions  in  the  ship  was  certain ;  and  they  had  it  declared  to 
them  that  it  was  certain,  by  a  divine  message,  "  Tliere  shall  be  no 
loss  of  any  man's  life."  Yet  the  same  divine  message  tells  them, 
"  Except  these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be  saved."  Peter  as- 
sures all  begotten  to  a  lively  hope,  that  the  inheritance  laid  up 
for  them  should  be  theirs,  and  that  they  were  kept  to  it,  by  the 
power  of  God,  unto  salvation ;  yet  he  commands  them  to  "  give 
all  diligence  to  add  to  their  faith  virtue,  and  knowledge,  and  tem- 
perance, and  patience,  and  brotherly -kindness,  and  charity," — 'as- 
suring them  that  it  was  thus  they  were  to  "  make  their  calling 
and  election  sure,"  and  that,  in  doing  these  things,  they  were 
secure  of  not  falling,  and  of  obtaining  "  an  abundant  entrance 
into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ."^' 

In  the  beautiful  language  of  Hooker,  "  It  was  not  the  meaning 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  in  saying.  Father,  keep  them  in  thy 
name" — a  prayer  answered  in  reference  to  all  his  chosen  ones — 
"  that  we  should  be  careless  to  keep  ourselves.  To  our  own  safety, 
our  own  sedulity  is  required;  and  then,  blessed  forever  and  ever 
be  that  mother's  child,  whose  faith  had  made  him  the  child  of 
God !  The  earth  may  shake,  the  pillars  of  the  world  may  trem- 
ble under  us,  the  countenance  of  the  heaven  may  be  appalled,  the 

'"Scott. 

*'  John  XV.  4  ;  viii.  ;Jl.  Matt.  x.  2'2.  Rom.  viii.  13.  Gal.  vi.  7,  8.  Acta  xxvii. 
22-24,31.     li'eti.  3,  4.     2  Pet.  i.  5-11. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST   OF  DEDICATION.  561 

sun  may  lose  his  light,  the  moon  her  beauty,  the  stars  their  glory ; 
but,  concerning  the  man  that  trusteth  in  God — if  the  fire  have 
proclaimed  itself  unable  as  much  as  to  singe  a  hair  of  his  head — 
if  lions,  beasts  ravenous  by  nature,  and  keen  with  hunger,  being 
set  to  devour,  have,  as  it  were,  religiously  adored  the  very  flesh 
of  the  faithful  man — what  is  there  in  the  world  that  shall  change 
his  heart,  overthrow  his  faith,  alter  his  affection  to  God,  or  the 
affection  of  God  to  him  ?  If  I  be  of  this  note,  who  shall  make  a 
separation  between  me  and  my  God  ?  I  know  in  whom  I  have 
believed ;  I  am  not  ignorant  whose  precious  blood  hath  been  shed 
for  me ;  I  have  a  Shepherd  fall  of  kindness,  full  of  care,  and  full 
of  power.  Unto  him  I  commit  myself;  his  own  finger  hath  en- 
graved this  sentence  on  the  tables  of  my  heart :  '  Satan  hath  de- 
sired to  winnow  thee  as  wheat,  but  I  have  prayed  that  thy  faith 
fail  not.'  Therefore,  this  assurance  of  my  hope  I  will  labor  to 
keep,  as  a  jewel,  to  the  end,  and  by  labor,  through  the  gracious 
mediation  of  his  prayer,  I  will  keep  it." 

Our  Lord  concludes  his  declaration  of  the  absolute  security  of 
his  sheep,  arising  from  the  impossibility  of  plucking  them  out  of 
his  or  his  Father's  hand,  with  these  very  remarkable  words,  "  I 
and  my  Father  are  one."  It  has  been  common  to  interpret  these 
words,  of  harmony  of  will  and  design.  'My  Father  and  I  are 
united  in  our  determination  to  save  the  sheep.'  This  is  true ;  and: 
without  violence  to  the  usage  of  scripture  language,  these  words, 
might  be  considered  as  teaching  this  truth ;  but  the  connection  of 
the  passage  naturally  leads  us  to  another  mode  of  interpretation.'* 
Harmony  of  will  and  design,  is  not  the  thing  spoken  of  here ;  but 
harmony,  or  union,  of  power  and  operation.  Our  Lord  first  says 
of  himself,  "I  give  unto  my  sheep  eternal  life,  and  none  shall 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hand."  He  then  says  the  same  thing  of 
the  Father — "  None  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's 
hand."  He  plainly,  then,  ascribes  the  same  thing  to  himself  that 
he  does  to  the  Father ;  not  the  same  will,  but  the  same  Avork, — 
the  same  work  of  power,  therefore  the  same  power.  He  mentions 
the  reason  why  none  can  pluck  them  out  of  the  Father's  hands, 
— because  he  was  Almighty,  and  no  created  power  is  able  to  re- 
sist him.  The  thing  spoken  of  is  power, — power  irresistible. 
And  in  order  to  prove  that  none  could  pluck  them  out  of  his 
hand,  he  adds,  "I  and  my  Father  are  one.""  One  in  what?  un- 
questionably in  the  work  of  power  whereby  he  protects  his  sheep, 
and  does  not  suffer  them  to  be  plucked  out  of  his  hand."  What 
the  Father  is,  that  the  Son  is.  What  the  work  of  the  Father  is, 
that  the  work  of  the  Son  is.  As  the  Father  is  Almighty,  so  is 
the  Son  likewise.     As  nothing  can  resist  the  Father,  so  nothing 

«  Tittmann. 

■•3  John  X.  30. — "  vv  ea/iEV  per  tofisv  refutatur  Sabellius ;  per  iv  Arius." — Bengel. 
"  Unum  sumus,  ego  et  pater ;  ostendit  duos  esse  quos  sequat  et  jungit." — Tertull. 
ad  Praxeam. 

"  "The  unity  here  spoken  of  must  be  determined  from  the  connection.  Euthy- 
mius  says: — 'iv  Kard  ()uva/jLLv,  t/jovv  ravTodvvojxoL'  d  f5e  iv  kutu  tijv  dvvafuv,  iv  upa 
Kai  KaTil  TTjv  i?f6r?/7a.'  " — I'holuck. 

VOL.  I.  36 


562  CONVERSATION   WITH  THE   JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

can  resist  the  Son,  ''  Whatsoever  the  Father  hath,  the  Son  hath 
hkewise.  Whatsoever  the  Father  doeth,  the  Son  doeth  hkewise. 
The  Father  is  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son  in  the  Father."  Tliese 
two  are  one — one  in  nature,  perfection,  and  glory. 

This  is  the  ]5lain  meaning  of  the  words  ;  and  this  is  the  mean- 
ing in  which  the  Jews  understood  them,  for  they  took  up  stones 
to  stone  him  as  a  blasphemer ;  and  instead  of  saying  anything  to 
correct  their  error,  if  it  was  one,  he  went  on  to  say  what  must 
]iave  confirmed  it.  On  the  supposition  that  our  Lord  is  not  a 
divine  person,  even  if  it  were  possible  to  explain  satisfactorily 
these  words  so  as  not  necessarily  to  imply  a  claim  of  divinity, 
which  it  is  not,  -it  would  be  altogether  impossible  to  account  for 
his  using  language  which  was  so  much  fitted  to  lead,  and  which 
has  led,  the  great  body  of  his  followers,  in  all  ages,  into  what,  on 
this  supposition,  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  errors  and  sins, — the 
holding  to  be  God,  and  the  worshipping  as  God,  him  who  is  not 
God.  "If  he  was  not  one  in  nature  with  the  Father,  why  did 
he  give  his  enemies  such  a  handle  for  charging  him  with  blas- 
phemy, by  making  himself  God  ?  and  why  did  he  not  correct 
their  misapprehensions  of  the  meaning  of  his  words,  when  he 
found  that  such  a  bad  use  had  been  made  of  them,  and  could  not 
indeed  but  see  that  the  manner  of  his  expression  gave  coun- 
tenance to  it  ?  Why  did  he  present  to  his  sincere  followers  all 
but  an  irresistible  temptation — a  temptation  before  which  they 
have  fallen — ^to  adore  him  as  one  with  the  Father,  if  he  really 
was  not  one  with  him  ?  Did  he  mean,  by  high  swelling  words 
of  vanity,  to  blind  the  eyes  of  his  followers  to  the  most  funda- 
mental truth  of  religion,  that  '  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father'  ? 
Was  it  his  intention,  by  words  improperly  chosen  for  expressing 
his  real  character,  to  cast  stumbling-blocks  before  his  followers, 
over  which  the  greater  part  of  them,  in  every  country  and  age, 
should  stumble  and  fall  into  idolatry,  which  was  one  of  those 
works  of  the  devil  that  he  came  to  destroy  ?  If  Jesus  Christ  is 
not  one  God  with  the  Father,  we  and  our  christian  forefathers 
are,  and  have  been,  as  really  idolaters  as  our  pagan  ancestors. 
And  must  avo,  in  that  case,  not  be  shut  up  to  say,  that  Jesus 
Christ,  by  his  ill-chosen  words,  if  not  by  his  false  doctrines,  has 
confirmed,  instead  of  destroying,  the  reign  of  idolatry  in  the 
world?""  Such  are  some  of  the  inextricable  difficulties,  the 
enormous  absurdities,  in  which  we  involve  ourselves,  if  we  deny 
the  doctrine  of  the  true  and  proper  deity  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour. 

In  this  statement  our  Lord  had,  in  effect,  complied  with  the 
demand  of  the  Jcavs,  to  say  who  he  was :  though  ho  did  not  in 
so  many  words  declare  lie  was  the  Messiah.  He  intimates  that 
he  was  "the  good  Shcplierd  of  whom  Isaiah  speaks, — he  who 
was  to  come  and  save  his  jjeople, — the  divine  author  of  eternal 
salvation  to  all  who  obey  him."  The  Jews,  who  had  professed 
themselves  to  be  so  desirous  to  hear  him  say  who   he  was,  so 

♦5  Dr.  Lawson. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST   OF  DEDICATION.  563 

ready  to  acknowledge  him  if  lie  would  but  avow  himself  to  be 
the  Messiah,  were  filled  with  indignation  on  hearing  these  words, 
and  showed  a  disposition  to  execute  summary  justice  on  him,  as 
a  self-convicted  blasphemer. 

"  Then  the  Jews  took  up  stones  again  to  stone  him.""  Their 
object  had  all  along  been  to  entangle  him  in  his  talk.  For  this 
purpose,  they  assumed  an  air  of  candor,  and  seemed  anxious 
that,  in  order  to  relieve  them  from  a  state  of  distressing  doubt  in 
reference  to  a  subject  of  such  deep  interest,  he  should  make  a 
clear  statement  of  his  claims,  and  of  the  grounds  on  which  he 
based  them.  He  did  substantially  state  his  claims,  and  their 
foundation ;  but  he  did  it  in  such  a  manner  as  at  once  disap- 
•^ointed  their  malignant  hope,  that,  in  doing  so,  he  would  lay 

■nself  open  to  a  criminal  charge  before  the  Roman  magistrate, 
and  excited  to  something  like  madness  their  feelings  of  abhor- 
rence against  him,  as  an  impious  usurper  of  divine  honors. 
The  mask  was  now  thrown  aside,  and  they  appeared  to  be  what 
they  were — not  anxious  inquirers,  but  determined  opposers. 
Shutting  their  eyes  to  the  evidence  of  his  divine  mission  to  which 
our  Lord  had  directed  them,  they  considered  his  declaration,  that 
he  and  the  Father  were  one,  as  a  blasphemous  assumption  of 
equality  with  God,  and  were  about  to  proceed,  in  a  most  illegal 
manner,  summarily  to  inflict  on  him  the  punishment  wliicli  the 
law  of  Moses  denounced  against  blasphemy— availing  themselves 
of  the  stones  which,  as  the  repairs  of  the  temple  were  not  yet 
completed,  lay  scattered  around. 

It  was  not  the  first  time  they  had  thus  threatened  violently  to 
take  away  his  life.  In  the  same  place,  not  long  before,  Avhen  he 
had  obscurely  intimated  that  he  was  in  reality  that  "  I  am"  who 
existed  before  Abraham,  the}'  took  up  stones  to  cast  at  him." 
Their  hands,  on  that  occasion,  seem  to  have  been  mysteriousl}', 
if  not  miraculousl}^,  restrained.  The  object  of  their  irritated 
malignity  suddenly  disappeared,  and  made  his  wa}^  safeh"  out  of 
the  temple,  through  the  midst  of  them.  The  prevention,  at  that 
time,  of  the  greatest  possible  crime — the  murder  of  the  Son  of 
God — did  not  produce  its  proper  effect.  The  time  for  reflection 
was  not  properly  improved ;  and,  when  the  circumstances  of  temp- 
tation return,  they  appear  as  ready  for  the  perpetration  of  their 
wickedness  as  ever. 

Even  had  their  view  of  our  Lord's  conduct  been  just,  their  pro- 
cedure was  unjustifiable.  By  the  law  of  Moses,  no  doubt,  the 
blasphemer  ought  to  be  stoned  to  death.  But  trial  and  conviction, 
by  the  proper  authorities,  ought  in  every  case  to  precede  the  in- 
fliction of  punishment.  The  law  condemned  no  man  till  it  had 
judged  him.  Our  Lord's  enemies  were  for  taking  the  law  into 
their  own  hands,  and  for  acting  at  once  the  part  both  of  judges 
and  executioners. 

Their  fury  excited  in  the  mind  of  Jesus  no  alarm.  He  knew 
that  "  his  hour  was  not  yet  come  ;"  he  knew  that  it  was  not  by 

"  John  X.  31.  "  John  viiL  69. 


564  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

popular  violence,  but  by  perverted  judicial  procedure — not  by 
being  stoned,  but  by  being  crucified, — that  he  had  to  expiate 
human  guilt,  and  glorify  God.  While,  then,  the  uplifted  stones 
were  ready  to  be  hurled  at  his  head,  unprotected  but  by  the  in- 
visible hand  of  his  Father,  he  calmly  expostulates  with  his  infu- 
riated enemies,  and  mildly  asks  them  the  reason  why  they  were 
preparing  to  put  him  to  death.  By  his  divine  power,  he  bridled 
their  rage,  and  restrained  their  power,  till  he  had  set  before  them 
the  wickedness  of  their  conduct. 

"  Jesus  answered  them,  Many  good  works  have  I  showed  you 
from  my  Father ;  for  which  of  those  works  do  ye  stone  me?"" — 
i.  e.,  are  ye  about  to  stone  me?  In  arresting  the  lifted  stone, 
how  did  our  Lord  manifest  his  power?  showing  that  he  was 
indeed  He  who  stills  the  noise  of  the  sea,  the  noise  of  its  waves, 
and  the  tumult  of  the  people ;  who  says  to  the  tide  of  human, 
passion,  as  well  as  of  the  ocean,  "  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  and 
no  farther ;  and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed."  And,  in 
expostulating  with  these  men,  rather  than  destroying  them,  as 
he  so  easily  could  have  done  by  a  mere  act  of  his  will,  what  a 
display  did  he  make  of  his  forbearance,  long-suffering,  and  pa- 
tience ?  The  general  force  of  our  Lord's  question  seems  to  be 
this — '  I  have  never  done  anything  to  deserve  such  treatment. 
As  a  teacher,  I  have  taught  only  the  truth ;  as  a  worker  of  miracles, 
I  have  done  only  good.  I  have  taught  no  false  doctrine  ;  I  have 
done  no  injurious  act,  I  have  taught  many  important  truths ; 
I  have  performed  many  beneficent  miracles.  If  you  consider 
me  as  deserving  to  be  stoned,  it  must  be  for  teaching  some  of 
these  truths, — for  doing  some  of  these  miracles.  Which  of  them 
is  it  that  has  provoked  your  resentment,  and  led  you  to  meditate 
so  severe  a  punishment?'  The  word  "works"  seems  most  natu- 
rally to  refer  to  miraculous  operations ;  yet  it  is  plain  that  our 
Lord  represents  the  teaching  the  truth  as  an  important  part  of 
"  the  work"  given  him  to  do.  "  I  have  finished,"  says  he,  in  his 
prayer  to  his  Father,  "  the  work  which  thou  hast  given  me  to 
do;"  and  he  explains  that  work,  as  manifesting  tlie  Father's 
name  to  those  whom  He  had  given  him  out  of  the  world — giving 
to  them  the  words  which  the  Father  had  given  him.  We  are 
therefore  disposed  to  consider  our  Lord  as  referring  to  all  that 
he  did,  as  the  teacher  sent  from  God,  both  in  speaking  and  doing 
things  which  no  man  could  have  spoken  or  done,  if  God  had  not 
been  with  him. 

These  works  he  terms  "  good  works,""  literally  beautiful, 
morally  lovely,  and  praiseworthy,  or  beneficent,  kind  works.  His 
doctrines  were  "full  of  grace,"  as  well  as  of  "truth,"  and  his 
miracles  not  more  instinct  with  power  than  with  mercy.  What 
could  be  more  morally  beautiful  than  to  teach  men  saving  truth, 
and  to  afford  them  evidence  of  that  truth,  by  bestowing  upon 
them  supernatural  blessings?     Holy  benignity — the  perfection  of 

«  John  X.  32. 

**  Ka\u  tpya.     Comp.  I  Tim.  vi.  18.     Gen.  xliv.  4.     Numb.  xxiv.  13.     LXX. 


EXP.  XV.]       AT  THE  FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  565 

moral  beauty — was  the  leading  characteristic  both  of  his  doctrine 
and  of  his  miracles  ?  Our  Lord's  works  corresponded  well  with 
the  design  of  his  mission,  and  the  nature  of  the  economy  he  came 
to  establish.  The  law  was  introduced  in  words  and  works  of 
terror,  and  Moses'  mission  was  accredited  by  thunders,  lightnings, 
earthquakes,  plagues.  The  mission  of  Christ  was  confirmed,  not 
by  striking  his  enemies  with  sudden  sickness,  and  destroying  them 
by  dreadful  deaths,  but  by  healing  the  sick,  dispossessing  the  de- 
moniac, and  raising  the  dead. 

He  had  performed  many  of  these  works.  His  whole  life  was 
spent  in  teaching  truth  and  doing  good.  Plow  many  miracles  are 
distinctly  recorded  in  the  gospel  history !  how  many  do  the  evan- 
gelists mention  only  in  general  terms !  how  many  do  they  pass 
over  entirely  in  silence !  "  There  are  many  other  things,"  says 
the  beloved'  disciple,  "  which  Jesus  did,  the  which,  if  they  should 
be  written  every  one,  I  suppose  that  even  the  world  itself  could 
not  contain  the  books  which  should  be  written."  The  miracles 
of  our  Lord  are  far  more  numerous  than  all  the  miracles  recorded 
in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures. 

"  I  have  showed  you"  these  "  many  good  works."  Jesus  taught 
his  doctrine,  and  performed  his  miracles,  in  public.  He  drew  men's 
attention  to  them ;  he  held  them  up  for  examination.  All  the 
land  of  Canaan  was  brightened  with  the  beams  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness.  "  These  things  were  not  done  in  a  corner."  "  In 
all  Galilee,  and  throughout  all  Judea,  he  went  about,"  not,  as  his 
enemies  said,  perverting  the  people,  but  "  doing  good,  and  heal- 
ing all  that  were  possessed  of  the  devil."  He  showed  these  many 
glorious  works,  not  only  to  friends,  but  to  enemies,  who  used  all 
their  malicious  craft  to  discover  some  blemish  in  them,  but  found 
none — no  falsehood  in  his  doctrine,  no  imposition  in  his  wonder- 
ful works. 

And  these  numerous,  glorious,  public  works  performed  by  our 
Lord,  were  works  from  Grod.  He  showed  them  these  many  good 
works  "from  his  Father."  His  doctrine  was  not  his,  but  his 
Father's  who  sent  him.  It  was  the  Father  who  sent  him  who  did 
the  works  he  performed :  his  doctrine  was  divine  doctrine — his 
miracles  divine  miracles.  The  force  of  our  Lord's  words,  then, 
is,  '  I  have,  in  my  doctrines  and  miracles,  publicly  done  many 
things,  all  of  them  of  a  holy  and  benignant  character,  and  all  of 
them  of  a  divine  origin.'  This  is  our  Lord's  whole  history.  He 
did  this,  nothing  but  this.  Not  one  word  of  an  opposite  kind  did 
he  ever  speak ;  not  one  action  of  an  opposite  kind  did  he  ever 
perform.  'Why  then  stone  me?'  says  he,  'why,  what  evil  have 
I  done  ?  If  this  violence  be  not  utterly  causeless,  it  must  have 
its  cause  in  some  one  or  other  of  the  many  good  works  which  I 
have  showed  you  from  my  Father.'  He  well  knew  that  the  truth 
of  his  doctrine,  and  the  excellence  of  his  works,  were  the  real 
cause  of  their  enmity.  They  believed  not,  because  he  told  them 
the  truth;  they  hated  him  because  of  his  excellence;  and  he  put 
the  question  to  compel  them,  as  it  were,  to  open  the  eyes  of  their 


566  CONVERSATION  WITH   THE  JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

consciences  to  the  baseness  of  their  conduct.  It  is  as  if  he  had 
said,  '  What  injury  have  I  ever  done  you,  that  ye  seek,  in  so  cruel 
and  lawless  a  way,  to  take  away  ray  life  ?  I  have  done  you  much 
good  ;  I  have  never  done  any  of  you  anything  but  good.'  The 
ingratitude  included  in  the  conduct  of  the  Jews,  greatly  aggra- 
vated their  guilt.  Our  Lord  was  constantly  engaged  in  bestow- 
ing favors  on  them,  while  they  repay  them  by  seeking  to  put  him 
to  death.  His  question  is,  '  In  what  have  I  deserved  this  at  your 
hand  ?'  It  puts  us  in  mind  of  Jehovah's  expostulation  with  his 
ancient  people — "0  my  people,  what  have  I  done  to  you,  and 
wherein  have  I  wearied  you?  testify  against  me."'° 

Awed,  ajjparently,  by  the  calm  undaunted  appearance  of  Jesus, 
the  Jews  desisted  from  executing  their  purpose  ;  and,  unable  to 
resist  altogether  the  force  of  his  mild  and  unanswerable  expos- 
tulation, they  "  ansAvered  him,  saying.  For  a  good  work  we  stone 
thee  not,  but  for  blasphemy ;  and  because  that  thou,  being  a 
man,  makest  thyself  God.""  Ingratitude  is  a  sin  which  no  man 
will  own.  None  could  be  guilty  of  it  in  a  higher  degree  than 
those  enemies  of  Jesus ;  and  yet  they  will  not  acknowledge  the 
justice  of  the  charge.  They  dare  not,  indeed,  call  in  question 
the  substantial  truth  of  our  Lord's  statement.  The  cure  of  the 
man  blind  from  his  birth,  in  its  whole  circumstances,  was  so 
striking  an  example  of  the  many  beautiful  things  which  he  had 
showed  them  from  Grod,  and  had  taken  place  so  recently,  that 
they  durst  not  meet  his  assertion  with  a  counter  one ;  but  they 
intimate  that,  however  numerous  and  however  remarkable  were 
the  good  things  he  showed,  there  was  one  bad  thing  which  he 
had  done,  which  more  than  neutralized  the  claims  of  them  all, 
and  justly  exposed  him  to  the  punishment  the}^  had  showed 
themselves  ready  to  inflict  on  him.  They  thus  prove,  that  there 
is  no  action  so  bad,  but  men  may  find  out  some  excuse  for  it, 
not  altogether  destitute  of  plausibility. 

The  princii)les  on  Avhich  they  go,  seem  quite  tenable.  No 
works  of  any  kind  can  be  an  excuse  for  blasphemy,  or  free  from 
obligation  to  severe  punishment  him  who  is  guilty  of  a  foul 
afiront  to  him  who  necessarily  stands  alone  in  the  possession  of 
independent,  eternal,  infinite,  imnmtable  being  and  excellence. 
And  any  mere  man  is  guilty  of  blasphemy,  or  speaking  reproach- 
fully of  God,  who  claims  equality  with  God.  Neither  can  there 
be  any  doubt  that  they  were  correct  in  their  fixcts.  Jesus  was  a 
man,  and  though  a  man,  he  did  claim  equality  with  God  when 
he  declared,  that  he  was  God's  own  Son,  and  that  he  and  his 
Father  were  one.  In  what,  then,  did  tlie  Jews  err  in  their 
judgment?  and  wliere  was  the  fault  of  their  conduct?  If  I  be- 
lieved that  Jesus  was  a  mere  man,  iiothiug  but  a  man,  I  should 
find  it  difficult  to  answer  these  questions.;  I  could  not  defend 
him,  nor  could  I  greatly  blame  them.  But  Jesus  was  more  than 
a  man ;  and  they  had  abundance  of  evidence  of  this  truth.  His 
miracles  proved  his  divine  mission  ;  and  this  divine  mission  gave 
50  Mic.  vi.  3.  ^'  John  X.  33. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  567 

him  a  claim  for  implicit  belief  of  whatever  he  declared  respect- 
ing his  person  and  work.  And  he  frequently  distinctly  claims 
divine  perfections  and  rights. 

There  was  a  great  appearance  of  reasoii  in  what  they  alleged 
against  him,  but  it  was  only  the  appearance  of  reason.  They 
judged  according  to  the  appearance ;  they  did  not  judge  right- 
eous judgment.  They  were  ignorant  of  what  they  might  have 
known — of  what  they  ought  to  have  known, — that  the  Messiah 
was  to  be  both  human  and  divine,  the  Son  of  David,  the  Son 
of  God, — the  man,  Jehovah's  fellow, — a  child  born,  the  Al- 
mighty God; — and  they  resisted  the  most  abundant  evidence, 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and  therefore  must  be  both  human 
and  divine  ;  and  that  he  was  a  divine  messenger,  and,  therefore, 
whatever  he  stated  of  himself  must  be  true.  This  ignorance  and 
unbelief  led  them  to  the  fearful  guilt  of  blaspheming  and  mur- 
dering him  who  was  God  manifest  in  flesh,  while  they  thought 
they  were  doing  God  service,  by  exposing  blasphemy  and  pun- 
ishing a  blasphemer. 

This  places,  in  a  very  strong  point  of  view,  the  danger  of  false 
principles  in  religion :  they  not  only  lead  men  into  sin,  but  they 
make  men  mistake  the  greatest  sins  for  important  duties.  False 
views  in  religion  cannot  be  sustained  as  an  excuse  for  those  sins 
to  which  they  naturally  lead.  These  Jews  most  assuredly  in- 
curred deep  guilt  in  the  charge  they  brought  against  Jesus,  and 
in  the  murderous  design  they  formed  against  him.  If  they  did 
not  know,  they  ought  to  have  known ;  if  they  did  not  believe, 
they  ought  to  have  believed. 

Let  us  take  care  that  we  distinctly  apprehend  the  truth  re- 
specting the  person  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  Mistakes  here  must  be 
dangerous,  may  be  faj;al ;  and  if,  on  this  point,  we,  like  the  Jews, 
embrace  false  views,  and  follow  them  out  like  them,  to  their  fair 
practical  consequences,  we  shall  have  much  less  to  say  for  our- 
selves than  even  they  had,  and  shall  not  be  found  guiltless  in 
the  great  day  of  account.  It  is  fearful  to  think  of  the  amount 
of  guilt  which  must  be  contracted,  under  the  completed  revela- 
tion of  the  Divine  will,  by  the  men  who,  like  the  Jews,  would 
accuse  Jesus  of  blasphemy,  if,  like  the  Jews,  they  believed — 
what  it  is  wonderful  that  anybody  should  doubt — that  he,  "  being 
a  man,  made  himself  equal  with  God." 

Our  Lord's  reply  to  this  charge  of  blasphemy,  deserves  our 
most  considerate  attention.  "  Jesus  answered  them,  Is  it  not 
written  in  your  law,  I  said,  Ye  are  gods  ?  If  he  called  them 
gods,  unto  whom  the  word  of  God  came,  and  the  Scripture  can- 
not be  broken  ;  say  ye  of  him,  whom  the  Father  hath  sanctified, 
and  sent  into  the  world,  Thou  blasphemest ;  because  I  said,  I  am 
the  Son  of  God  ?  K  I  do  not  the  works  of  my  Father,  believe 
me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though  ye  believe  not  me,  beheye  the 
works ;  that  ye  may  know  and  believe  that  the  Father  is  in  me. 
and  I  in  him  ""^ 

•  32  John  X.  S4-38. 


568  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

And  here  'let  us  notice  how  very  different  this  answer  is  from 
what  it  must  have  been,  had  Jesus  been,  what  some  of  his  pro- 
fessed followers  insist  he  was, — a  mere  man.  On  this  supposi- 
tion, it  is  difficult,  indeed  impossible,  satisfactorily  to  account  for 
our  Lord  using  language  with  respect  to  himself  which,  to  say 
the  least,  very  naturally  suggested  the  idea,  that  he  claimed 
equality  with  God ;  which,  to  say  the  truth,  cannot  be  fairly  in- 
terpreted Avithout  bringing  out  that  idea, — ^language  which  none 
of  the  prophets  ever  used  anything  hke, — language  not  at  all 
necessary  to  express  anything  about  the  origin  or  design  of  his 
mission,  but  what  might  have  been  easily  expressed  in  words  in- 
capable of  being  misunderstood, — language  which  one,  whose 
great  object  was  to  bring  the  world,  sunk  in  idolatry,  back  to  the 
knowledge  and  worship  of  the  only  living  and  true  Grod,  would 
with  peculiar  care  have  avoided.  But  supposing  our  Lord,  being 
a  mere  man,  had  unaccountably  used  such  language,  Avhat  might 
we  count  on  his  certainly  doing,  if  he,  a  holy  man  and  a  divine 
messenger,  found  that  his  language  had  been  misunderstood,  and 
that  he  was  considered  as  claiming  equality  with  God — making 
himself  God?  Would  not  he,  who  sought  not  his  own  glory, 
but  the  glory  of  Him  who  sent  him,  have  disclaimed  in  the 
strongest  possible  terms,  such  an  interpretation  of  his  words,  and 
prevented  the  possibility  of  that  happening  in  a  single  instance, 
which  has  happened  in  the  case  of  the  vast  majority  of  his  fol- 
lowers in  every  country  and  age — the  considering  him  as,  by  his 
own  distinct  declaration,  an  incarnation  of  the  Divinity, — God 
manifest  in  the  flesh?  There  is,  however,  no  such  disclaimer. 
There  is  not,  indeed,  a  distinct  assertion,  in  so  many  words,  of 
equality  with  God.  There  were  obvious  reasons^  why  this,  in  the 
circumstances  in  which  our  Lord  was  placed,  should  not  be  made  ; 
l)ut  there  is  what  is  completely  equivalent  to  it. 

Our  Lord's  reply  consists  of  two  parts.  In  the  first,  he  shows 
that  the  charge  of  blasphemy,  which  they  founded  on  his  calling 
himself  the  Son  of  God,  was  a  rash  one,  even  although  nothing 
more  could  have  been  said  of  him,  than  that  he  had  been  "  sanc- 
tified and  sent  by  the  Father ;"  and  secondly,  that  his  miracles 
were  of  such  a  kind,  as  that  they  rendered  whatever  he  declared 
of  himself,  as  to  his  intimate  connection  with  the  Father,  however 
extraordinary,  wortliy  of  credit. 

Our  Lord's  argument  in  the  first  part  of  this  answer,  is  found- 
ed on  a  passage  in  the  eighty-second  Psalm,  verse  6 ;  "  1  have 
said,  Ye  are  gods  ;  and  all  of  you  are  children  of  the  most  Iligh," 
These  words  are  plainly  addressed  to  the  Jewish  magistrates, 
commissioned  by  Jehovah  to  act  as  his  vicegerents  in  administer- 
ing justice  to  his  people ;  who  judged  for  God — in  the  room  of 
God;  whose  sentences,  when  they  agreed  with  the  law,  were 
God's  sentences;  whose  judgment,  was  God's  judgment;  and 
rebels  against  whom,  were  rebels  against  God.  The  words  re- 
quire a  few  expository  remarks,  "  It  is  written  in  your  law." 
The  words  are  not  in  the  Pentateuch,  wliicii  is  often  termed  'the 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  569 

law,'  but  in  the  Psalms  ;  but  it  was  customary  among  the  Jews 
to  call  the  whole  Old  Testament  '  the  law,'  as  an  authoritative 
revelation  of  God's  mind  and  will."  '  It  is  written  in  a  book 
which  you  admit  to  be  of  divine  authority.'  There  can  be  no 
doubt  as  to  the  reference  of  the  words,  "  them  to  whom  the  word 
of  the  Lord  came ;"  they  plainly  refer  to  the  Jewish  magistrates ; 
but  there  is  some  uncertainty  as  to  their  precise  meaning.  Some 
consider  them  as  equivalent  to,  '  Those  who  enjoyed  divine  rev- 
elation''— those,  as  the  apostle  Paul  phrases  it,  "  to  whom  were 
committed  the  oracles  of  God ;"  but  this  was  a  privilege  common 
to  the  Israelites,  not  peculiar  to  their  magistrates.  Others  have 
considered  the  words  as  equivalent  to,  '  To  whom  a  divine  com- 
mission had  been  given  ;'  and  suppose  that  the  reference  is  to  the 
command  in  the  preceding  context : — ^"  Defend  the  poor  and  fa- 
therless ;  do  justice  to  the  afflicted  and  needy.  Deliver  the  poor 
and  needy  :  rid  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the  wicked."  Others 
view  the  words  as  just  equivalent  to,  '  To  whom  this  word  of 
God,  this  passage  of  Scripture  refers.'  It  is  not  a  matter  of  great 
importance,  which  of  these  two  last  views  be  adopted,  but  I  pre- 
fer the  view  which  considers  the  words  as  meaning,  '  Who  had 
received  a  commission  from  God.'  "  The  Scripture  cannot  be 
broken;"**  i.  e.,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  there  is  nothing  wrong 
in  this  language,  for  it  is  the  language  of  Scripture,  given  by 
divine  inspiration.  It  is  the  language  of  God  himself  Our 
Lord  describes  himself  as,  "  Him  Avhom  the  Father  hath  sancti- 
fied and  sent  into  the  world."  "  Sanctified,"  means  here,  "  set 
apart"  by  God,  by  appointment,  and  suitable  qualification ;  and 
"  sent  into  the  world,"  commissioned  by  him  to  appear  among 
mankind  as  his  messenger,  to  perform  an  important  work.  The 
words  are  intended  to  describe  him  as  the  Messiah' — the  Holy 
One  of  God — the  Sent  of  the  Father, 

Keeping  these  remarks  in  view,  the  meaning  and  force  of  our 
Lord's  argument  is  obvious.  '  If,  in  a  book  which  you  admit  to 
be  of  divine  authority,  and  all  whose  expressions  are  perfectly 
faultless,  men  who  had  received  a  divine  commission  to  administer 
justice  to  the  people  of  God  are  called  "  gods,  and  sons  of  the 
Highest,"  is  it  not  absurd  to  bring  against  one  who  has  a  higher 
commission  than  they,  and  far  more  abundant  evidence  of  his 
commission,  a  charge  of  blasphemy,  because  he  calls  himself -"the 
Son  of  God"  ?  What  was  competent  to  them,  is  surely  com- 
petent to  him.  You  dare  not  charge  blasphemy  on  the  psalmist ; 
— why  do  you  charge  it  on  me?' 

This  is  the  plain  meaning  of  the  words.  We  must  not,  how- 
ever, draw  from  these  words  the  conclusion  some  have  drawn 
from  them,  that  our  Lord  meant  to  declare  that  he  was  not,  and 
did  not  wish  to  be  called,  God  and  the  Son  of  God,  in  any  other 
sense  than  that  in  which  magistrates  are  called  gods,  and  the 
sons  of  God, — as  being  in  some  sense  God's  vicegerent — in  some 

53  John  xil.  34 ;  xv,  25.     1  Cor.  xiv.  21. 
5^  "  Avsiv,  to  reader  invalid." — Tholuck. 


570  CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  JEWS.  [EXP.  XV. 

souse  come  forth  from  hira  ;  much  less  are  we  to  cousider  it  as  a 
tlisavowal  tliat  he  is  God  iu  the  same  seuse  as  his  Father — a 
denial  that  he  is  equal  mth  God.  How  could  it  be  so,  when  he 
had  just  been  declaring,  that  he  protects  his  people  as  the  Father 
protects  them,  that  he  can  do  the  same  things  which  the  Father 
does,  and  that  he  is  indeed  one  with  the  Father,  in  power  and 
operation.  He  reasons  with  the  Jews  on  their  own  principles. 
'  "Were  the  Messiah  nothing  more  than  }•  ou  expect  him  to  be,  to 
charge  one  who  claims  Messiahship  with  blaspheniy,  because  he 
calls  himself  the  Son  of  God,  is  plainly  gross  inconsistency. 
Your  magistrates  are  called  God's  sons,  and  may  not  your 
Messiah  claim  the  same  title  ?' 

It  may  be  remarked,  before  leaving  this  part  of  the  subject, 
that  there  is  a  marked  difference  between  the  way  in  which 
magistrates  are  termed  "gods,"  and  "the  sons  of  God,"  in 
Scripture,  and  the  way  in  which  these  appellations  are  given  to 
our  Lord.  This  is  the  only  passage  of  Scripture  where  it  is 
certain  that  these  appellations  are  given  to  human  magistrates ; 
and  you  will  observe,  that  good  care  is  taken  to  show  that  they 
do  not  possess  true  divinity,  for  it  is  added,  "  Ye  shall  die  like 
men."  In  the  only  other  passage  where  the  word  may  have  this 
meaning,"  it  is  immediately  explained  as  meaning  "rulers  of  the 
people."  But  where  Christ  is  called  God,  it  is  either  with  some 
epithet  descriptive  of  supreme  Deity,  as  "God  over  all,  blessed 
for  ever,"  "the  great  God,"  "  the  mighty  God,"  "the  true  God  f'" 
— or  with  the  ascription  to  him  of  some  operation  proper  to 
Divinity,  as  "  the  Word  was  God,"  "  all  things  were  made  by 
Him ;" — and  when  the  appellation,  "  Son  of  God,"  is  given  to 
him,  it  is  not  "  a  son,"  but  "  the  Son"—"  the  only  Son"—"  the 
only-begotten  Son " — God's  own  peculiar  Son — the  Son  of 
himself. 

The  second  part  of  our  Lord's  reply  is  contained  in  the  37th 
and  88th  verses.  It  is  equivalent  to — 'I  have  declared  that  I 
and  the  Father  are  one — one  in  power  and  operation,  I  do  not 
call  on  you  to  believe  this  merely  on  my  testimony.  Had  there 
been  nothing  but  my  unconfirmed  statement,  I  should  not  have 
expected  you  to  believe  it — I  should  not  have  blamed  you  for  not 
believing  it ;  but  I  do  call  on  you  to  believe  on  my  testimony, 
supported  by  the  miracles  I  have  performed, — works  which 
nothing  but  a  divine  power  could  accomplish — works  which  en- 
title liim  who  perforins  them  to  entire  credit  in  what  he  says 
respecting  hims(;lf  These  works  are  the  voice  of  God,  and  its 
utterance  is  distinct :  it  speaks  plainly,  it  utters  no  dark  saying. 
You  cannot  refuse  to  receive  the  doctrine  that  the  Father  and  I 
are  one,  that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  without  contra- 
dicting his  testimony,  and  calling  him  a  liar."" 

It  is  very  plain  the  Jews  did  not  understand  our  Lord  as  de- 

s'  Exod.  x.xii.  28.  ^6  Rom.  ix.  5.     Tit.  ii.  i;!.     Isa.  ix.  (J.     1  John  v.  20. 

j'  "  iv  t/ioi  o  TTUTiip  Kuyij  h'  ninl).  iS'oii  uliud  Cj^o  sum  aUjiie  psitor,  eic  tutiiou  ut 
filius  maneain  ;  ncque  aliud  illc  atque  ego,  sic  tamcn  ut  maiieat  pal(u\" — Ciikvsost. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE   FEAST   OF   DEDICATIOJST.  571 

parting  from,  or  in  any  way  modifying,  those  assertions,  on  which 
they  grounded  their  charge  of  blasphemy  ;  and  as  Ids  arguments 
failed  to  produce  their  proper  effect,  in  convincing  them  that  all 
that  he  had  said  of  himself,  though  strange,  was  true,  they  en- 
deavor to  follow  out  their  purpose  to  have  him  punished  as  a 
blasphemer,  but  in  a  more  regular  and  legal  form  than  their  ex- 
cited passions  had  at  first  dictated  to  them.  "Therefore  they 
sought  again  to  take  him."^*  They  endeavored  to  apprehend  him, 
with  the  intention,  likely,  of  bringing  him  before  the  Sanhedrim, 
thinking  that  they  had  now  obtained  the  means  from  his  own  lips 
of  substantiating  the  charge  of  blasphemy  against  him.  We  have 
no  reason  to  doubt  that  a  divine  influence  restrained  their  rage. 
Our  Lord's  hour  was  not  yet  come.  As  God  overruled  the  in- 
clinations of  Joseph's  brethren,  so  that  they  threw  him  into  a  pit 
instead  of  putting  him  to  death,  as  they  originally  seemed  de- 
termined to  do,  so  the  determination  of  these  w^retched  men  to 
stone  our  Lord  was  changed  into  a  determination  to  apprehend 
him, — God  thereby  intending  in  this  way  to  deliver  him,  at  this 
time,  out  of  their  hands,  that  he  might  live  to  perform  those 
glorious  works  which  were  yet  to  be  done  by  him  before  he  left 
the  world,  that  he  might,  to  use  his  own  words,  "finish  his  work." 
While  they  were  attempting  to  carry  their  purpose  into  execu- 
tion, "he  escaped,"  we  know  not  how,  "out  of  their  hands,"^*  and 
again  disappointed  their  malice,  as  he  had  done  on  many  former 
occasions,  and  as  he  easily  could  have  done  at  the  last,  if  his  love 
to  man  had  not  been  stronger  than  death."" 

In  present  circumstances,  it  was  plain  that  our  Lord's  safety  in 
Jerusalem  could  be  secured  only  by  a  series  of  miracles  ;  and  we 
find  him,  therefore,  leaving  that  city  and  going  "  again  beyond 
Jordan  to  the  place  where  John  at  first"  baptized" — a  compara- 
tively retired  and  desert  region — "  and  there  he  abode""^  for  near- 
ly four  mouths  up  to  the  time  of  his  last  passover.  He  knew  that 
the  doctrines  rejected  at  Jerusalem  would  be  received  there. 
Some  of  his  sheep  were  there,  and  he  went  to  seek  and  save  them. 
He  knew  what  impressions  had  been  made  by  the  ministry  of  his 
forerunner,  and  what  were  the  best  means  for  reviving  and  deep- 
ening these  impressions.  John  was  dead,  but  the  fruits  of  his 
ministry  still  remained.  According  to  the  prediction  of  the  angel, 
"  Many  of  the  children  of  Israel  he  had  turned  to  the  Lord  theii 
God;""'' and  many  had  been  iii  some  degree  influenced  by  his 
doctrine  who  were  not  yet  turned  to  the  Lord. 

These  persons  were  nearer  the  kingdom  of  God  than  others ; 
and  Jesus  took  advantage  of  what  John  had  done  to  carry  forward 
the  design  of  mercy  among  them.  Here  "  many  resorted  to  him" 
from  the  neighboring  j^laces,  drawn  to  him  by  the  fame  of  his 
teaching  and  miracles.  They  had  known  John  the  Baptist,  and 
esteemed  liim  higlily.   They  remembered,  that  though  he  wrought 

58  John  X.  39.  59  John  x.  39.  «^  Dr.  Lawson. 

^'  "  TO  -npuTov  may  mean  the  same  as  Trporepor,  formerly." — Tuoluck. 

62  John  X.  40.  '^'■i  Luke  i.  16. 


572  CONVERSATION  WITH   THE   JEWS  [EXP.  XV. 

no  miracles,  he  bad  acquired  so  high  a  reputation  for  hohness  and 
wisdom,  that  by  many  he  was  supposed  to  be  the  Messiah.  Jesus, 
by  his  miracles,  had  shown  that  John's  declaration  respecting 
him  was  true — "  After  me  cometh  one  who  is  preferred  before 
me."  "  John,"  said  these  unsophisticated  peasants,  "  did  no  mira- 
cle,' yet  we  believe  him.  Much  more  is  this  person  to  be  believed, 
who  confirms  his  words  of  grace  and  truth  with  such  works  of 
power  and  mercy."  They  remembered  the  honorable  testimony 
which  John  had  borne  of  Jesus,  and  they  witnessed  the  fulfihnent 
of  his  predictions.  "All  things,"  said  they,  "  that  John  spake  of 
this  man  were  true.""  "  When  men  get  acquainted  with  Christ," 
as  good  Matthew  Henry  says,  "  and  come  to  know  him  experi- 
mentally, they  find  that  all  that  Scripture  says  of  him  is  true ; 
nay,  that  the  reality  far  exceeds  the  report." 

The  result  of  our  Lord's  four  months'  abode  in  this  retired  re- 
gion was,  that  "  Many  believed  on  him  there.'""  The  unbelieving 
Jews  of  Jerusalem  no  doubt  thought  that  by  persecuting  Jesus 
they  would  hinder  the  progress  of  his  doctrines ;  but  they  were 
under  a  great  mistake.  "  The  things  which  befell  him,  by  their 
violence,  tended  to  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel."  He  retired 
to  a  remote  district,  and  there,  in  a  short  time,  he  seems  to  have 
made  a  greater  number  of  disciples  than  he  had  done  for  a  long 
period  in  Jerusalem  and  in  the  cities  of  Galilee,  where  he  had 
done  most  of  his  wonderful  works.  Men  may  drive  the  Gospel 
from  themselves,  but  they  shall  not  drive  it  out  of  the  world.  We 
may  refuse  to  Christ  the  glory  of  our  salvation,  but  we  shall  not 
be  able  to  deprive  him  of  the  glory  of  the  salvation  of  other  men. 
If  Jerusalem  or  Capernaum  refuse  to  believe  in  him,  he  will  find 
many  in  Bethabara  or  ^non  who  will  thankfully  accept  of  his 
grace.  It  is  not  said  that  all  who  took  notice  of  his  miracles,  and 
John's  prophecies  concerning  him,  believed  in  him.  It  is  not  un- 
likely that  not  a  few  who  were  struck  with  astonishment  were 
not  brought  to  faith  in  him  as  the  Christ  of  God,  the  Saviour  of 
the  world.  They  wondered  at  his  words  and  works,  but  they 
sought  not  salvation  from  him.  But  many  did  believe  to  the  sal- 
vation of  tlieir  soul ;  and  John's  ministry  was  more  beneficial  to 
them  after  he  was  dead  than  it  had  been  during  his  life.  His 
words,  recalled  to  their  minds,  produced  conviction  there;  and 
the  end  of  his  ministry  was  attained  in  bringing  them  to  Him, 
who,  though  he  came  after  him,  was  in  reality,  in  the  highest 
sense  of  the  words,  "before  him."  "John  the  Baptist,"  says 
Matthew  Henry,  "  was  now  dead  and  gone,  and  yet  liis  hearers 
profited  by  what  they  had  heard  formerly,  and  by  comparing 
wliat  they  had  heard  tlien,  and  seen  now,  they  gained  a  double 
advantage.  They  were  confirmed  in  their  belief  that  John  was  a 
prophet,  who  foretold  such  things,  and  spoke  of  the  eminence  to 
which  this  Jesus  should  rise,  though  his  beginning  was  so  small. 
They  were  prepared  to  believe  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  in  whom 
they  saw  those  things  accomphshed  which  John  foretold. 
«<  John  X.  41.  6}  John  X.  42. 


EXP.  XV.]  AT  THE  FEAST  OF  DEDICATION.  573 

"  The  success  and  efficacy  of  the  word  preaclied  is  not  confined 
to  the  life  of  the  preacher ;  nor  doth  it  expire  with  his  breath, 
but  what  seemed  like  water  spilt  upon  the  ground  may  afterwards 
be  gathered  up  again."  This  is  an  encouraging  thought  both  to 
preachers  and  hearers.  This  is  an  encouragement  to  ministers 
who  may  seem,  to  themselves,  to  have  reason  to  complain  of  want 
of  success  in  their  labors.  They  feel  as  if  they  were  laboring  in 
♦vain.  Let  them  continue  to  labor.  "In  the  morning  let  them 
sow  their  seed,  and  in  the  evening  let  them  not  withhold  their 
hand."  There  is  no  saying  when  the  good  seed  may  spring  up, 
and  how  nu-merous  and  large  may  be  their  sheaves  at  the  great 
harvest-home.  Assuredly  "he  that  goeth  forth  weeping,  bearing 
precious  seed,  shall  return  rejoicing,  bearing  his  sheaves  with  him." 
It  is  an  encouragement,  too,  to  hearers  who  are  complaining  of 
want  of  profit  in  attending  on  Divine  ordinances.  They  feel  little 
sanctifying  result ;  they  are  not  sensibly  wiser,  better,  or  happier ; 
their  graces  continue  languid,  their  corruptions  strong.  They  get 
little  they  can  turn  to  present  account.  Let  such  persons  endeavor 
to  treasure  up  in  their  memories  the  instructions  which  they  weekly 
receive.  They  may  perhaps  find  them,  in  some  future  part  of 
their  life,  to  be  useful  to  them  for  purposes  they  little  thought  of, 
and  to  an  extent  of  which  they  never  dreamed.  It  has  been  in- 
geniously remarked,  and  with  this  observation  I  conclude  the 
discourse, — "  When  the  preaching  of  the  doctrine  of  repentance 
has  been  successful,  then  the  preaching  of  reconciliation  and  gos- 
pel grace  is  most  likely  to  be  prosperous.  Where  John  has  been 
acceptable,  Jesus  will  not  be  unacceptable.  The  jubilee  trumpet 
sounds  sweetest  in  the  ears  of  those  who,  in  the  day  of  atonement, 
have  afflicted  their  souls  for  sin."*°  John  the  Baptist  is  in  more 
than  one  sense  the  forerunner  of  Jesus. 

«fi  Henry. 


EXPOSITION    XVI. 


INTERVIEW   WITH   THE    GREEKS— THE   CORN   OF  WHEAT  FALLING 
INTO  THE  GROUND,  AND  PRODUCING  MUCH  FRUIT. 

John  xn.  20-26. — "  And  there  were  certain  Greeks  among  them  that  came  tip  to 
worship  at  the  feast :  the  same  came  therefore  to  Philip,  which  was  of  Bethsaida 
of  Galilee,  and  desired  him,  saying,  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus.  Philip  cometh  and 
telleth  Andrew  :  and  again  Andrew  and  Philip  tell  Jesus.  And  Jesus  answered 
them,  saying,  The  hour  is  come,  that  the  Son  of  man  should  be  glorified.  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it 
abideth  alone :  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.  He  that  loveth  his  life 
shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world  shall  keep  it  unto  life 
eternal.  If  any  man  serve  me,  let  him  follow  me ;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall 
also  my  servant  be :  if  any  man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honor." 

"  No  man  taketh  my  life  from  me,"  said  Jesus ;  "  I  lay  it  down 
of  myself"  This  declaration  receives  striking  illustration  from 
the  events  which  occurred  immediately  before  the  death  of  our 
Lord, — a  death,  in  the  highest  degree,  at  once  violent  and  volun- 
tary. It  is  plain  that  from  the  beginning  of  his  public  appear- 
ance, his  miracles  had  made  such  an  impression  on  the  minds  of 
the  great  body  of  his  countrymen,  as,  had  he  suited  his  doctrine 
nod  conduct  to  their  preconceived  views  respecting  the  design  of 
the  Messiah's  mission,  and  the  nature  of  his  kingdom,  would  have 
secured  their  ready  reception  of  him  as  the  long-expected  deliv- 
erer, and  their  zealous  co-operation  in  any  plan  he  might  have 
proposed,  for  breaking  the  yoke  of  foreign  dominion,  and  restor- 
ing the  kingdom  of  Israel.  Even  repressed  as  this  tendency  was, 
by  his  studiously  avoiding,  in  word  or  deed,  anything  like  inter- 
ference with  the  existing  arrangements  respecting  secular  rule,  as 
well  as  by  the  spiritual  character  of  his  teaching,  we  find  the 
multitude  manifesting  an  eager  desire  to  turn  to  account,  in  the 
advancement  of  their  object,  his  miraculous  endowments,  and 
even  attempting  "to  take  him  by  force  and  make  him  a  king." 

At  no  period  of  our  Lord's  ministry  does  his  popularity  seem 
to  have  been  higher,  or  tlie  public  expectation  to  have  been  more 
strongly  excited  in  reference  to  him,  than  at  the  time  of  his  last 
journey  to  Jerusalem.  His  crowning  miracle,  the  resurrection 
of  Lazarus — the  restoring  to  life,  in  the  presence  of  many  specta- 
tors, enemies  as  well  as  friends,  a  man  who  had  been  four  days  in 
the  grave — was  the  theme  of  common  conversation,  the  object  of 
general  admiration.  He  had  entered  the  metropolis  of  his  coun- 
try in  triumph,  vast  multitudes  hailing  him  as  the  Sou  of  David 


EXP.  XVI.]  INTERVIEW  WITH  THE   GREEKS.  575 

— the  King  of  Israel  come  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  deliver 
them.  He  had  expelled  the  traffickers  from  the  temple,  who  had 
profaned  its  sacred  courts,  while  their  powerful  patrons*  stood  by- 
appalled,  not  daring  even  to  attempt  to  oppose  him.  His  friends 
were  full  of  hope — his  enemies  of  fear.  The  empty  throne  of 
David  seemed  to  invite  his  acceptance ;  and,  at  the  time  referred 
to  in  the  subject  of  exposition,  his  sitting  down  on  that  throne, 
in  a  few  days,  amid  the  acclamations  of  a  delighted  people,  must 
have  seemed,  to  human  prospect,  a  far  more  likely  event  than 
his  being  affixed  to  a  cross  amid  the  execrations  of  an  infuriated 
populace. 

This  seems  to  have  been  the  impression  on  the  minds  of  his 
most  influential  opposers.  "  Perceive  ye" — said  they  one  to  an- 
other, perplexed  and  alarmed — "Perceive  ye  how  ye  prevail 
nothing  ?  behold,  the  world  is  gone  after  him.'"  And  so  it  really 
seemed  to  be ;  for  not  only  do  the  Israelites,  assembled  at  their 
greatest  festival,  appear  generally  disposed  to  receive  him  as  the 
Messiah,  but  the  Gentiles,  who,  having  "  heard  of  Jehovah's  great 
name,  and  strong  hand,  and  stretched  out  arm,  had  come  to  pray 
towards"^  his  holy  oracle,  discover  a  ^disposition  to  seek  his  pres- 
ence, that  they  may  do  him  homage. 

"  There  were  certain  Greeks,"  says  the  evangelist,  "  among  them 
that  came  up  to  worship  at  the  feast :  the  same  came  therefore  to 
Philip,  which  was  of  Bethsaida  of  Galilee,  and  desired  him,  say- 
ing, Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus.  Philip  cometh  and  telleth  Andrew ; 
and  again  Andrew  and  Philip  tell  Jesus."'  It  has  been  a  question 
among  expositors  who  these  Greeks  were,  who  are  here  represented 
as  expressing  a  wish  to  be  introduced  to  Jesus.  It  is  well  known, 
that  ever  since  the  time  of  the  great  captivities,  numerous  Jews — 
that  is,  persons  of  Israelitish  extraction,  and  retaining  the  religion 
of  their  nation — were  resident  in  surrounding,  and  even  distant, 
countries.  This  was  wisely  and  mercifully  ordered  by  the  Divine 
providence,  that,  even  during  the  continuance  of  the  restricted 
Jewish  dispensation,  some  of  the  Gentiles  might  be  instructed  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  and  preparation  made  for  the 
more  easy  and  rapid  propagation  of  divine  truth  among  them, 
when  that  dispensation  of  grace,  of  which  "  the  field  is  the  world," 
being  introduced,  "  the  middle  Vv^all  of  partition"  should  be  broken 
down,  and  "  the  mystery  so  long  kept  secret"  should  be  proclaimed 
to  all  nations.  These  foreign  Jews  are  those  called  "the  disper- 
■  sion  of,"  or,  "  the  dispersed  among  the  Gentiles."'' 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some,  that  the  individuals  here  men- 
tioned belonged  to  this  class,  of  whom  we  read  repeatedly  in  the 
New  Testament ;  but  this  is  not  at  all  probable.  The  name  by 
which  they  were  known  was  not  that  employed  here,  Hellenes, 
but  Hellenists,* — not  Greeks,  but  Grecians.     The  term  'Greek' 

'  John  xii  19.  2  1  Kings  viii.  42.  3  John  xii.  20-22. 

*  '}]  diaaiTopu  tuv  'E2,?.tivuv.     John  vii.  35.     James  i.  1.     1  Pet.  i.  1. 
5  "EX/ijjvec,  as  Acts  xiv.  1 ;  xvi.  1 ;  1  Cor.  i.  22,  <fec. — not  'EXP.Tjviaral,  as  Acts 
vi.  1 ;  ii  29. 


576  INTERVIEW   WITH   THE   GREEKS.  [EXP.  XVI. 

sometimes  signifies  a  native  of  Greece,' — sometimes  a  man  who 
speaks  tlie  Greek  language,  whether  a  native  of  that  country  or 
not, — sometimes  a  man  distinguished  by  that  civilization  of  which 
Greece  was  then  the  centre,  and  the  limits  of  which  were  pretty 
accurately  marked  by  the  prevalence  of  its  language, — and 
sometimes  a  votary  of  that  pagan  superstition  to  which,  civilized 
as  it  was,  Greece  was  devoted.  When  opposed  to  '  barbarian,'  it 
is  equivalent  to  '  civilized ;'  when  opposed  to  '  Jew,'  it  is  equivalent 
to  '  Gentile.' 

There  seem  to  have  been  three  classes  of  persons,  to  one  or 
other  of  which  there  is  a  reference  here.  There  were  Gentiles 
who,  having  become  acquainted  with  the  religion  of  the  Jews, 
had  embraced  it,  and  sought  to  obtain  all  its  advantages  as  a 
theocratic  institution,  by  submitting  to  its  initiatory  rites,  and 
observing  all  its  ordinances.  These  were  called  "  proselytes  of 
righteousness ;"  and,  wherever  it  was  practicable,  must  have 
made  it  a  point  to  be  present  at  the  great  festivals, — where  all  the 
congTcgation  of  Israel  was  expected  to  assemble, — and  to  worship 
among  the  holy  nation  in  the  coui't  of  the  congregation. 

There  were  other  Gentiles — Cornelius  is  a  specimen  of  them' 
— who  had  embraced  the  truth  respecting  Jehovah,  the  only 
true  God,  as  taught  in  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  abstained  from 
idolatry,  and  observed  what  were  termed  the  seven  Noachian 
precepts  against  idolatry,  profanity,  incest,  murder,  dishonesty, 
eating  blood  and  things  strangled,  and  allowing  a  murderer  to 
live, — but  had  not  formally  enrolled  themselves  among  the 
Jews.  In  the  time  of  our  Lord,  this  seems  to  have  been  a 
considerably  numerous  class.  The  more  reflecting  and  sober- 
minded  among  the  pagans  found  that  the  necessities  of  their 
consciences  and  hearts  could  not  be  satisfied  with  the  fables  and 
rites  of  heathenism,  and  found  in  the  writings  of  the  Jewish 
prophets  what  they  could  not  find  in  the  fables  of  their  poets, 
the  speculations  of  their  philosophers,  or  the  rites  of  their  priest- 
hood.' One  of  the  Roman  satirists  (Juvenal*)  speaks  con- 
temptuously of  Judaising  Romans  as  no  uncommon  class  in  his 
time ;  and  one  of  their  moralists  (Seneca)  says  that  so  many  of 
the  Romans  had  passed  over  to  the  Jewish  religion,  in  his  time, 
that  "  it  was  adopted  throughout  all  the  earth,  the  conquered 
giving  laws  to  the  conquerors."  Tliese  are  the  persons  who  are 
spoken  of  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  as  "  worshippers  of  God" 
— as  "  devout  Greeks;"  and  the  female  part  of  them,  as  "devout, 
honorable  woman."  These  also  frequented  the  Jewish  festivals ; 
but  not  being  permitted  to  enter  the  court  of  the  Israelites,  they 
worshipped  in  the  court  of  the  Gentiles. 

Besides  these  two  classes,  there  seems  to  have  been  a  third — a 
smaller  one — Gentiles  wlio  had  not  renounced  the  religion  of 
their  country,  but  who  honored  Jehovah,  not  as  their  own  God, 
but  as  the  God  of  the  Jews,  and  who  were  in  the  habit  of  visit- 
ing the  temple  of  Jerusalem  to  do  homage  to  Jehovah,  just  as 
6  Acta  X.  1.  "  Tholuck.  »  Sat.  xiv.  100. 


EXP.  XVI.]  INTERVIEW   WITH  THE   GREEKS.  577 

they  visited  Delphi  to  do  honor  to  Apollo,  or  Ephesus  to  do  honor 
to  Diana,  or  the  Capitol  to  do  honor  to  Jupiter. 

The  persons  here  spoken  of  probably  belonged  to  the  second 
class.  They  are  said  to  have  been  among  those  who  had  come 
up  to  the  feast.  The  words  signify,  "  who  were  in  the  habit  of 
going  up  to  the  feast" — the  festival-frequenters — as  we  speak  of 
church-goers — a  description  which  would  not  suit  the  last  class, 
whose  visits  were  occasional  and  rare ;  and  the  first  class  were 
so  identified  with  the  Jews  that  they  were  not  likely  to  find  any 
difficulty  of  addressing  Jesus  as  one  of  their  own  nation. 

These  gentile  proselytes  had  probably  come  from  a  great  dis- 
tance. They  had  heard  of  the  fame  of  Jesus  as  a  teacher  and 
miracle-worker,  and,  it  may  be,  they  were  peculiarly  interested 
in  him,  in  consequence  of  having  understood  that  he  had  vin- 
dicated their  rights,  in  expelling,  from  the  court  of  the  Gentiles,, 
the  traffickers,  whose  noisy  transactions  would  ill  comport  with 
the  performance  of  devotion,  and  who  had  done  this  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  that  God's  house  might  not,  by  being  made  a  den 
of  thieves,  be  prevented  from  being  what  the  prophet  declared 
it  was  intended  to  be — "  A  house  of  prayer  for  all  nations."  We 
may  suppose  such  thoughts  as  these  to  have  passed  through  theii- 
minds :  '  This  must  be  a  wonderful  man.  A  Jew  himself,  he  as- 
serts the  rights  of  us  Gentiles.  He  must  be  a  true  son  of  that 
Abraham  in  whom  all  the  families  of  the  earth  are  to  be  blessed. 
Here  is  no  Jewish  selfishness  and  pride.  He  is  kind  to  the  Gen- 
tiles ;  severe  on  the  Jewish  rulers,  Avho  contemn  the  Gentiles.* 
What  if  this  should  be  He  "  to  whom  the  Gentiles  are  to  seek,"' 
— He  "to  whom  the  gathering  of  the  people  is  to  be," — "the 
light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,"  as  well  as  "the  glory  of  God's 
people  Israel!"'  If  such  thoughts  had  found  their  way  into 
their  minds,  it  was  not  wonderful  that  they  should  be  desirous 
of  becoming  acquainted  with  their  unknown  benefactor,  who 
might  turn  out  to  be  "  their  promised  Saviour." 

It  is  difficult  for  us  to  form  correct  ideas  of  a  state  of  society  '^^^  *  3* 
so  peculiar,  and  especially  so  difierent  from  that  which  prevails  ^'^«\[^"*' 
in  our  own  country  and  age,  as  that  of  the  Jews  in  the  days  of    ' 
our  Lord.     The  intercourse  between  Jew  and  Gentile  was  of  a 
very  restricted  kind,  and  the  Jewish  rabbis  were  in  the  habit  of 
assuming  much  state,  and  keeping  the  common  people  at  a  great 
distance.     These  Greeks  did  not,  then,,  presume  to  address  di- 
rectly one  whom  they  understood  to  be  a  great  teacher,   and 
whom  they  had  heard  the  populace  hail  as  the  King  of  Israel ; 
but  they  applied  to  one  of  his  disciples,  Philip  of  Bethsaida. 

How  they  came  to  apply  to  him — whether  he  was  personally 
known  to  some  of  them,  or  they  had  accidentally  been  brought 
into  conversation  with  him-,  or  there  was  something  peculiarly 
friendly  and  trust-inspiring  in  his  countenance  or  manner — it  is 
needless  to  inquire.  This  is  plain,  that  they  made  their  applica- 
tion in  the  most  becoming  manner,  showing  that  they  cherished 

9  Bennet. 
VOL.  I.  37 


T 


578  INTERVIEW   WITH  THE   GREEKS.  [EXP.  XVI. 

sentiments  of  high  respect  both  for  Philip  and  for  his  Master. 
"  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus,"' — '  "We  are  desirous  of  being  allowed 
to  look  on  so  distinguished  a  person,' — and  their  manner,  no 
doubt,  supplied  Avhat  was  wanting  in  their  words, — '  We  would 
count  it  a  great  favor  if  you  could  bring  us  into  his  presence.' 
They  seem  to  have  been  of  the  same  disposition  as  the  centurion, 
whose  faith  our  Lord  so  highl}^  eulogized,  who  declared  that  "  he 
was  unworthy  that  Jesus  should  come  under  his  roof"  They 
felt  that  they  were  "  Gentiles — aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of 
Israel,"  unworthy  to  share  in  the  peculiar  privileges  of  the  holy 
nation ;  but  they  would  reckon  it  a  high  favor  to  be  admitted 
but  for  a  little  to  the  sight,  and,  if  he  would  so  far  honor  them, 
to  the  conversation,  of  one  who  obviously  had  a  kind  regard  to 
the  Gentiles. 

These  Greeks  "  would" — wished  to — "  see  Jesus."  Jesus,  my 
brethren,  is  as  really  present,  though  in  a  spiritual  and  invisible 
manner,  at  all  the  sacred  festivals  appointed  by  God,  as  he  was 
at  the  Jewish  Passover.  He  is  here  to-day,  in  the  midst  of  us, 
according  to  his  promise.  Our  coming  here  is  an  intimation 
that  we  would  see  Jesus ;  and  assuredly  we  shall  be  here  to  little 
purpose  if  we  do  not  see  him.  Oh !  let  us  all  say  in  our  hearts, 
"  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after; 
that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  daj^s  of  my 
life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  tem- 
ple,"— to  behold  him  who  is  "  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and 
the  express  image  of  his  person;"  "I  beseech  thee,"  0  Lord, 
"show  me  thy  glory," — "thy  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ"" 

Philip  did  not  do,  what  perhaps  we  might  expect  he  would 
L(y  ujA*^  have  done,  lead  these  Greeks  directly  into  his  Master's  presence, 
'  iui'«  glad  that  they  were  disposed  to  do  him  honor,  and  sure  that  he 
.e,rKe  V  was  disposed  to  give  them  a  welcome  reception.  "  Philip  cometh 
^J<,  coovj^and  telleth  Andrew."  It  was  not  to  Philip  so  plain  a  case  as  it 
I'eve  Qeb^^jca.ny  seem  to  us.  He  knew  his  Master  to  be  meek  and  lowly  in 
■— ;  ^'  heart,  and  that  he  never  cast  out  any  that  came  to  him.  But  he 
^  ^^  '  knew,  too,  that  he  had  declared,  that  he  ^jwas^  not  sent  but  to 
^'^.  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,"  and  tha^e  himself,  along 

asw>  ^^^^^  ^^^^  brethren,  had  been  forbidden  "  to  go  into  the  way  of  the 

Gentiles,  and  even  to  enter  into  the  cities  of  the  Samaritans,"  in 
proclaiming  the  approaching  reign  of  God,"  -Jesus  liad  indeed 
healed  a  gentile  centurion's  servant,  but  it  was  at  the  entreaty  of 
the  Jews.  C^'He  had  healed  the  daughter  of  the  Syro-Phenician 
woman,  who  was  a  Greek ;  but*it  was  after  rejecting  the  petition 
of  the  disciples  in  her  favor.  Besides,  aware  of  the  strength 
of  the  national  prejudice  against  Gentiles,  Philip  might  doubt, 
how  far  he  might  be  serving  his  Master's  interests,  as  lie  under- 
stood them,  with  the  great  body  of  the  Jews,  who  certainly 
would  not  be  the  more  disposed  to  receive  him  as  the  Messiah, 

'oPsal.  xxvii.  4.     Heb.  i.  3.     Exod.  xxxiii.  18.     2  Cor.  iv.  6. 

"  Matt.  XV.  24  ;  x.  6.  «  Luke  vii.  MO.     Mark.  vii.  24-30. 


EXP,  XVI.]  INTERVIEW   "WITH  THE  GREEKS.  579 

that   he    seemed  to   be   on   familiar  terms  with  uncircumcised 
Gentiles. 

In  these  circumstances,  we  cannot  wonder  that  Philip  should 
consult  Andrew,  "  who  was  in  Christ  before  him,"  as  to  the 
course  proper  to  be  followed.  Andrew,  whom  ancient  tradition 
speaks  of,  not  only  as  of  note  among  the  apostles,  but  as  of  great  <5— »u>j 
authority,  does  not  seem  to  have  advised  the  immediate  introduc- 
tion of  these  Greeks  to  Jesus ;  not  improbably  thinking,  that  it 
would  not  be  right,  without  consulting  the  Master,  to  do  what 
his  enemies  the  Pharisees  might  represent  as  a  slight  put  on  the 
people  of  God,  or  an  insult  offered  to  the  temple. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  for  Christians,  and  especially  christian  ^t  .  s  u" 
ministers,  to  be  too  cautious  in  their  conduct  respecting  anything  ^o  covvs 

at  may  involve  the  honor  of  the  Saviour,  or  the  success  of  his 
cause.  The  two  disciples  take  a  safe  course;  they  go  and  tell 
Jesus.  He  knew  what  should  be  done.  And  this  is  just  what  we 
should  do,  when  we  are  doubtful  as  to  any  step  connected  with  the 
cause  of  Christ :  consult  with  a  confidential  christian  friend,  and 
along  with  him,  seek  the  advice  of  our  common  Lord.  We  can- 
not expect  such  an  answer  as  Andrew  and  Phihp  received,  but 
by  his  word,  and  providence,  and  Spirit,  he  does,  in  answer  to 
prayer,  often  relieve  the  perplexities  of  his  people,  and  make  them 
to  know  the  path  in  which  they  ought  to  go.  No  voice  comes  to 
the  ear,  but  a  "  word"  in  the  Scriptures  is  brought  to  remem- 
brance that  says,  often  very  plainly,  "  This  is  the  wav,  walk  ye 
in  it."" 

We  are  not  told,  in  express  words,  what  was  the  direct  result 
of  this  communication.  Some  have  supposed  that  our  Lord 
waived  the  proposed  interview  with  these  Greeks,  as  v/e  are  not 
told  that  he  consented  to  see  them,  nor  that  they  were  introduced 
by  the  disciples  ;  and  that  he  merely  availed  himself  of  the  request 
having  been  made,  as  an  occasion  for  uttering  the  deeply  impress- 
ive sentences  which  follow.  If  it  were  so,  there  could  be  no 
ground  of  complaint  against  our  Lord.  He  had  not  yet  been 
''  lifted  up."  It  was  after  this  that  "  all  men  were  to  be  drawn" 
by  him — "  to  him."  And  he  might  not  choose  to  afford  occasion  to 
those  who  sought  occasion,  of  saying,  he  preferred  Greeks  to  Jews. 

At  the  same  time,  while  the  text  does  not  expressly  say  that 
our  Lord  admitted  these  Gentiles  to  an  interview,  it  is  quite 
obvious  it  does  not  deny  this ;  and  that  the  facts  recorded  are 
full}^  as  accordant  with  the  supposition,  that  there  was  such  an 
interview,  as  with  the  opposite  one.  Such  a  supposition  seems 
best  to  harmonize  with  the  general  spirit  and  conduct  of  our 
Lord,  who  never  cast  out  any  that  came  to  him.  We  are  there-; 
fore  disposed  to  think,  that  Philip  and  Andrew,  having  gone  into, 
the  court  of  the  Israelites,  where  Jesus  probably  was  among  the ; 
Jewish  worshippers,  informed  him  of  the  wish  of  these  Greeks, : 
and  that  he,  coming  out  into  the  court  of  the  Gentiles,  granted! 
them  the  interview  they  so  eagerly  desired.  I 

■3  Isa.  XXX.  21. 


580  INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  GREEKS.  [EXP.  XVI. 

What  took  place  at  that  interview,  we  shall  never  know  in  this 
world.  That,  and  the  many  other  unwritten  deeds  and  words  of 
our  blessed  Lord,  wall  form  interesting  subjects  of  conversation 
among  the  blessed  in  the  heavenly  state.  Oh,  how  much  will 
the  apostles  have  to  tell  us  besides  what  they  have  written !  No 
danger  of  their  having  forgotten  it,  even  after  the  lapse  of  eighteen 
centuries. 

We  cannot  say  with  certainty,  whether  those  words  which 
follow  were  addressed  to  Philip  and  Andrew,  on  their  making 
their  communication,  or  whether  they  were  spoken  to  the  Greeks 
on  our  Lord's  coming  to  them,  or  whether  they  were  addressed 
to  the  disciples  in  the  presence  of  the  strangers,  after  the  inter- 
view between  them  and  him  had  closed.  The  last  seems,  upon 
the  whole,  the  most  probable  opinion.  "And  Jesus  answered 
them,  saying.  The  hour  is  come,  that  the  Son  of  man  should  be 
glorified.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Except  a  corn  of  wheat 
fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone ;  but  if  it  die,  it 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit.'"* 

The  words,  "  The  hour  is  come,  that  the  Son  of  man  should 
be  glorified,""  are  equivalent  to,  '  The  time  when  the  Son  of  man 
— the  Messiah — ^is  to  be  remarkably  glorified,  is  near  at  hand ; 
and  what  has  just  taken  place,  is  a  token  and  a  foretaste  of  that 
rapidly-approaching  glory.'  There  is  a  striking  similarity  between 
these  words,  and  those  of  our  Lord  on  seeing  the  Samaritans  of 
Sychar  coming  out  in  a  body  to  meet  with  him:  "  Say  not  ye. 
There  are  yet  four  months,  and  then  cometh  harvest  ?  behold,  I 
say  unto  you.  Lift  up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields :  for  they 
are  white  already  to  harvest.'""  The  period  was  at  hand,  when 
our  Lord  was  to  be  glorified  hy  his  sufferings ;  when  the  tran- 
scendent excellence  of  his  character — his  entire  devotedness  to 
God — his  love  of  righteousness — his  hatred  of  iniquity — his  com- 
passion for  men — were  to  be  most  illustriousl}^  displayed ;  and 
when  the  great  design  of  his  mission,  in  the  satisfactory  expiation 
of  the  sins  of  men,  was  to  be  accomplished,  in  a  manner  reflect- 
ing the  highest  honor  on  him.  The  hour  was  at  hand,  when  our 
Lord  was  to  be  glorified /or  his  sufferings, — in  being  raised  from 
the  dust  of  death,  and  being  taken  up  into  heaven,  and  set  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  and  having  all  things  put  under  his  feet. 

But  the  glory  to  which  our  Lord  refers,  obviously  is  the  glory 
to  be  derived  I'rom  vast  multitudes  of  men — Gentiles  as  well  as 
Jews — submitting  to  his  authority,  and  sharing  his  salvation.  It 
is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Tliese  Gentiles  seeking  intercourse  with  me, 
indicates  that  the  period  is  just  at  hand,  when  the  ancient  oracles 
shall  be  fulfilled — when,  in  Abraham's  seed,  all  the  families  of 
the  earth  shall  be  blessed — when  to  Shiloh  shall  be  the  gathering 
of  the  nations — when  the  decree  shall  be  fulfilled,  "  I  will  give 
thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of 

'♦  John  xii.  23,  24. 

'»  "  Iva  is  not  the  adverb  "  when,"  but  it  marks  the  final  end,  '  the  time  when 
be  muat  be  glorified.'  " — Tdoluok.  '«  John  iv.  85-38. 


EXP.  XVI.]  INTERVIEW   WITH  THE  GREEKS.  581 

the  earth  for  thy  possession" — when  "  all  the  ends  of  the  earth 
shall  remember,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord,  and  all  the  nations  shall 
worship  before  him" — when  "men  shall  be  blessed  in  the  Mes- 
siah, and  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed" — when  he  shall  "  call 
a  nation  that  he  knew  not,  and  nations  that  knew  not  him,  shall 
run  unto  him" — when  he  shall  be  "  given  as  a  witness  to  the  peo- 
ple, a  leader  and  commander  of  the  people" — when  he  shall  "  see 
his  seed,  and  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall 
prosper  in  his  hand" — when  he,  in  the  conversion  and  salvation 
of  an  innumerable  multitude,  out  of  every  kindred,  people, 
tongue,  and  nation,  shall  "  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and 
shall  be  satisfied.""  This  period  was  just  at  hand.  The  day  of 
Pentecost  was  approaching,  and  then  commenced  that  glorifica- 
tion of  the  Son  of  man  here  referred  to.  In  the  anticipation  of 
these  glories,  the  Saviour  prepares  himself  for  the  sufferings 
which  were  to  precede,  and  to  purchase  them. 

It  would  be  well  if  his  true  followers  would  prepare  themselves 
for  their  death,  as  he  did  for  his.  Glory  awaits  them  as  well  as 
him  ;  and  they,  like  him,  must  die  ere  they  inherit  glory.  But 
if,  like  him,  they  would  but  look  steadily  to  the  hope  set  before 
them,  they  would,  like  him,  "  endure  the  cross,  and  despise  the 
shame,"  and  rise  above  the  fear  of  death ;  yea,  like  him,  they 
would  be  "  straitened"  till  they  pass  through  death  into  life — 
through  the  dishonor  of  the  grave,  into  the  glories  of  heaven. 

There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  these  were  substantially 
the  thoughts  which  were  in  the  Saviour's  mind,  and  which  he 
expressed  in  the  words,  "  The  hour  is  come,  that  the  Son  of  man 
should  be  glorified."  But  they  probably  excited  very  different 
ideas  in  the  minds  of  the  disciples,  full,  as  they  still  were,  of 
Jewish  prejudices  respecting  the  design  of  the  Messiah's  mission, 
and  the  nature  of  his  kingdom.  They  probably  thought  that  our 
Lord  meant  to  declare,  that  he  was  now  about  to  "  take  to  him 
his  great  power  and  reign  ;"  that  he  was  now  about  to  ascend  the 
throne  of  David,  and  subdue  the  world ;  and  that  the  homage 
of  these  Gentiles  was  but  the  first-fruits  of  the  fast-approaching 
harvest  of  the  complete  subjugation  of  the  pagan  nations  to  the 
holy  people,  and  to  Messiah  their  prince.  To  put  doAvn  such 
rising  hopes,  our  Lord  informs  them — though  in  somewhat  enig- 
matical language — that  his  death  was  necessary,  in  order  to  the 
glory  of  which  he  had  been  speaking  ;  and  that  all  who  would 
share  with  him  in  his  glories,  must,  like  him,  be  prepared  to  re- 
linquish life,  and  all  earthly  blessings,  to  obtain  them. 

In  order  to  understand  our  Lord's  declaration  in  reference  to 
himself,  it  is  necessary  distinctly  to  apprehend  the  meaning  of 
the  figurative  language  in  which  he  has  clothed  it :  "  Except  a 
corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abidcth  alone ;  but 
if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.''"  The  iigure  is  generally 
misapprehended,  both  here  and  where  it  is  employed  by  the 
apostle,  1  Cor.  xv.  36,  to  illustrate  the  resurrection  of  the  body. 

"  Psal.  ii.  7  ;  xxii.  27.     Isa.  Iv.  4,  5  ;  liii.  10,  11.  '^  Jolin  xii.  24. 


582  INTERVIEW   WITH  THE   GREEKS.  [EXP.  XVI. 

It  lias  been  supposed  tliat  the  death  of  the  seed  of  corn  takes 
place  after  it  is  buried  in  the  earth,  and  consists  in  the  decompo- 
sition of  the  outer  coatings  of  the  germ,  which  takes  place  pre- 
viously, and  in  order  to  its  beginning  to  grow.  Both  our  Lord 
and  his  apostles  are  truer  to  nature  in  their  representation  than 
the  most  of  their  expositors.  With  them,  in  the  sign,  as  well  as 
in  the  thing  signified,  death  is  represented  as  preceding,  not  fol- 
lowing, burial.  The  apostle's  words  are,  "  Thou  fool,  that  which 
thou  so  west  is  not  quickened,  except  it  die,"  or  be  dead  ;  and  our 
Lord's,  literal! V  rendered,  are,  "  Except  a  corn  of  wheat,  falling 
into  the  ground,  be  dead,  it  abideth  alone  ;  but  if  it  be  dead,  or 
have  died,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit."  The  fact  referred  to, 
in  both  cases,  is  what  takes  place,  not  after,  but  before,  putting 
the  seed  into  the  ground.  It  is  not  the  green,  living  grain,  full 
of  succulence,  that  in  this  state  of  apparent  vigorous  vegetable 
life,  is  productive.  Let  the  plant'  continue  as  long  as  it  may  in 
this  state,  it  will  not  reproduce  itself — none  of  the  seed  will  ever 
be  productive ;  and,  if  severed  in  this  state  from  the  plant,  and 
thrown  into  the  ground,  it  would  perish.  It  must  ripen  ;  it  must 
become  what  has  been  termed  c?eac?-ripe,  ready  to  fall  from  the 
withered  dead  stalk ;  and,  if  it  be  in  this  state  when  it  falls  into 
the  earth,  then  will  it  bring  forth  much  fruit.  After  lying  under 
the  mould  for  a  short  season,  it  will  spring  up,  and  ultimately 
"  bring  forth  thirty,  sixty,  or  even  an  hundred  fold."  A  person 
unacquainted  with  the  vegetable  system  would  not  expect  this — 
he  would  rather  expect  life  from  living  grain  than  from  dead 
grain.  It  seems  strange  that  the  parent  plant  must  wither,  and 
the  seed  lose  all  apparent  vegetable  life,  and  be  cast  into  the 
ground,  where  it  might  be  expected  to  lose  any  life  that  might 
be  latent  in  it ;  yet  it  is  this  dead  and  buried  corn  of  wheat  which 
brings  forth  much  fruit." 

The  application  to  the  case  of  our  Lord  is  natural,  and,  to  iis^ 
is  easy.  The  glory  our  Lord  anticipates,  is  the  glory  of  numerous 
followers  of  all  nations.     That  is  not  to  be  gained  by  his  contin- 

'9  "  Interpretum  tantum  non  omnes  elegantem  illam  et  veram  imaginem  inepta 
interpretatione  deformant.  Translaticium  quippe  est  et  ab  antiquissimis  tem- 
poribus  per  manus  quasi  traditiini,  niiram  hie  inducere  corruptionis,  sepulturse  et 
mortis  confusiouem.  Mortem  quidem  et  sepulturam  confndit,  e.  g.  Grotiu-s  in 
adnotatt.  ad.  h.  1.  prascipiens,  '  Granum  mori  cum  aeri  ereptum  terra  ocoultatur.' 
'Semina  non  nisi  corrupta  et  dissoluta  fecundius  surgunt,'  scribit  Tertulliauus' 
Apolog.  xlviii.  '  Diversum  semina  omnia  corpus  post  corruptionem  rursus  os- 
tenduut,'  circumscribit  Semlerns.  In  quo  no  suspicantur  quidem,  quam  non 
absona  modo  commemorantein  faciant  divinum  scriptorem,  sed  vel  ejus  consilio 
plane  contraria.  An  vero  I'aulum  adeo  no  physicis  quidem  imbutum  esse  existi- 
mas  qui  opiuetur  semina  in  terrro  gremio  putrescere  nut  oorrumpi?  aut  cor- 
ruptum  granum  uUuni  posse  revirescere  unquam  ?  Corrupta  vero  semina,  in 
eternum  non  ))rogerminatura,  mortis  rcternre  vorius  exemplum  prreberent ;  non 
"vitse  recuperandfe.  Quanto  rectius  I'aulus,  ex  oa  tantum  parte  eonfcst  qua  inter- 
cedit  eimilitudo.  Sepulturam  sationi  jcquiparandam  recte  affirmat.  Eam  mors 
prfficesserit  necesse  est.  Nequc  ciiiin  sepeliunt  homines  ut  moriantur,  sed  quod 
vita  defuncti  in  vivis  esse  desierunt,  ideo  exanime  corpus  hunuiiit.  Ita  nee 
granum,  ut  Grotio  placet,  terra;  condunt,  ut  moriatur ;  sed  ut  defunctuni  morti 
eripiatur  et  reviviscat."  "  In  arborc  hiErens  immaturum  pomum  terriB  mandari 
et  progerminare  nequit." — Jeunk. 


EXP.  XVI.]  INTERVIEW   WITH  THE   GREEKS.  583 

uing  to  live,  and,  as  a  mighty  prince  and  conqueror,  subduing 
the  nations.  That  was  the  way  in  which  the  disciples  were 
hoping  that  the  Son  of  man  would  be  glorified.  But  not  one 
follower,  of  the  kind  that  would  glorify  him,  could  be  obtained 
in  this  way.  He  must  not  continue  to  live, — he  must  die,  oth- 
erwise he  must  remain  alone  ;  but  if,  having  died,  he  be  laid  in 
the  earth,  he  shall  have  many  followers.  His  death  is  the  neces- 
sary and  certain  means  of  securing  that  vast  multitude  of  spirit- 
ual followers,  all  bearing  his  image,  all  like  him,  in  whom  con- 
sists the  Son  of  man's  glory  ;  for  "  in  the  multitude  of  his  people 
is  our  King's  honor,"^" 

The  connection  of  the  death  of  our  Lord  with  his  having  a 
aumerous  spiritual  offspring,  is  most  intimate.  The  multitude 
whom  he  came  to  save  were  lost,  dead — dead  under  a  judicial 
sentence,  which,  if  not  removed,  must  keep  them  dead  for  ever. 
His  dying  in  their  room  was  the  appointed  and  the  appropriate 
method  of  obtaining  deliverance  from  that  condemning  sentence 
which  shut  them  up  under  death,  and  it  was  also  as  the  conclud- 
ing act  of  a  perfect  fulfilment  of  all  righteousness,  that  which 
secured  to  him  restored  life,  increased  spiritual  power — even  "  all 
power  in  heaven  and  in  earth" — power  to  quicken  whom  he  will. 
His  becoming  dead  in  the  flesh  was  necessarily  connected  with 
his  being  quickened  in  the  Spirit,  and  becoming,  as  the  second 
Adam,  the  "  quickening  Spirit"  of  his  innumerable  spiritual 
children.  It  was  thus  that  he  obtained  as  his  reward  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  Spirit  of  life,  whose  vivifying  influences  have 
quickened  vast  multitudes  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  and 
made  them  show  forth  the  glories  of  him  through  whose  death 
they  live.  Without  dying,  he  could  not  have  had  such  a  retinue 
of  saved  men.  Had  he  never  become  incarnate,  he  would  have 
remained  aZowe,  so  far  as  man  was  concerned,  in  the  possession  of 
his  uncreated  glory  ;  and  even  had  he  become  incarnate,  but  not 
died,  he  might  have  alone  entered  heaven  on  the  ground  of  his 
absolute  perfection,  but  no  sinner  of  the  human  race  could  ever 
have  followed  him  ;• — so  far  as  they  were  concerned,  he  would 
have  remained  for  ever  alone.  This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  evan- 
gelical prophet, — "  When  he  shall  make  his  soul  an  offering  for 
sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed,  he  shall  j)rolong  his  days,  and  the 
pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  his  hand.  He  shall  see  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied."^' 

It  was  but  little  of  this  our  Lord's  disciples  could  at  this  time 
understand.  But  all  this  is  folded  up  in  the  figure, — all  this  they 
distinctly  understood  afterwards ;  and  even  at  this  time  the  words 
served  to  prepare  them  for  what  was  coming,  and  to  prevent 
them  from  supposing  that  all  hope  of  a  glorious  harvest  was  cut 
off,  when  they  saw,  as  they  soon  did,  the  corn  of  wheat,  having 
died,  fall  into  the  ground.  They  needed  it,  both  to  check  their  vain 
hopes,  and  to  prevent  them  from,  in  the  hour  of  trial,  making  ship- 
wreck of  their  hope  in  him  who,  they  trusted,  was  to  redeem  Israel. 
20  Pro.  xiv.  28.  "^^  lea.  liii.  10,  11. 


684  INTERVIEW   WITH  THE  GREEKS.  [EXP.  XVI. 

The  Saviour,  after  having  stated  thus  enigmatically,  but  very 
impressively,  that  his  near  approaching  glory  could  be  obtained 
only  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  life,  goes  on  to  inform  his  followers 
that  in  his  cause  they  must  be  ready  to  make  every  sacrifice,  even 
to  lay  down  their  life  ;  and  that  if  they  do  so,  they  sliall  assuredly 
share  with  him  in  his  rewards  and  honors.  "  He  that  loveth  his 
life  shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world  shall 
keep  it  unto  life  eternal.  If  any  man  serve  me,  let  him  follow 
me ;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my  servant  be  :  if  any  man 
serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honor."" 

The  word  translated  "life"  signifies  both  life  and  the  soul ;  and 
here,  as  in  some  other  of  our  Lord's  apothegmatic  remarks  on 
this  subject,  wliich  are  often  seeming  paradoxes,  there  is  a  refer- 
ence to  this  double  signification.     It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  He  that 
loves  his  life  shall  lose  his  soul ;  he  that  hates  his  life  shall  pre- 
serve his  soul  to  life  eternal :'  or,  '  He  that  loves  his  life  in  a  low 
sense  of  the  word  "  life,"  shall  lose  his  life  in  a  far  higher  sense 
of  the  word.     He  who  hates  his  life  in  the  lower  sense,  will  pre- 
serve his  life  in  the  higher  sense,  to  life  eternal.'     '  A  wonderful 
sentence  this,'  as  one  of  the  fathers  (Augustine)  says:  'a  man,  by 
loving  his  life,  risks  its  l^s ;  and  by  hating  it,  secures  its  safety. 
Unwise  love  is  in  effect  hatred,  and  wise  hatred  is  in  effect  love. 
Happy  the  man  who,  by  this  wise   hatred,  preserves  unto  life 
eternal,  what,  by  unwise  love,  he  would  have  lost  in  death  eter- 
nal.'    The  person  who  loves  life  is  the  person  who,  from  a  fear 
of  losing  the  wealth,  or  honors,  or  pleasures  of  this  life,  or  life  it- 
self— from  a  fear  of  exposing  himself  to  ])0verty,  contempt,  suf- 
fering, and  death — neglects  duty,  or  commits  sin — refuses  to  be- 
come a  follower  of  Christ,  or  having  become  one,  abandons  his 
profe.-sion,  or  acts  a  part  unworthy  of  it.     That  person  shall  lose 
his  life  in  a  far  higher  sense  than  he  has  retained  it — he  shall  lose 
his  soul.     He  shall  not  cease  to  exist,  but  his  everlasting  exist- 
c-nce  shall  be  but  a  capacity  of  feeling  everlasting  loss — of  endur- 
ing everlasting  misery."     He  who  hates  his  own  life,"  is  he  who 
acts  as  if  he  considered  wealth,  honor,  pleasure,  life  itself,  all 
things  of  comparatively  no  value,  brought  into  competition  with 
the  claims  of  truth  and  duty — who  readily  sacrifices  the  former 
to  the  latter — who,  when  these  things  claim  to  be  regarded  above 
those,  rejects  the  claim,  and  readily  parts  with  all  rather  than  dis- 
obey God  or  deny  Christ.     That  person  shall  keep,  guard,  pre- 
serve, his  life,  to  eternal  life ;  when  he  seems  to  be  throwing  away 
his  lite,  he  is  securing  it.    He  shall  live  eternally,  and  his  eternal 
life  shall  be  life  indeed — the  highest  measure  of  the  highest  kind 
of  life  of  which  man  is  capable.     One  hour's  life  in  that  world  to 

'■**  John  xii.  25,  26. — "  I  have  found  this  promise  so  full  of  sweetness,  that  I 
value  it  above  all  the  riches  of  the  world." — Uichaud  Baxter.     Self  Jgnorance. 

2^  "(jiiAdv,  like  '  amare,'  is  used  to  denote  a  natural  inclination;  uyamh;  like 
'  diligere,' to  make  a  rational  determination.  This  dJKtinction  is  not,  however, 
strictly  adhered  to  by  .John;  comp.  iii.  35,  with  v.  20,  and  xxi.  15." — Tiioluck. 

'i*  /uaeiv,  is  not  used  abnolutc,  but  comparative — Ilcbraicc.  MaL  i.  3.  Pi'ov. 
ziii.  24. 


EXP.  XVI.]  INTERVIEW   WITH   THE   GREEKS,  58o 

whicli  death  conveys  him  who  has  laid  down  his  life  in  the  cause 
of  Christ,  is  worth  millions  of  ages  in  this  world,  so  polluted  with 
sin,  so  darkened  with  sorrow. 

The  expression,  "  If  any  man  serve  me,"  is  plainly  equivalent 
to,  '  if  any  man  be  disposed  to  be,  or  .profess  to  be,  my  servant.' 
The  disciples  did  so  ;■ — 'the  Greeks  were  probably  inclined  to  do 
so.  Let  such  a  person  follow  me.  To  follow  Christ,  is  a  term 
which  often  includes  all  the  duties  of  disciples — embracing  the 
Saviour's  doctrines,  obeying  the  Saviour's  laws,  promoting  the 
Saviour's  interests,  imitating  the  Saviour's  example.  It  is  the 
last  of  these  ideas  that  seems  to  have  been  most  prominently  be- 
fore the  Saviour's  mind  when  he  used  the  words  before  us. 
'  Let  him  follow  me,  in  not  loving  his  life  to  the  death ;  in  hating 
it,  when  the  honor  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  men  require 
him  to  lay  it  down.  Let  him  follow  me,  in  willingly  sub- 
mitting to  privation,  and  contempt,  and  torture,  and  death ;  let 
him  take  up  his  cross,  as  I  am  about  to  take  up  mine,  and  be 
willing,  when  God  calls  him,  to  be  nailed  to  it,  as  I  will  soon  be. 
Let  him  follow  me ;  and  if  he  follow  mo  to  conflict,  he  will 
follow  me  to  victory  ;  if  he  follow  me  to  suffering,  he  will  follow 
me  to  reward  ;  if  he  follow  mc  to  death,  he  will  follow  me  into 
life  eternal.'  He  well  knew  that  to  him  death  was  the  path  of  life 
— the  cross,  the  steps  to  the  throne.  He  knew  where  he  was  go- 
ing, and  was  as  certain  of  reaching  his  destination  as  if  already 
there.  He  speaks  like  one  already  in  heaven.  Jesus  was  the 
Prince  of  believers,  stronger  in  faith  than  even  Abraham  our 
father.  His  faith  gave  a  present  existence  in  his  mind  to  what  was 
future.  He  knew  that,  ere  the  end  of  the  week,  his  soul  was  to 
be  in  paradise,  and  that,  ere  two  months  elapsed,  he  should,  in 
his  sacred  glorified  body,  be  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  angels  and  principalities,  authorities  and  powers,  being 
made  subject  to  him.  "  Where  I  am,"  i.  e.,  '  Where  I  shall 
soon  and  certainly  be,  my  servant,  who  follows  me  in  self- 
renunciation  to  suffering,  shall  assuredly  follow  me.  He  shall 
rest  with  me  after  his  labors ;  he  shall  enter  into  my  joy ;  he 
shall  reign  with  me  in  life,  sitting  with  me  on  my  throne,  even 
as  I  sit  with  my  Father  on  his  throne.'  "  It  is  a  faithful  saying. 
If  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him." 

Our  Lord  adds,  "  If  any  man  serve  me,"  i.  e.,  *  If  any  man 
thus  serve  me,  by  following  me,'  "  him  will  my  Father  honor." 
The  true  servants  of  Ciirist  are  those  who  follow  him  wherever 
he  leads  them,  believing  and  avoiding  whatever  he  teaches  them, 
doing  whatever  he  bids  them,  submitting  to  whatever  he  ap- 
points for  them,  imitating  his  example,  acquiescing  in  the  dis- 
posal of  his  providence,  and  persevering  in  their  attachment  to 
his  person — their  obedience  to  his  laws — their  promotion  of  his 
interest,  though  dishonor,  or  poverty,  or  death  itself,  should  be 
the  consequence.  Jesus  passed  through  dishonor  and  death  to 
accomplish  our  salvation,  and  wc  arc  not  really  his  servants  if  we 
are  not  willing  to  bear  his  cross.      "  He   left  us   an  example," 


586  INTERVIEW  WITfl  THE   GREEKS.  [EXP.  XVI. 

when  lie  suffered  for  us,  "  that  we  should  follow  his  steps  ;""  and 
our  thus  showing  that  we  have  his  Spirit,  bj  imitating  his  con- 
duct, is  the  proof  of  our  being  his  servants.  "  If  any  man  have 
not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his ;""  and  if  any  man 
have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  will  be  conformed  to  Christ,  so  as 
to  be  "  in  the  world  as  he  was  in  the  world,"  and  to  "  walk  as  he 
also  walked."  Such  servants  of  Christ  shall  not  only  be  with 
him  where  he  is,  but  they  shall  be  honored  and  rewarded  by 
his  Father, — they  "  shall  inherit  all  things."  It  shall  then  ap- 
pear what  they  are  as  the  children  of  God  ;  their  hidden  life  shall 
be  revealed — their  concealed  glory  manifested  to  the  admiration 
of  all  intelligent  beings,  Avhile  "  the  Lamb,  who  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  lead  them  to  fountains  of  living 
waters,"  and  "  the  Lord  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes."  "  They  shall  be  a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 
and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  their  God.""  Such  shall  be 
the  reward  of  the  servant  who  follows  Christ — of  every  servant 
who  follows  Christ.  "If  any  man"' — No  Jew  can  share  in  these 
rewards  but  by  following  Christ ;  no  Gentile,  thus  following  Christ, 
will  be  excluded  from  them. 

The  terms  of  discipleship,  my  brethren,  are  unaltered,  and 
unalterable.  Are  we  thus  servants  of  Christ?  We  call  him 
Lord,  Lord ;  but  are  we  following  him  in  self-denied  service 
and  suffering?  are  we  lovers  of  our  lives  in  the  sense  in  which 
he  requires  us  to  be  haters  of  them  ?  i.  e.,  are  we  lovers  of  our- 
selves more  than  the  lovers  of  him, — fonder  of  earth  than  heaven, 
— more  taken  up  with  time  than  eternity  ?  Let  no  man  be  de- 
ceived— let  no  man  deceive  himself — on  this  point.  A  mistake 
here,  even  though  temporary,  is  hazardous — if  persisted  in,  must 
be  fatal.  We  can  have  no  part  in  making  atonement — ^it  is 
unnecessary — it  is  impossible ;  but  we  must  have  part  in  the 
spirit  in  which  the  atonement  was  made.  If  we  have  not,  Ave 
may  rest  assured  we  are  not  yet  savingly  interested  in  him ; 
and,  continuing  destitute  of  this  spirit,  we  never  can  be  sharers 
of  the  blessings  procured  by  him.  No  man  who  is  not  reall}'' 
disposed  to  lay  down  his  life  for  Christ — ^to  lay  down  his  life  for 
the  brethren — to  make  his  glorj;-  and  their  salvation  the  great 
objects  of  life — can  have  satisfactory  evidence  that  Christ's  death 
for  sinners  has  become  effectual  for  reconciling  him  to  God. 

Let  us  rejoice  in  the  flood  of  light  whicli  events  have  shed  on 
our  Lord's  enigmatical  words,  "  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into 
the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone :  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit,"  How  did  the  Saviour,  having  become  dead 
— powerless — in  the  flesh,  become  quickened — powerful — in  the 
Spirit !  IIow  does  he  who  died  in  weakness,  through  that  death, 
live  in  the  power  of  God  !  How  glorious  already,  in  earth  and 
heaven,  the  fruits  of  that  wondrous  deatli !  What  a  mass  of 
holy  happiness  has  been  produced  by  it !  What  millions  on 
millions  of  perfectly  holy  happy  spirits  are  turning  the  eye  of  the 
«5  1  Pet.  ii  21.  "•  P.oin.  viii.  V,  2^  isa.  Ixii.  3. 


EXP.  XVI.]  INTERVIEW  WITH  THE   GREEKS.  587 

mind  continually  to  the  cross  and  grave  of  the  Saviour,  and  say- 
ing in  their  hearts,  '  All  our  happiness,  and  all  our  hopes,  are 
due  to  him  who  hung  there,  who  lay  there.'  How  barren,  but 
in  fruits  of  the  curse,  had  our  world  been,  but  for  the  falling  of 
that  corn  of  wheat  dead  into  the  earth ;  and  though  the  heavenly 
paradise  would  have  bloomed  in  varied  beauty,  not  one  of  our 
doomed  race  would  have  been  among  those  trees  of  righteousness, 
the  planting  of  the  Lord,  in  which  he  is  glorified.  Oh,  what  do 
we  owe  to  the  cross  and  to  the  grave  of  the  Saviour  !  God  for- 
bid that  we  should  glory  save  in  that  cross.**  God  forbid  that 
we  should  shrink  from  following  him  who  hung  on  it — to  the 
cross — ^if  he  require  it — to  the  grave,  as  we  know  he  has  ap- 
pointed it.     It  is  thus  only  that  we  can  follow  him  to  the  throne. 

28  Gal.  vi.  14. 


EXPOSITION  XVII. 

THE    INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST. 


John  sil  27,  28. — "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled ;  and  what  shall  I  say  ?  Father, 
save  me  from  this  hour  :  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour.  Father,  glorify 
thy  name.  Then  came  there  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  I  have  both  glorified 
it,  and  will  glorify  it  again." 

"  It  became  liim,  for  wliom  are  all  things,  and  by  wbom  are  all 
things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto  glory,  to  make  the  Captain 
of  their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings.'"  The  sufferings  to 
which  the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  as  the  substitute  of  sinners,  was 
exposed,  by  the  appointment  of  his  Father,  as  the  supreme 
righteous  Governor  of  the  universe,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
him  what  he  is — an  all-accomplished  Saviour — in  the  possession 
of  all  the  merit,  all  the  authority,  and  all  the  sympathy,  that  are 
necessary  for  the  performance  of  all  the  parts  of  his  saving 
work  in  the  best  possible  manner — were  numerous,  varied,  and 
severe.  He  was,  by  way  of  eminence,  "  the  man  who  saw  afflic- 
tion by  the  rod  of  God's  wrath," — "  the  man  of  sorrows,  and  ac- 
quainted with  gi'ief."  With  every  form  and  degree  of  suffering, 
in  which  the  holy  displeasure  of  God  against  the  sin  of  man  is 
manifested,  he  was  familiar,  in  so  far  as  such  suflPering  was  com- 
patible with  his  absolute  innocence,  his  perfect  holiness ;  and  he 
could  say,  with  an  emphasis  quite  peculiar  to  himself,  "Is  it 
nothing  to  you,  all  ye  that  pass  by  :  behold,  and  see  if  there  be 
any  sorrow  like  unto  my  sorrow,  which  is  done  unto  me,  where- 
with the  Lord  hath  afflicted  me  in  the  day  of  his  fierce  anger." 
His  external  sufferings  were  of  no  common  kind.  During  his 
whole  continuance  on  earth,  from  the  manger  to  the  cross,  he 
seems  to  have  been  almost  entirely  destitute  of  the  comforts  and 
accommodations,  and  very  scantily  supplied  with  the  necessaries 
of  life.  He  was  indeed  "poor  and  needy."  "The  foxes  have 
holes,  and  the  bu'ds  of  the  air  have  nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man 
had  not  where  to  lay  his  head."*  He  was  the  object  of  the 
malignant  contempt  of  the  upper  classes  of  society,  and  of  the 
contumelious  abuse  of  the  lower.  Blasphemer  and  demoniac — 
impostor  and  madman — glutton  and  wine-bibber — friend  of  pub- 
licans and  sinners — were  tlic  appellations  connnonly  given  him. 
He  was  worn  out  by  fatiguing  ill-requited  labors — by  hunger 

'  Heb.  ii.  10.  2  Matt.  viii.  20. 


PART  I.]  THE  SAVIOUR'S   INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS.  589 

and  thirst — hj  debility  and  exhaustion  ;  and,  in  the  tortures  of 
the  scourge,  and  the-agonies  of  the  cross,  he  experienced  the  ut- 
most intensity  of  pain  of  which  the  human  frame  is  capable. 
When  we  read  the  history  of  his  sufferings,  we  cannot  think  it 
Avonderful  if  the  ancient  oracle  concerning  him  were  fulfilled  to 
the  letter.  "  Many  were  astonished  at  him :  his  visage  was 
marred  more  than  any  man,  and  his  form  more  than  the  sons 
of  men."^  Yet  these  visible  sufferings  were  the  least  part  of  his 
sufferings.  They  were  but,  as  it  were,  the  imperfect  external 
type  of  severer  internal  agonies.  "  The  iron  entered  into  his 
soul."  A  mysterious  hidden  fire,  kindled  by  the  breath  of  Je- 
hovah, righteously  displeased  at  the  sins  of  men,  consumed  his 
vitals,  as  man's  substitute — the  victim  for  man's  transgressions. 
The  comparative  severity  of  the  two  species  of  suffering  may  be 
judged  of  by  the  fact,  that  the  pressure  of  external  calamity, 
however  heavy,  never  extorted  a  complaint  from  Jesus :  but 
the  exceeding  great  weight  of  inward  anguish  wrung  from  him 
sobs  and  groans, — "  strong  crying  and  tears."  His  spirit  was 
one  which  could  sustain  any  bodily  suffering ;  but  the  wounds 
inflicted  directly  on  itself  were  found  all  but  intolerable.  Well 
has  it  been  said  by  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  church,  on  this 
awfully  mysterious  subject,  "  The  sufferings  of  his  soul  were  the 
sold  of  his  sufferings." 

The  passage  of  Scripture  which  I  have  now  read  brings  before 
our  mind  the  Saviour's  inward  sufferings,  his  exercise  under 
these  sufferings,  and  his  divine  Father's  approval  of  his  exercise 
under  these  sufferings.  The  Saviour's  inward  sufferings  are  ex- 
pressed in  the  brief,  but  impressive,  exclamation,  "  Now  is  my 
soul  troubled."  His  exercise  under  these  sufferings  is  described 
in  the  words  which  follow:  "What  shall  I  say?  Father,  save 
me  from  this  hour !  But  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour. 
Father,  glorify  thy  name."  And  the  approbation  of  this  exercise 
by  his  divine  Father  was  manifested  in  a  miraculous  voice  from 
heave ji,  as  narrated  in  the  closing  words  of  the  text.  "  Then 
came  a  Aoice  from  heaven,  saying,  I  have  both  glorified  it,  and 
will  glorify  it  again."  To  these  three  interesting  topics,  it  is  my 
purpose  to  turn  your  attention  in  the  remaining  part  of  this  dis- 
course ;  and  I  pray  that  the  discussion  of  them  may,  by  the  ac- 
companying influence  of  the  good  Spirit,  prove  a  suitable  prep- 
aration for  that  solemn  religious  observance,  to  engage  in  which 
is  the  great  object  of  our  coming  together  to-day — an  observance 
in  which  is  commemorated  our  Lord's  "  pouring  out  his  soul  unto 
death,  making  it  an  offering  for  sin  " — for  our  sins — for  the  sins 
of  many.  , 

I. — THE  saviour's   INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS. 

The  first  topic  to  which  the  text  calls  our  attention  is  the  in- 
ward sufferings  of  the  Saviour.      "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled." 

3  Isa.  Hi.  14. 


590  THE  INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST.      [EXP.  XVH. 

When  the  mind  is  free  from  uneasiness,  both  from  felt  and  feared 
evil,  from  the  experience  of  present,  and  the  apprehension  of 
future,  suffering,  it  is  figuratively  said  to  be  calm  or  tranquil — 
hke  the  bosom  of  the  lake  when  not  even  a  breath  of  wind  ruffles 
its  glass}^  surface ;  when  anguish,  and  sorrow,  and  terror,  take 
possession  of  the  mind,  then  it  is  said  to  be  troubled,  agitated,  or 
convulsed,  like  the  ocean  in  a  storm,  or  the  earth  reeling  under 
the  impulses  of  an  earthquake.  The  plain  literal  meaning  of  the 
words  before  us  is :  'I  am  suffering  extreme  inward  anguish  of 
spirit ;  I  am  oppressed  with  fear ;  I  am  tortured  with  anxiety  ; 
I  am  overwhelmed  with  sorrow.'  The  language  used  respecting 
Abraham,  when  the  miseries  of  his  descendants  were,  in  pro- 
phetic vision,  brought  before  his  mind,  is  still  more  applicable  to 
his  illustrious  descendant,  in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
were  to  be  blessed, — Avhen  he  felt  and  feared  the  pangs  of  that 
sacrifice  of  expiation,  that  travail  of  soul,  by  which  he  was  to 
bear,  and  bear  away,  the  sins  of  his  people.  "An  horror  of 
great  darkness  fell  upon  him  "* — a  thick  and  dark  cloud  inter- 
vened, as  it  were,  between  him  and  the  light  of  his  Father's 
countenance. 

This  is  not  the  only  place  in  which  we  read  of  our  Lord's  trouble 
of  spirit.  In  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  this  gospel,  at  the  21st 
verse,  we  read  that  "Jesus  was  troubled  in  spirit,  and  testified, 
and  said.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  That  one  of  you  shall 
betray  me,"  and  it  is  plainly  but  a  higher  degree  of  the  same 
state  of  mind  which  we  find  described  by  the  evangelists  when 
they  narrate  the  mysterious  scene  in  Gethsemane,  and  represent 
the  Saviour  as  being  sorrowful,  sore  amazed,  very  heavy,  in  an 
agony  ;  which  he  himself  utters  in  these  words,  so  instinct  with 
anguish ;  "  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death  ;" 
and  which  found  an  expression  stronger  than  language  could 
furnish,  in  the  great  drops  of  sweat  like  blood,  which,  during  the 
intense  cold  of  midnight,  fell  to  the  ground  from-  his  prostrate 
body.^  ... 

The  original  terms  employed  by  the  evangelists  in  describing 
this  state  of  mind,  are  peculiarly  full  of  meaning.  I  do  not 
know  that  our  translators  could  have  found  more  appropriate  and 
expressive  terms  in  our  language  to  render  them  by  than  those 
which  they  have  employed ;  but  they  come  far  short  of  the  force 
of  the  phrases  used  by  the  sacred  historian.  They  are  explained 
by  one  who  well  knew  their  force,  as  describing  our  Lord  "  as 
on  a  sudden  possessed  with  horror  and  amazement ;  encompassed 
with  grief,  and  overwhelmed  with  sorrow ;  pressed  down  with 
consternation,  and  dejection  of  mind ;  tormented  with  anxiety 
and  disquietude  of  spirit.'" 

It  is  a  natural,  and  a  highly  important  and  interesting  inquiry, 
What  was  the  cause  of  this  deep  mental  suffering — this  \mutter- 
able,  this  inconceivable,  inward  anguish?  It  is  obvious  that  no 
cause  can  be  found  in  our  Lord's  external  circumstances,  either 

*  Gen.  XV.  12.  ^  Matt.  xxvi.  30-46.     Luke  xxii.  41-46.  «  Pearson. 


PART  I.]  THE  SAVIOUR'S  INTERNAL  SUFFERING^  591 

in  the  case  before  us,  or  wlien  in  the  garden  of  l^l^isemane. 
There  was  no  scourge,  no  cross,  no  executioner, •in  either  case. 
In  the  case  before,  there  was  thuch  to  awaken  sentiments  of 
satisfaction  and  pleasing  anticipation.  The  multitude  appear  at 
least  disposed  to  recognize  him  as  the  long-expected  son  of  David, 
Messiah  the  Prince.  He  has  entered  Jerusalem,  the  divinely- 
chosen  seat  of  David's  empire,  in  triumph,  amid  the  joyful 
hosannahs  of  thousands,  as  the  rightful  inheritor  of  his  throne ; 
and,  in  the  eager  desire  of  the  Greeks  to  see  him,  he  has  obtained 
an  earnest  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise,  "It  is  a  light  thing 
that  thou  shouldest  be  my  servant  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of 
Jacob,  and  to  restore  the  preserved  of  Israel :  I  will  also  give 
thee  for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  tliat  thou  mayest  be  my  salva- 
tion unto  the  end  of  the  earth.'"  These  circumstances  seemed 
calculated  to  excite  a  holy  triumph  in  the  Saviour's  mind  ;  and 
so  they  did.  They  produced  their  appropriate  effect.  "  He  re- 
joiced in  spirit,"  and  said,  "The  hour  is  at  hand  when  the  Son 
of  man  shall  be  glorified."  But  how  is  it  that  all  on  a  sudden 
his  "  harp  is  turned  into  mourning,  and  his  organ  into  the  voice 
of  them  that  weep  "  ?**  How  is  it  that  he  who  had  just  said  in 
triumph,  "Now  is  the  Son  of  man  to  be  glorified,"  here  says  in 
deep  distress,  "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled"  ?  And  even  at  Geth- 
semane  we  seek  in  vain  for  the  cause  of  his  inward  sufferings  in 
his  external  circumstances.  He  is  in  a  place  endeared  to  him 
by  the  most  sacred  and  soothing  recollections.  It  was  the  scene 
of  his  confidential  intercourse  with  his  disciples,' — of  his  still  more 
intimate  fellowship  with  his  divine  Father ; — and  there  were  none 
with  him  but  his  three  disciples,  chosen  friends,  to  whom,  of  aU 
human  beings,  with  the  exception  of  his  mother,  he  was  most 
fondly  attached. 

He  could  not  be  experiencing  remorse,  which  embitters,  in 
many  cases,  life's  sweetest  enjoyments,  and  casts  an  appalhng 
gloom  over  the  fairest  scenes  of  mortal  ha^jpiness.  His  con- 
science, thoroughly  enlightened,  fully  instructed,  in  every  claim 
which  the  holy,  just,  and  good  law  had  on  him,  and  exquisitely 
sensible  to  the  slightest  deviation  from  rectitude — could  not  find, 
on  the  retrospect  of  his  whole  life,  a  single  action — no,  not  a 
single  thought  or  feeling — which  was  not  in  perfect  accordance 
with  the  will  of  God.  In  no  case  could  he  wish  that  he  had 
thought,  or  felt,  or  acted  dLfiferently  from  what  he  had  done. 
The  testimony  of  his  conscience  was,  that  he  had  kept  his 
Father's  word — that  he  had  glorified  him  on  the  earth.  Words 
which,  in  the  mouth  of  any  other  man,  even  the  holiest,  would 
have  argTied  the  most  intolerable  arrogance — the  most  deplorable 
ignorance — both  of  God's  law  and  himself — were  in  his  case  the 
words  of  truth  and  soberness.  "  I  have  kept  the  ways  of  the 
Lord,  and  have  not  wickedly  departed  from  my  God.  For  all 
his  judgments  were  before  me,  and  I  did  not  put  away  his  statutes 
from  me.  I  was  also  upright  before  him,  and  I  kept  myself  from 
^  Isa.  xlix.  6.  ^  Job  xxx.  31. 


692  ^HE  INTERNAL   SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST.      [EXP.  XVII. 

mine  ini^ly."     "  ^f  J  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me, 
and  to  mmk  his  work.'" 

It  could  not  be  the  fear  of,  his  impending  bodily  sufferings, 
numerous,  varied,  and  agonizing  as  he  well  knew  they  would  be, 
that  so  troubled  him  (though  no  doubt  their  anticipation  did  pro- 
duce uneasy  feelings) ;  for  not  merely  did  he  know  that  these 
sufferings  were  soon  to  terminate,  and  that  they  would  be  more 
than  compensated  in  the  delights  and  glories  of  that  state  into 
which  they  were  to  introduce  him ;  but  we  find  that  when  the 
season  of  torture  and  death  arrived,  he  w.as  perfectly  composed 
and  firm  in  the  midst  of  his  sufferings.  He  discovered  no  weak- 
ness, no  agitation,  no  fear,  no  perturbation  then.  He  "  gave 
his  back  to  the  smiters,  and  his  cheeks  to  them  who  plucked  off 
the  hair :  he  hid  not  his  face  from  shame  and  spitting.  He  set 
his  face  as  a  flint;  he  was  not  discouraged,'""  He  complained 
not  of  the  cruelty  of  his  enemies ;  he  sunk  not  under  it.  He 
^'  endured  the  cross  ;  he  despised  the  shame,"  It  is  surely  not 
probable  that  the  bare  prospect  of  those  sufferings  which  he  so 
undauntedl}^  sustained,  should  have  so  troubled  his  soul,  so  dis- 
quieted his  spirit,  so  convulsed  him  with  terror  and  agony.  To 
account  for  our  Lord's  inward  sufferings  on  any  such  supposi- 
tion, is  to  do  him  foul  dishonor.  It  were  to  sink  him  far  below 
many  of  his  followers.  They  have  met  the  most  cruel  tortures 
with  fortitude ;  and,  instead  of  discovering  dread  or  dejection, 
have  manifested  the  most  placid  tranquillity  and  the  most  trium- 
phant hope. 

There  is  but  one  way  of  accounting  satisfactorily  for  this  sudden, 
deep,  inward  distress.  An  invisible  arm  smites  him,  and  that 
arm  is  the  arm  of  the  Omnipotent.  On  the  head  of  that  spot- 
less, perfect  man, — the  man  who  is  God  manifest  in  the  flesh, — 
Jehovah  has  made  to  meet,  as  on  the  victim  for  human  trans- 
gression, the  iniquities  of  us  all.  Exaction  is  now  being  made, 
and  he  feels  himself  responsible  to  answer  it.  He  has  sorrow,  for 
his  hour  is  come,  that  hour  in  which  he  must  become  a  curse, 
and  be  made  sin  in  the  room  of  man,  Jehovah  the  judge,  is 
about  to  complete  this  work, — this  strange  work.  The  sins  of 
men,  in  all  their  odiousness  and  malignity,  are  present  to  the 
Saviour's  mind,  and  present  to  his  mind  as  the  sins  of  those  to 
whom  he  is  so  closely  related,  with  whom  indeed  he  is  identified, 
as  sins  for  which  he  must  make  adequate  expiation.  The  more 
he  loved  those  in  whose  room  he  stood,  the  more  would  his  trouble 
of  soul  be  increased,  just  as  we  are  more  affected  by  the  crimes 
of  a  relative  or  friend,  than  by  those  of  a  stranger.  During 
this  season  of  soul-trouble,  he  was  dc])rivcd  of  all  sensible  mani- 
festation of  the  complacency  of  his  heavenly  Father, — the  life  of 
his  life, — the  very  element  of  his  soul's  hap])iness.  The  sun  of 
consolation  was  totally  eclipsed.  He  felt  that  he  was  just  about 
to  be  given  up  to  the  will  of  his  enemies,  and  to  all  that  sin 
deserved,  without  one  cheering  ray  of  his  Father's  countenance 

»  Peal,  xviii.  21-23.     John  iv.  34.  '"  Isa.  L  6,  1. 


PART  I.]  THE   SAVIOUR'S   INTERNAL   SUFFERINGS.  593 

to  mitigate  his  distress.  Our  depravity,  and  the  weakness  of  our 
faculties,  prevent  us  from  forming  adequate  conceptions  of  the 
suffering  which  flowed  from  this  source,  but  we  can  easily  see 
that  it  must  have  been  inconceivably  great.  The  more  he  loved 
God — and  he  loved  Him  with  all  his  heart — the  clearer  views  he 
had  of  his  glory  and  excellence,  the  more  that  he  delighted  in 
fellowship  with  him,-  the  greater  must  have  been  his  anguish  when 
deprived  of  this  fellowship,  an  anguish  which  found  utterance  in 
these  words,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  !" 
He  was  consciously  enduring,  so  far  as  a  perfectly  human  being 
can  endure,  those  penal  consequences  of  sin  which  are  the  ex- 
pression of  the  Divine  displeasure  against  it.  He  did  not  suffer, 
he  could  not  suffer,  the  agonies  of  a  guilty  conscience  ;  but  he  did 
suffer, — when  he  uttered  these  words  he  was  suffering,  as  far  as 
the  thing  is  possible, — the  wrath  of  God  due  to  sin.  He  was  in 
the  hands  of  the  living  God  as  the  victim  for  sin,  and  he  felt 
himself  to  be  so.  The  import  of  these  awful  words  was  fully 
understood,  by  being  actually  endured  :  "  "Who  knows  the  power 
of  God's  anger  ?  According  to  his  fear,  so  is  his  wrath."  "It 
is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God."  He 
learned  what  subjection  to  the  violated  law  of  God  was,  by  the 
things  which  he  suffered."  He  had  the  most  awful  views  of  the 
majesty,  and  power,  and  righteousness  of  God,  as  the  author  and 
vindicator  of  the  law,  armed  with  all  that  judgment  which  is  in- 
cluded in  its  curse, — in  the  act  of  executing  the  most  tremendous 
threatenmgs  of  his  word,  and  called  on,  in  his  public  character, 
to  inflict  on  him,  as  the  surety  of  sinners,  the  full  desert  of  their 
atrocious  rebellion.  When  he  thought  of  God  in  this  way, — and 
for  the  moment  his  mind  was  entirely  filled  with  the  thought, — 
how  could  he  but  be  troubled  ? 

I  have  only  further  to  remark,  that  in  those  seasons  of  intense 
inward  agony,  one  of  which  is  described  in  our  text,  we  have 
reason  to  believe  he  was  peculiarly  exposed  to  the  attack  of  ma- 
lignant spiritual  beings.  That  was  their  hour  and  the  power  of 
diarkness.  How  they  distressed  his  mind,  we  do  not  know,  for  we 
have  not  been  told ;  but  it  is  easy  to  conceive,  how  irritation  at 
their  shameful  defeats  in  their  former  attacks,  would  induce  them, 
in  the  hour  of  Divine  desertion,  to  redouble  their  assaults ;  with 
what  extreme  loathing  he  must  have  shrunk  from  their  polluted, 
and  to  all  but  himself  contaminating,  intercourse ;  and  how  their 
impious  and  malignant  suggestions  must  have  shocked  and  pained 
his  hoi}',  sensible  heart.  Every  method  which  Satanic  ingenuity 
and  activity  could  devise  and  execute,  to  harass  and  perplex,  to 
depress  and  unnerve,  to  torture  and  agonize,  was  then  in  active 
operation. 

But  we  must  have  done  with  this  topic.  The  mind  labors  under 
such  a  subject  of  contemplation.  Its  greatness  oppresses, — its 
strangeness  confounds  us.  "  Such  knowledge  is  too  wonderful  for 
us.     It  is  high,  we  cannot  attain  to  it."     It  is  a  mystery, — a  mys- 

"  Psal.  xc.  11.     Heb.  x.  31 ;  v.  8. 
VOL.  I.  38 


594  THE  INTERNAL   SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST.      [EXP.  XVII, 

terj  of  kindness.     The  soul  of  tlie  God-man  is  thus  troubled,  that 
our  souls  might  enjoy  rest. 

Before  closing  our  illustration,  however,  it  may  be  proper  to 
inquire, — What  are  the  purposes  which  these  mysterious  inward 
sufferings  of  our  Lord  Jesus  were  intended  to  serve  ?  It  ma}^  be 
answered  in  a  word  or  two.  They  were  intended,  like  all  his  suf- 
ferings, to  "make  him  perfect,"  i.  e.,  fully  to  accomplish  him  as  a 
Saviour;  and  it  is  easy  to  perceive  how  they  did  this.  They 
formed  an  important  component  part  of  the  expiation  which  he 
offered  for  the  sins  of  men.  Mere  bodily  suffering,  however 
severe,  could  not  have  made  expiation  for  the  sins  of  men,  which 
are  "spiritual  Avickednesses."  The  agonies  of  the  soul  must  be 
united  to  the  pains  of  the  body,  to  form  an  appropriate  and  ade- 
quate ransom  for  human  transgressions.  The  example  of  our 
Lord  would  have  been  incomplete,  had  he  not  showed  his  people 
how  they  ought  to  conduct  themselves  under  inward  troubles, 
which  often  form  the  severest  part  of  their  trials ;  and  finally, 
without  having  experienced  inward  sufferings,  he  could  not  have 
sympathized  with  his  people  under  these  trials,  when  most  of  all 
they  need  his  sympathy.  But  now,  in  deep  despondency  and  in 
struggles  with  Satanic  suggestions,  he  has  a  fellow-feeling  with 
them.  His  soul  has  been  troubled, — he  has  been  sorrowful,  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful.  "  He  knows  what  strong  temptations  are,  for 
he  has  felt  the  same." 

"  Our  fellow-suffei'er  still  retains, 
A  fellow-feeling  of  our  pains, 
And  still  remembers  iu  the  skies. 
His  teai's,  his  agonies,  and  cries."'^ 


JL— THE  EXERCISE  OF  OUR  LORD'S  MIND  UNDER  THESE  INTERNAL 

SUFFERINGS. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  second  topic  which  our 
text  brings  before  the  mind — The  exercise  of  our  Lord's  mind 
under  these  inward  sufferings.  That  is  exhibited  in  these  words, 
"What  shall  I  say?""  'Father,  save  me  from  this  hour.  But 
for  this  cause  came  I  to  this  hour.     Father,  glorify  thy  name.' 

It  has  been  common  to  consider  these  words,  "  What  shall  I 
say?"  as  a  further  expression  of  inward  sufferings;  as  if  they 
were  equivalent  to,  '  My  sorrows  are  uns]ioakably  great.  They 
cannot  be  uttered  in  words ;'  or,  '  they  are  such  as  to  confound 
and  stu])efy  me,  so  that  I  do  not  know  what  to  say.'  And  then, 
they  who  take  this  view,  consider  our  Lord  as  under  the  influence 
of  extreme  agitation  and  suffering,  presenting  the  petition, 
"Father,  save  me  from  this  hour," — deliver  me  from  my  hnpend- 
ing  sufferhigs;  and  tlien  they  apprehend  him  as  checking  himself 
by  the  thought,  "  For  tliis  cause  I  came  unto  this  hour;"  and  pre- 
senting, instead  of  tlie  prayer,  "  save  me  from  this  hour,"  the  pe- 
tition, "  Father,  glorify  thy  name." 

'2  Logan.  '^  "Quid  dkant?  non  quid  eligam.    Coll.  Phil.  1.  22." — Benqkl. 


PART  II.]  HIS   EXERCISE    UNDER  THEM.  595 

I  cannot  lielp  tliinking,  that  this  is  not  the  just  view  of  the 
subject.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  that  our  Lord's  inward  suffer- 
ings were  such  as  no  human  language  could  adequately  describe, 
and  their  effect  on  any  mere  human  being,  would  have  been  to 
confound  and  stupefy,  and  probably  to  induce  one,  without  refer- 
ence to  consequences,  to  pray  God  to  save  him  from  what,  in  the 
very  prospect,  had  so  agonized  his  inmost  soul.  But  I  do  not 
think  that  our  Saviour  could  have  presented  the  petition,  "save 
me  from  this  hour,"  in  the  only  sense  the  words  seem  capable  of 
bearing,  '  deliver  me  from  dying.'  He  reproved  sharply  his  dis- 
ciples when  they  would  have  dissuaded  him  from  it.  He  was 
straitened  till  the  baptism  of  blood  was  accomplished.  He  de- 
sired with  desire  to  eat  the  Passover,  which  he  knew  w^as  to  be 
succeeded  by  his  death.  In  the  garden,  indeed,  he  prayed  that 
that  cup  should  pass  from  him;  but  that  cup  was  not  the  cup  of 
death,  but  the  overwhelming  auguish  that  then  oppressed  his  spirit. 

Keeping  in  view  the  absolute  perfection  of  our  Saviour's 
character,  the  following  seems  a  more  satisfactory  mode  of  ex- 
plaining these  very  remarkable. words.  The  words,  "what  shall 
I  say,"  appear  to  express  the  deliberating  of  our  Lord's  mind, 
as  to  what  course  he  should  follow  in  his  present  circumstances 
of  deep  inward  distress ;  q.  d,  '  To  what  quarter  shall  I  turn  for 
relief  under  this  intolerable  load  ?  It  is  needless  to  turn  to  men. 
The  great  body  of  men  are  no  way  disposed  to  pity  me,  and  even 
those  who  love  me  best,  can  do  little  in  sympathizing  with  what 
they  can  so  little  understand ;  they  can  do  little  to  relieve  me. 
I  turn  to  God:  and  what  shall  I  say  to  Him?  He  can  sustain, 
he  can  comfort,  he  can  deliver  me.  Shall  I  say,  "  Father,  save 
me  from  this  hour"  ?  Shall  I  ask  him  to  release  me  from  my 
covenant  engagements  ?  I  have  become  surety  for  strangers, 
and  am  smarting  for  it.  Shall  I  beseech  him  to  cancel  the  bond  ? 
No  ;  "  for  this  cause"  I  came  unto  this  hour."  To  offer  up  an 
atoning  sacrifice  in  my  death,  is  the  great  design  of  all  the 
Divine  decrees  and  operations,  which  have  brought  me  to  this 
point.  And  shall  the  decrees  of  the  Eternal  be  frustrated  ?- — 
shall  the  oracles  of  ancient  prophecy  be  falsified  ? — shall  the  re- 
demption of  men's  souls,  which  is  precious,  cease  for  ever  ?  No ; 
I  will  not  say,  "  save  me  from  this  hour."  I  will  say,  "  glorif}^ 
thy  name," — display  thy  perfections, — promote  thy  glory, — 
finish  thy  work  in  righteousness ;  I  am  ready,  I  am  willing, 
notwithstanding  this  horror  of  darkness,  to  meet  all  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  appointed  hour.  Let  the  end  be  gained.  I  quarrel 
not  with  the  means.  Oppressed  nature  may  suggest  the  wish, 
"  save  me  from  this  hour,"  but  enlightened  reason,  holy  principle, 
forbids  it  to  be  indulged,  even  for  a  moment.'  "  Glorify  thy 
name"  (that  is,  in   other  words,  '  manifest   thy  character')  :    '  I 

14  "'We  cannot  exactly  determine  to  what  6iu  tovto  refers.  We  might  supply 
.(?('  aiiTo  ruvTo  u  TapdrTKi  /u:  Euthyiuius  thu3  interprets  (5ut  roiiru'  iTiipi'/lhiv  iuq 
Tov  vvv  Katpov  6lu,  to  d-iSaveh'  tv  tovtijK  The  prayer  Tcursp,  do^aduv  k.  t.  'A.  takes  the 
place  of  ndrep,  auaov  /u." — Thomjck. 


THE  INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST.      [EXP.  XVII. 

have  come  to  reveal  thee,  the  Father, — and  this  is  the  sum  of 
my  desire,  that  thou  shouldest  be  glorified  in  me,  both  in  life 
and  in  death.  Let  the  revelation  be  completed,  at  whatever 
expense  of  agony.  Let  thine  omnipotence  be  manifested  in 
inflicting  on  me,  the  willingly-devoted  victim  for  human  guilt, 
the  adequate  manifestation  of  thy  displeasure  against  that  evil 
and  bitter  thing,  and  in  sustaining  my  human  frame  under  what, 
in  itself,  is  enough  to  crush  the  universe.  Let  thy  wisdom  be 
manifest  in  gaining  the  best  of  ends, — thy  glory,  in  the  salva- 
tion of  an  innumerable  company  of  otherwise  hopelessly  lost 
immortals,  by  the  strangest,  yet  the  best,  means,  "  making  him 
who  knew  no  sin,  to  be  sin," — in  taking  the  wise  in  their  own 
crg,ftiness, — in  destroying,  by  my  death,  him  that  has  the  power 
of  death, — in  making  the  apparent  triumph  of  thine  enemies,  the 
means  of  their  complete  and  lasting  overthrow.  Let  thy  right- 
eousness be  manifested  in  the  execution  of  the  just  penalty  of 
thy  law  for  transgression,  and  in  the  rich  reward  of  him  who 
"  suffered,  the  Just  One  in  the  room  of  the  unjust."  Let  thy 
faithfulness  be  manifested  in  the  fulfilment,  both  of  threatenings 
and  of  promises,  the  most  unlikely  to  be  fulfilled.  Let  thy 
mercy  be  manifested  in  the  number  of  the  saved, — ^in  the  num- 
ber, and  value,  and  endurance  of  the  blessings  bestowed  on  them 
— and  above  all,  in  the  means  employed  to  make  their  salvation 
consistent  with,  illustrative  of,  the  perfections  of  thy  character, 
and  the  principles  of  thy  government,  even  in  the  not  sparing 
thy  Son,  but  delivering  him  up  as  a  sacrificial  victim  in  the  room 
of  them  all.' 

In  this  exercise  of  the  Saviour's  mind,  under  his  inward 
sufferings,  there  is  much  to  fix  our  attention,  and  draw  forth  our 
admiration.  He  is  neither  sullenly  silent,  nor  fretfull)"  querulous. 
Though  knowing  that  he  deserved  no  suffering,  still  less  such 
suffering,  he  makes  no  complaint.  He  does  not  "open  his 
mouth,  and  curse  his  day."  He  does  not  lose  self-possession. 
The  rational  part  of  his  nature,  under  the  influence  of  religious 
jirinciple,  keeps  the  sentient  and  emotional  part  of  his  nature  in 
due  restraint.  He  considers  what  is  right  and  befitting  in  his 
strange  and  most  trying  circumstances,  and  acts  accordingly. 
He  goes  not  to  man,  but  to  God,  for  consolation  and  relief. 
He  will  not  ask  for  that  which,  though  in  itself  most  desirable  to 
human  feeling,  was,  he  knew,  inconsistent  with  the  Divine  de- 
sign. He  subordinates  everything  to  what  is,  and  ought  to  be, 
the  great  end  of  the  universe — the  manifestation  of  the  Divine 
glory  ;  and  not  only  is  willing  to  submit  to  whatever  is  necessary 
to  the  attainment  of  this,  but  is  desirous  that,  at  whatever  expense 
of  suffering  to  him,  that  end  may  be  attained. 

Wliat  a  beautiful  (Usplay  of  character  is  here  made  by  our 
Saviour,  in  this  exercise  of  that  love  which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law !  Love  to  God,  in  the  form  of  entire  submission  to  his  will — 
devoteducss  to  his  glory ;  love  to  man,  in  a  readiness  to  suffer  the 
extreme  of  shame  and  agony,  in  becoming  obedient  to  death — 


PART  III.]  THE  FATHER'S  APPROBATION".  697 

death  under  tlie  curse' — the  death  of  the  cross — for  our  salvation. 
If  we  have  a  particle  of  spiritual  discernment,  such  calm,  princi- 
pled, disinterested,  self-sacrificing  love,  must  call  forth  the  senti- 
ments of  adoring  esteem,  gratitude,  and  love.  If  it  do  not,  we 
prove  clearly  that  our  mind  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  mind 
of  God ;  for  so  well  pleased  was  the  eternal  Father  with  his  right- 
eous servant — his  beloved  Son — in  this  manifestation  of  un- 
changed, unchangeable,  devotion  to  the  great  end  of  his  mission, 
in  circumstances  the  most  trying,  that  he  broke  the  awful  silence 
which  he  generally  maintains,  and,  from  the  most  excellent  glory, 
through  the  opening  heavens,  proclaimed  his  acceptance  of  the 
petition,  and  his  complacency  in  the  petitioner, — "  Then  came 
there  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  I  have  both  glorified  it,  and  I 
will  glorify  it  again." 

m.— THE  FATHER'S  APPROBATION"  OF  THE  SAVIOUR'S  EXERCISE  OF 
MIND  UNDER  HIS  INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS. 

This  Divine  approbation  of  our  Lord's  exercise  of  mind  under 
his  inward  sufferings,  is  the  last  topic  to  which  the  text  calls  our 
attention.  The  Avords  just  quoted  contain  in  them  the  great  prin- 
ciple of  Divine  operation.  The  whole  universe  is  a  system  of 
Divine  manifestation :  God  has  glorified  his  name,  and  will  glorify 
it.  This  is  the  whole  history  of  the  past  and  the  future.  He  has 
manifested  himself,  and  will  more  and  more  manifest  himself,  to 
be  what  he  is — the  infinitely  powerful  and  wise,  the  infinitely 
holy  and  benignant  Being.  But  the  words  before  us  plainly  refer 
to  a  particular  economy  of  manifestation,  compared  with  which 
all  other  manifestations  are  but  as  "the  hiding"  of  bis  glory, — 
his  manifestation  of  himself  in  the  person  and  work  of  his  incar- 
nate Son,  as  the  great  Mediator  between  God  and  man — the 
Saviour  of  a  lost  race. 

God  had  already  glorified  his  name,  and  manifested  his  charac- 
ter, by  Christ  Jesus.  The  faithfulness,  the  power,  and  the  mercy 
of  Jehovah,  had  been  gloriously  displayed  in  the  incarnation  of 
the  eternal  Word :  his  faithfulness,  in  fulfilling  his  great  promise 
to  the  church, — his  power,  his  bringing  into  personal  union  na- 
tures so  distant  as  the  Divine  and  human,  his  mercy,  in  not  with- 
holding his  Son,  his  only  Son,  when  the  salvation  of  lost  men  re- 
quired his  interposition.  In  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
character  of  God,  as  holy  love,  was  more  fully  unfolded  than  it 
had  been  in  any  former  revelation.  His  miracles  were  all  of  them 
manifestations  of  divine  power  and  mercy ;  and,  in  the  habitual 
temper  and  behavior  of  him  who  was  "  God  manifest  in  flesh," 
the  moral  beauties  of  the  Divine  character  were  so  displayed,  as 
that  it  might  be  truly  said,  that  he  who  saw  the  Son  saw  the 
Father.  The  glory  of  God  was  "in  the  face  of  his  Son,"  when 
"he  dwelt  among  men,  full  of  grace  and  of  truth."  He  was  the 
visible  image  of  tlie  invisible  God. 

The  declaration,  "  I  have  glorified  my  name  in  thee,"  was  fitted 


698  THE  INTERNAL  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST.      [EXP.  XVII. 

to  comfort  and  sustain  the  Saviour's  lieart.  It  was  just  equivalent 
to  the  declaration,  '  Hitherto  the  great  purpose  of  thy  mission  has 
been  fully  accomplished.  Thou  camest  to  make  known  my  name, 
and  thou  hast  done  so.  The  Father  has  been  glorified  in  and  by 
the  Son.     "  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son:  in  thee  I  am  well  pleased." 

The  second  declaration  is  a  more  direct  answer  to  our  Lord's 
prayer,  "  Glorify  thy  name,"' — ■"  I  will  glorify  it  again."  '  I  will 
glorify  it  in  the  awful  events  of  "  that  hour,"  the  prospect  of  the 
inward  agonies  of  which  has  filled  thy  soul  with  apprehension, 
and  in  the  events  which  shall  be  its  results.'  There  never  was 
such  a  manifestation  of  the  Divine  glory  as  in  the  cross  of  Christ. 
"Christ  crucified  is  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God." 
To  use  the  words  of  M'Laurin,  the  first  of  our  Scottish  theolo- 
gians, "Here  shine  spotless  justice,  incomprehensible  wisdom, 
and  infinite  love,  all  at  once ;  none  of  them  darkens  or  eclipses 
the  other ;  every  one  of  them  gives  a  lustre  to  the  rest ;  they  min- 
gle their  beams,  and  shine  with  united,  eternal,  splendor.  The 
just  Judge,  the  merciful  Father,  the  wise  Governor, — no  other 
object  gives  such  a  display  of  all  these  perfections ;  yea,  all  the 
objects  we  know  give  not  such  a  display  as  any  one  of  them. 
Nowhere  does  justice  appear  so  terribly  awful,  mercy  so  sweetly 
amiable,  or  wisdom  so  unfathomly  profound.  The  glories  that 
are  found  separately  in  the  other  works  of  God,  are  found  united 
here.  The  joys  of  heaven  glorify  God's  goodness ;  the  pains  of 
hell  glorify  his  justice;  the  cross  of  Christ  glorifies  both  of  them 
in  a  more  remarkable  way  than  heaven  or  hell  glorifies  any  of 
them.  The  justice  of  God  is  more  awfully  displayed  in  the  suf- 
ferings of  Christ,  as  the  substitute  of  sinners,  than  in  the  torments 
of  devils ;  and  his  mercy  is  far  more  brightly  manifested  in  these 
sufferings,  than  in  the  joys  of  angels." 

But  the  Divine  declaration  looks  beyond  the  event  of  the 
atoning  death  of  our  Lord  to  its  glorious  results.  The  declara- 
tion is  equivalent  to — '  I  will  glorify  my  name  ;  I  will  manifest 
my  power,  and  wisdom,  and  fiithfulness,  and  kindness,  in  ful- 
filling all  the  "exceeding  great  and  precious  promises"  made  to 
thee  in  the  eternal  council ;  I  will  show  myself  to  be  the  God 
that  keepeth  covenant ;  I  will  "  not  leave  thy  soul  in  hell,  neither 
slialt  thou,  my  Holy  One,  see  corruption  ;"  "  I  will  show  thee 
the  path  of  life  ;"  I  will  say  to  thee,  "  Sit  on  my  right  hand,  till 
thine  enemies  are  made  thy  footstool;"  " I  will  give  thee  the 
heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  for  thy  possession  ;"  "  the  great  shall  be  thy  portion,  the 
mighty  thy  spoil ;"  "thou  slialt  see  of  the  travail  of  thy  soul, 
and  be  satisfied  ;"  "thou  shall  be  the  light  of  the  Gentiles,  and 
my  salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;"  "  in  thee  shall  my  glory 
be  revealed,  and  all  ilesh  shall  see  it  together."  '"*  The  resur- 
rection, and  ascension,  and  glorification  of  our  Lord — the  effusion 
of  the  Holy  Ghost — the  overthrow  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan — 
the  conversion  of  the  world — the  eternal  salvation  of  an  innuraer- 

'^Psal.  xvi.  10,  11  ;  ex.  1  ;  ii.  8.     laa.  liii.  12;  xlix.  G;   xl.  5. 


PART  III.]  THE   FATHER'S  APPROBATION.  599 

able  company  of  our  self-ruined  race, — all  tliese  glorious  events, 
embodying  in  them  a  manifestation  of  tlie  name  of  Jeliovab,  are 
promised  in  tliese  pregnant  words,  "  I  will  glorify  my  name." 

This  declaration  was  intended  and  calculated  to  sustain  the 
mind  of  the  God-man  under  the  pressure  of  his  unspeakable 
agonies,  as  well  as  to  confirm  the  faith  of  his  followers,  and  pre- 
pare them  for  the  severe  trial  to  which  it  was  to  be  exposed. 
This  is  not  inconsistent  with  what  follows — when  our  Lord  says, 
"  This  voice  came  not  because  of  me,  but  for  your  sakes," — these 
words  plainly  meaning,  '  This  voice  came  not  solely  or  chiefly 
for  my  sake,  as  if  it  h,ad  been  necessary  to  make  me  stedfast  to 
my  purpose  to  finish  the  work  given  me  to  do.'  This  declara- 
tion seems  plainly  like  the  visit  of  the  angel  in  the  garden,  to 
have  comforted  him;  for  we  find  him  immediately  adding,  "  Now 
is  the  judgment  of  this  world,  now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world 
be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw 
all  men  to  me."  And  not  long  after  we  find  him  saying,  "Now 
is  the  Son  of  man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  him.  If  God 
be  glorified  in  him,  God  shall  also  glorify  him  in  himself,  and 
shall  straightway  glorify  him." 

Thus  have  I  shortly  considered  the  interesting  topics  which 
the  text  brings  before  our  mind.  The  inward  sufferings  of  the 
incarnate  Son  of  God — the  exercise  of  his  mind  under  these  suf- 
ferings— and  the  Divine  approbation  of  this  exercise  of  mind,  mi- 
raculously manifested. 

The  subject  is  replete  with  important  practical  instruction. 
Our  time  only  permits  us  to  glance  at  a  small  portion  of  it. 

It  tells  the  impenitent  sinner  what  he  must  endure,  if  he  ob- 
stinately refuses  to  avail  himself  of  the  "  redemption  that  is  in 
Christ  through  his  blood."  The  sinner  who  dares  to  meet  a 
holy  God  at  the  judgment-seat,  unshielded  by  the  atonement  of 
Christ,  may  here  see  what  he  has  to  expect.  How  shall  he  en- 
dure— endure  for  ever — what  filled  the  soul  of  the  incarnate 
Son,  as  the  substitute  of  sinners,  with  insupportable  anguish, 
and  made  him  say,  "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled" — "  Mj^  soul  is 
sorrowful,  exceeding  sorrowful — sorrowful  even  unto  death"? 
"  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God." 
Ah,  "  can  thy  hands  be  strong,  and  thy  heart  endure,  in  the 
day  that  he  shall  deal  with  thee?"  "He" — Jehovah — "has 
spoken  it;  He  will  do  it."  "If  these  things  be  done  in  the 
green  tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry  ?"  If  he  spared  n'ot 
his  Son,  when  he  bare  your  sins,  think  you  he  will  spare  you, 
when  yon  appear  before  him  bearing  your  own  sins  ?  Oh,  ere 
it  be  too  late,  in  the  faith  of  this  truth,  seek,  what  you  shall 
assuredly  find,  security  in  his  atonement.  "  This  man  is  a  hiding- 
place  from  the  storm,  a  refuge  from  the  tempest."  "  Give  gloij 
to  God"  by  accepting  of  his  proffered  grace,  "  before  your  feet 
stumble  on  the  dark  mountains"  of  hopeless  ruin.'° 

It  bids  the  Christian  rejoice  in  the  thought,  that  the  cup  of 
16  Ezek.  xxii.  14.     Lukexxiii.  <51.     Isa.  xxxii.  2.     Jer.  xiii.  16. 


600  THE  INTEKNAL  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST.      [EXP.  XVII. 

wrath,  wliicli  his  sins  have  deserved,  has  been  drunk  to  the  dregs 
by  his  divine  Saviour,  and  that,  instead  of  it,  there  is  put  into  his 
hand  the  cup  of  salvation. — 

"Then — then  lie  paid  that  dreadful  debt, 
Which  men  could  never  pay; 
And  gave  those  honors  to  the  law, 
Which  sinners  took  away. 

"Now  shall  his  chosen  people  find 
Salvation  in  his  name ; 
For  he  hath  borne  thy  heavy  load 
Of  sorrow,  pain,  and  shame. 

"'Twas  in  a  most  accepted  time, 
His  prayer  arose  on  high  ; 
And  for  his  sake  the  Lord  will  hear 
The  needy  when  they  cry."i'^ 

Let  the  Christian,  in  the  anguish  of  Jesus,  see  the  foundation  of 
his  own  joy — the  security  of  his  happiness.  Let  him  love  that 
Saviour  who  so  loved  him,  as  willingly  to  submit  to  unspeakable 
anguish  of  spirit,  as  Avell  as  extreme  bodily  pain,  to  obtain  his 
salvation.  Let  him,  in  his  hours  of  deep  mental  suffering — and 
few  Christians  are  strangers  to  these — seek  relief  in  the  sympathy 
of  Jesus ;  and,  in  the  faith  of  his  atoning  agonies,  he  will  be  en- 
abled, with  "Christian"  at  the  sepulchre  into  which  his  burden 
fell,  to  say  with  a  merry  heart,  "  He  has  given  me  rest  by  his  sor- 
row, and^  life  by  his  death;""  Let  him,  under  all  affliction,  en- 
deavor to  manifest  the  calm,  self-possessed,  pious,  benignant,  self- 
sacrificing  spirit,  with  which  Jesus  bore  his  heaviest  afflictions — 
his  soul-sufferings, — and  let  him  rejoice  that  it  is  the  benignant 
purpose  of  his  Father,  and  our  Father,  that  all  our  sufferings,  as 
well  as  his,  shall  be  made  conducive  to  the  manifestation  of  his 
excellence' — to  the  glory  of  his  name — in  our  salvation. 

To  us,  in  our  present  circumstances,  christian  brethren,  the 
language  of  the  text  is,  Hasten  to  the  communion-table,  where,  in 
significant  emblems,  are  placed  before  you  the  memorials  both  of 
the  bodily  and  mental  sufferings  of  our  Lord  Jesus ;  and,  while 
you  contemplate  and  use  these  memorials  as  he  has  appointed,  oh, 
rest  with  unshaken,  with  increasing  confidence,  in  the  atonement 
made  by  these  sufferings ;  drink  into  the  spirit  of  love  to  God, 
and  love  to  man,  in  which  that  atonement  was  made ;  and  anew 
devote  3'-ourselves  to  that  manifestation  of  the  Divine  character — 
tiiat  glorifying  of  tlie  name  of  God,  which  is  the  great  object 
which  the  great  God  himself  constantly  prosecutes — the  great  ob- 
ject which  holy  angels  are  constantly  prosecuting — the  great  ob- 
ject for  Avhich  you  were  created  at  first,  and  created  anew,  re- 
deemed by  the  Son,  and  regenerated  by  the  Spirit ;  and,  in  pros- 
ecuting this  object,  rejoice  that  you  run  no  hazard  of  disappoint- 
ment. The  voice  still  sounds  from  the  excellent  glory,  "  1  have 
glorified  my  name,  and  I  will  glorify  it  again." 

'7  Glas.  '8  Bunyan. 


EXPOSITION    XVIII. 

THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 

John  xn.  31-33. — "  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world :  now  shall  the  prince  of 
this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men 
unto  me.     (This  he  said,  signifying  what  death  he  should  die.") 

"  My  thouglits  are  not  your  tljoughts,  neither  are  your  ways 
my  ways,  saith  tlie  Lord.  For  as  the  lieavens  are  higher  than 
the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts 
than  your  thoughts.'"  This  is  a  wide-reaching  declaration,  and 
receives  proof  and  illustration  in  every  department  of  the  Divine 
works  and  ways. 

The  objects  which  He  prosecutes,  and  the  means  which  He  em- 
ploys  to  obtain  them,  are  all  worthy  of  his  infinite  grandeur  and 
excellence,  and  show  him  to  be  indeed  "  wonderful  in  counsel  and 
excellent  in  working."  But,  for  that  very  reason,  his  objects  are 
often  not  our  objects ;  and  even  when  they  are,  in  the  measure  in 
which  our  feeble  minds  can  grasp  them,  his  means  are  not  the 
means  we  should  think  of  employing  in  order  to  secure  them. 

This .  is  true,  not  only  of  men,  but  of  angels.  He  does  what 
they  never  could  have  thought  of  as  likely  to  be  done  ;  and  he 
does  what  he  has  determined  on,  and  told  them  Re  has  determined 
on,  in  a  way  which  they  never  could  have  anticipated, — ^in  a  way 
which  constrains  these  holy  and  wise  beings  to  stand  amazed  at 
"the  depth  of  the  riches  of  his  knowledge  and  wisdom,"  and  ac- 
knowledge that  "  his  judgments  are  unsearchable,  and  his  ways 
past  finding  out."" 

The  angels  are  very  holy,  benevolent,  wise,  and  powerful,  and 
the  objects  which  they  contemplate  as  desirable  to  be  accom- 
plished, must  be  of  a  corresponding  nature ;  but  the  restoration 
of  fallen  man — one  of  God's  objects — never  would  have  been  one 
of  theirs.  With  the  unalterable  doom  of  their  own  sinning  brethren 
before  their  minds,  the  recovery  of  sinning  man  might  seem  not 
only  something  plainl}-  beyond  their  reach,  but  something  which, 
in  reference  to  its  bearings  on  the  Divine  glory,  and  the  general 
well-being  of  his  universe,  was  not  to  be  thought  of,  not  even  to 
be  wished ;  and  on  learning,  no  doubt  with  amazement,  that  it 
was  one  of  the  objects  of  God,  the  means  they  would  have  thought 
of  employing  for  the  purpose,  must  assuredly,  would  not  have 

'  Isa.  Iv.  8,  9.  -  Rom.  xi.  33. 


602  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

been  those  wliicli  he  had  determined  to  emplov' — which  he  has 
actually  employed.  They  would  never  have  thought  of  "  God  " 
being  ''  manifest  in  flesh," — of  the  Word  who  "in  the  beginning 
was  with  God,,  who  was  God,"  becoming  "flesh,"  and  "  dwelhng 
among  men," — of  the  "  Son  of  God"  becoming  "  the  Son  of  man," 
— of  the  great  Lawgiver  being  "  made  under  the  law,"  his  own 
law,  made  under  it,  not  only  in  its  precept,  but  in  its  penalty, — 
"  that  the  Holy  one  of  God"  should  be  "  made  sin," — the  ever- 
blessed  One  "  a  curse," — that  their  Lord,  whom  they  counted  it 
honor  and  delight  to  worship,  should  "take  on  him  the  form  of  a 
servant," — that  "the  Just  One"  should  die  "in  the  room  of  the 
unjust,  that  they  might  be  brought  to  God,"  and  death  be  abolish- 
ed, and  he  who  had  the  power  of  death  vanquished,  and  spoiled, 
and  destroyed.  It  is  probable  that,  as  the  salvation  of  men  could 
never  have  been  one  of  their  objects,  so  the  means  of  obtaining 
it,  after  they  knew  that  it  was  one  of  God's  objects,  must  have 
appeared  utterly  beyond  the  reach  of  their  intellects  to  discover, 
or  even  to  conjecture ;  but  it  is  absolutely  certain  they  never 
could  have  conjectured  the  truth — they  never  could  have  thought 
that  man's  salvation  was  to  be  accomplished  thus.  Oh,  no  !  The 
destruction  of  a  thousand  sinning  worlds  must  have  appeared  to 
them  a  probable  thing  in  comparison  of  the  incarnation  and  vica- 
rious sufferings,  and  exoiatory  death,  of  the  Only-begotten  of 
God. 

This,  the  most  extraordinary  of  all  demonstrations,  that  God's 
ways  are  not  like  the  ways  of  his  creatures,  whether  men  or  an- 
gels; that  "his  thoughts  are  not  as  their  thoughts;"  but  that,  "a^ 
the  heaven  is  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  his  ways  higher  than 
their  ways,  and  his  thoughts  than  their  thoughts,"  is  strikingly 
brought  before  our  minds  in  those  very  remarkable  words  of  our 
Lord,  that  arc  ^bout  to  become  the  subject  of  our  consideration. 
The  world  is  about  to  be  judged.  The  prince  of  this  world,  that 
mighty  and  terrible  one,  is  to  be  driven  from  the  throne  he  had 
usurped,  and  his  miserable  vassals  are  to  be  brought,  in  vast  mul- 
titudes, to  submit  themselves  to  his  victor  and  their  Saviour.  Great 
and  glorious  objects!  But  how  are  they  to  be  accomplished! 
Knowing,  as  we  do,  that  the  great  agent  in  these  mighty  and  truly- 
godlike  enterprises  is  the  only -begotten  and  well-beloved  Son  of 
the  Highest — the  brightness  of  his  glory — the  express  image  of 
his  person,  would  not  "our  thoughts"  have  suggested  that  he 
should  descend  into  the  world  he  was  to  regenerate,  ni  his  own 
glory,  and  that  of  his  Father,  and  of  the  holy  angels,  with  a  pomp 
and  magnificence  as  little  as  possible  bcncatli  the  infuiite  grandeur 
of  his  nature  and  the  glorious  majesty  of  his  kingdom,  terrifying 
the  rebellious  into  submission  by  the  lightnings  of  his  anger,  and 
winning  their  hearts  by  the  mild  glories  of  his  condescension  and 
love ;  banishing  at  once  all  the  varied  forms  of  evil,  both  moral 
and  physical,  irom  the  earth,  and  introducing  in  their  room  uni- 
versal and  perfect  knowledge,  and  holiness,  and  happiness.  How 
different  God's  thoughts  from  our  thoughts,  God's  ways  from  our 


PAET  I.]  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST.  603 

ways !  The  Son  of  God  must  become  the  Son  of  man ;  and  he 
Tnnst  be  lifted  up — and  lifted  up,  not  as  we  would  have  expected, 
first  to  the  throne  of  David,  and  then  to  the  throne  of  the  world, 
and  then  to  the  throne  of  the  universe ;  but  lifted  up  so  as  to  die 
— lifted  up  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness — lifted 
up  on  the  cross — ^the  accursed  tree  of  shame  and  agony — and  die 
there,  deserted  of  God,  execrated  by  man,  tormented  by  devils, 
the  victim  for  a  world's  transgression. 

Yet  this  thought  is  not  only  different  from,  but  higher  than, 
man's  thoughts ;  this  way  not  only  different  from,  but  higher  than, 
man's  ways.  "  The  foolishness  of  God,"  which  is  indeed  his  "  wis- 
dom in  a  mystery,"  is  wiser  than  man's  wisdom;  "the  weakness 
of  God,"  which  is  indeed  "the  hiding  of  h^s  power,"  is  stronger 

an  man's  power.'  This  was  the  only  way  in  which  these  great 
objects  could  be  accomplished  in  consistency  with,  in  illustration 
of,  the  perfections  of  the  Divine  nature,  the  principles  of  the  Divine 
government,  and  the  well-being  of  the  intelligent  creation  ;  and 
in  this  way  they  are  all  in  process  of  being  accomplished  in  a 
manner  which  shows  forth  the  unfathomable  depth  of  the  Divine 
wisdom — the  immaculate  beauties  of  the  Divine  holiness — the 
terrific  glories  of  the  Divine  justice — ^the  resistless  energy  of  the 
Divine  power — and  the  unsearchable  riches  of  the  Divine  grace, 
securing  "glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  peace  on  earth" — 
"  Grace  reigning  through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life."  "  It 
became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom  are  all  things," 
to  judge  the  world,  and  cast  out  its  rebel  prince,  and  draw  all 
men  to  his  Conqueror  and  their  Saviour,  by  appointing  that  that 
Saviour,  his  own  Son,  should  be  lifted  up  on  a  gibbet,  between 
earth  and  heaven,  as  an  accursed  one,  unworthy  to  have  a  place 
in  either ;  and  on  the  cross,  as  on  a  high  altar,  as  the  Lamb  of 
God,  to  take  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  thus  make  peace 
between  earth  and  heaven. 

To  these  high  themes  let  us  now  devoutly  turn  our  minds,  and 
contemplate,  in  succession,  the  views  which  the  passage  before  us 
gives  us  of  the  Saviour's  death,  and  its  results : — His  death,  "  he 
is  lifted  up  from  the  earth;"  its  results,  "the  world  is  judged,  the 
prince  of  this  world  is  cast  out,  and  all  men  are  drawn  to  him  who 
was  lifted  up  from  the  earth," 


I.— THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST. 

Let  us  first,  then,  attend  to  the  view  here  given  us  of  our  Lord's 
death.  "  And  I,"  says  he,  "  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,"  or 
rather,  "  when*  I  shall  have  been  lifted  up  from  the  earth."  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  explanatory  note  of  the  evangelist,  "  This  he 
said,  signifying  what  death  he  should  die,"  and  the  obvious  refer- 
ence to  our  Lord's  own  saying  on  a  previous  occasion,  "  As  Moses 
lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  ev^en  so  must  the  Son  of 

3  1  Cor.  i.  25.  ■*  "lav  cum,  quando.     Jolin  xiv.  3.     1.  John  iii.  2." — Kuinoel. 


604  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

man  be  lifted  up,"  wliich  be  explains  as  meaning  his  being  so  given 
by  his  Father  for  men,  as  that  thej,  believing  in  him.  might  not 
perish,  but  have  eternal  life — ^.  e.,  devoted  by  him  to  suifering  in 
their  room,  that  they  might  be  saved  from  suffering, — we  might 
have  supposed  that  the  reference  here  was  rather  to  his  exaltation 
than  to  his  humiliation.  As  it  is,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
expression  is  intended  to  fix  the  mind  on  the  fact  of  his  death, 
the  manner  of  his  death,  and  the  nature  of  his  death.  It  in- 
timates that  he  was  to  die,  to  die  on  the  cross,  to  die  on  the  cross 
a  victim.  • 

§  1.  The  fact  of  his  death  predwted. 

It  was  a  wonderful  thing  that  He  should  die.  Death,  in  the 
case  of  men  generally,  is  often  termed  their  debt  to  nature. 
The  thought  is  not  an  accurate  one.  Man,  the  creature  of  God, 
originally  owed  no  such  debt  to  nature.  His  nature  bade  him 
live,  not  die.  It  is  the  debt  which  man,  the  sinner,  owes  to  justice. 
Death  is  not  a  natural  result  of  the  original  constitution  of  man, 
but  a  penal  evil  introduced  in  consequence  of  his  transgression 
of  the  Divine  law.  Death  is  a  monstrous  thing;  and  the  in- 
stinctive feelings  of  nature,  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others,  are 
more  to  be  credited  than  the  plausible  speculations  of  &<  vain 
philosophy.  It  is,  now  that  man  is  a  sinner,  no  wonderful  thing 
that  he  should  die."  It  would,  indeed,  be  very  wonderful  were  it 
otherwise,  after  He  who  cannot  lie  has  declared,  in  reference  to 
our  sinning  progenitor  and  federal  representative,  "  Dust  thou 
art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return."  This  is  now  the  estab- 
lished rule,  "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die ;"  "  by  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so  death 
passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned."'  But  our  Lord 
was  a  man  and  not  a  sinner — a  man  who  knew  no  sin — in  whom 
was  no  sin — "  holy,  harmless,  undcfiled,  separate  from  sinners" 
— in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  but,  though  a  partaker  of  flesh 
and  blood,  no  partaker  of  sinful  flesh — one  who,  in  the  womb, 
from  the  womb,  was  "  a  holy  thing" — one  who  always  did  the 
things  that  pleased  his  Father,  who  delighted  to  do  his  will,  who 
found  the  doing  *it  his  meat  and  drink — a  necessity  oHiis  moral 
nature — one  completely  free  from  error,  and  guilt,  and  depravity 
— all  whose  thoughts,  and  feelings,  and  volitions  were  in  perfect 
accordance  with  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  How  came  he  to 
be  numbered  among  transgressors  so  as  to  die  ?  how  was  it  that 
death  dared  to  lay  his  sacrilegious  hand  on  the  holy  thing  born 
of  the  Virghi  ?  how  came  he,  who  alone  of  all  human  kind  ever 
did,  ever  could,  merit  eternal  life, — to  receive,  not  the  life  which 
is  the  reward  of  obedience,  but  the  death  which  is  the  wages  of 
sin,  from  the  righteous  Judge,  who  renders  to  all  men  according 
to  their  works,  and  causers  them  to  receive  according  to  their 
ways  ? 

This  is  strange  enough ;  but  in  this  death  of  our  Lord  there 

5  Gen.  iii.  19.     Ileb.  ix.  27.     Rom.  v.  12. 


PART  I.]  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST.  605 

is  something  stranger  still.  This  perfectly  holy  man  was  in  per- 
sonal union  with  the  Divinity.  He  was  an  incarnation  of  the 
uncreated  Word — a  manifestation  of  the  eternal  life  which  was 
with  the  Father  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  The  man 
Christ  Jesus  was  the  Only-begotten  of  God.  He  was  in  the 
form  of  God ;  and  though  he  did  not  grasp  at  the  manifestation 
of  equality  with  God — did  not  make  an  ostentatious  display  of  it, 
as  if  it  had  been  a  prey — such  equality  was  not,  on  that  account, 
the  less  his  undoubted  possession,  his  rightful  prerogative.  The 
idea  of  such  a  union  between  a  man  and  Divinity  is  overwhelm- 
ingly strange,  but,  on  appropriate  and  adequate  evidence,  by  no 
means  incredible.  Such  evidence  we  have  in  great  abundance  ; 
and  it  is,  I  trust,  as  it  ought  to  be,  one  of  the  things  "  most 
surely  believed  among  us,"  that  he  who  was  njade  of  the  seed  of 
David,  according  to  the  flesh,  is  "  over  all,  God  blessed  forever." 
This,  without  controversy,  great  mystery,  "  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh,"  is  the  very  "pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth"  as  it  is  in 
Jesus." 

Su})posing  such  a  union  to  exist,  abstractly  considered,  no- 
thing, doubtless,  could  be  conceived  as  more  improbable  than 
that  he  who  was  the  subject  of  it,  the  God- man,  should  die. 
Surely,  we  should  be  apt  to  say,  nothing  so  closely  connected 
with  the  Living  One — with  Him  who  alone  hath  immortality — 
*"who  is,  and  was,  and  is  to  come" — who  liveth  for  ever  and 
ever — can  ever  die.  The  Jews,  on  the  supposition  that  Jesus 
meant  to  claim  Messiahship  when  he  called  himself  the  Son  of 
man,  express  astonishment  that,  since  the  Messiah  was,  as  they 
read  their  law,  to  abide  for  ever,  he  should  speak  of  being  lifted 
up  from  the  earth,  which  they  understood  of  being  removed  from 
the  earth.  Such  an  event  seemed  to  them  quite  inconsistent 
with  his  doing  the  work  of  the  Messiah ;  and,  certainly,  to  the 
eye  of  human  reason,  the  holy  man,  the  God-man  Jesus,  raised 
up  for  tl:y3  express  purpose  of  dethroning  Satan,  and  redeeming 
mankind,  seems  to  take  a  strange  way  for  accomplishing  his 
object  when  he  parts  with  his  life.  This  seems  the  way  to  any- 
thing rather  than  to  the  judgment  of  the  world,  the  casting  out 
of  its  prince,  and  the  drawing  all  men  to  himself. 

§  2.  The  manner  of  Ms  death  described. 

But  the  means  will  appear  still  more  strangely  to  contrast  with 
the  intended  effect,  in  this  first  and  greatest  of  the  works  of  God, 
when  we  attend  to  the  second  thing  suggested  by  our  Lord's  an- 
nunciation of  his  approaching  death.  His  words  not  only  inti- 
mate the  fact  of  his  approaching  death,  but  its  manner, — cruci- 
fixion. That  it  was  our  Lord's  design  to  give  a  dark  hint 
respecting  the  manner  of  his  death — a  hint  vvdiich  the  facts  of  the 
case  should  ere  long  make  plain — is  distinctly  asserted  by  the 
evangelist :  "  This  he  said,  signifying  what  death  he  should  die." 

6  Rom.  ix.  5.     1  Tim.  iii.  16. 


606  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

The  myster}^  seems  to  thicken  on  us.  When  we  think  what 
he  is  to  do — judge  the  world,  cast  out  its  prince,  draw  all  men  to 
himself — it  seems  very  strange  that  the  immaculately  lioly  man, 
that  the  undoubtedly  divine  man,  should  die  at  all.  But  if  he  is 
to  die  at  all,  if  the  ends  of  his  mission  require  it,  and  his  love 
makes  hi  in  willing  to  submit  to  it,  surely,  we  should  have  been 
apt  to  say,  surely  the  bands  of  mortality  will  be  in  his  case  gently 
unloosed, — surely  the  figure  will  in  his  case  become  all  but  a 
reality — when  he  dies  he  will  fell  asleej^ — death,  if  it  must  be  his 
portion,  will  be  so  in  its  least  alarming  and  shocking  form ;  or, 
if  he  is  to  die  by  violence,  surely  it  must  be  as  a  conquering 
hero,  insensible  to  the  wounds  by  which  his  victory  has  been 
secured,  and  receiving,  in  the  mournful  congratulations  and  tear- 
ful rejoicings  of  his  followers,  saved  from  slavery  by  his  prowess, 
touching  tokens  of  their  admii'ation  and  gratitude,  and  of  their 
deep-felt  conviction  that  even  liberty,  with  all  its  blessings,  was 
but  too  dearly  purchased  b}^  the  sacrifice  of  such  a  life,  and  could 
be  but  imperfectly  enjoyed  without  him,  who  had  won  it  for 
them,  and  bestowed  it  on  them.  But  no  ; — ^he  must  die  by  the 
hand  of  public  justice  as  a  sentenced  malefactor,  like  a  felonious 
slave.  He  must  die  a  death  of  foul  opprobrium  and  protracted 
torture,  such  as,  happily,  no  part  of  our  earth,  except  that  un- 
visited  with  the  humanizing  influence  of  the  religion  of  him  who 
hung  on  the  cross,  can  now  exhibit  an  example  of. 

In  no  page  of  man's  history  is  the  depravity  of  his  nature  more 
distinctly  recorded,  than  in  that  which  treats  of  capital  punish- 
ments. Whether,  in  any  case,  it  be  expedient,  or  even  lawful, 
for  man  to  take  away  life  in  the  punishment  of  crime — to  take 
what  the  law  did  not  give,  and  what  the  law  cannot  restore — to 
do  what  makes  it  imjDossible  that  one  great  end  of  punishment 
should  be  gained,  so  far  hs  the  criminal  is  concerned — reforma- 
tion ;  and  what  seems,  if  we  may  trust  extensive  ex:perience  and 
observation,  in  reference  to  others  who  most  need  the  lesson,  to 
be  fully  as  much  fitted  to  harden  as  to  deter — to  cut  short  the 
term  of  an  immortal  being's  probation  for  eternity,  and  to  speed 
him  on  to  the  judgment-seat,  where  the  irreversible  sentence  for 
an  endless  futurity  must  be  passed,  prepared  or  unprepared — far 
most  probably,  utterly  unprepared, — whether,  I  say,  it  be,  in 
any  case,  expedient,  or  even  right,  to  make  man  pay  his  life  as 
the  forfeit  for  his  transgressions  of  the  laws  of  society,  is  a  ques- 
tion on  which  wise  and  good  men  are  not  yet  agreed  ;  though,  I 
should  think,  scared}'  anything  but  a  strong  conviction,  well  or 
ill  founded,  tliat  the  Author  of  human  life  has  declared  it  to  be 
his  will  that  he  who  sheddeth  man's  blood  should  have  his  blood 
shed  by  man — a  persutisiou  that  God  has  not  only  permitted,  but 
commanded,  murder  to  be  punished  by  taking  the  life  of  the 
murderer — could  lead  any  wise  and  good  man  to  take  the  affirm- 
ative side  ill  such  aii  argument. 

But  whatevHjr  we  may  think  of  this  question,  all  who   know 
anything  of  history  arc  agreed  that  the  malignity  and  hard- 


PAKT  I.]  THE  DEATH   OF   CHRIST.  607 

heartedness  of  depraved  men  have  been  strikingly  displayed  in 
multiplying  unnecessarily  the  offences  Avhich  expose  to  this  ex- 
treme punishment,  and  in  attaching  to  its  infliction  many  circum- 
stances of  pain,  and  shame,  and  horror,  which,  while  they  added 
largely  to  the  sufferings  of  the  individual,  were  in  no  way  cal- 
culated to  promote  the  only  legitimate  object  which  public  justice 
can  contemplate  in  such  revolting  inflictions — the  deterring  others 
from  the  commission  of  similar  enormities.  Among  those  modes 
of  punishment,  invented  rather  to  glut  individual  revenge  than 
to  satisfy  public  justice — monuments  of  a  state  of  savage  barbar- 
ism which  have  sometimes  continued  to  exist,  frightful  anomalies, 
amid  the  institutions  and  customs  of  a  civihzed  age — the  mode 
of  death  to  which  our  Lord  was  looking  forward  may  be  con- 
sidered as  possessing  a  bad  pre-eminence. 

The  punishment  of  the  cross  seems  to  have  originated  among 
the  Eomaus,  a  people  remarkable  for  their  ferocious  and  san- 
guinary disposition, — and  even  among  them  it  was  inflicted  only 
on  offenders  of  the  lowest  grade  in  society,  and  of  the  greatest 
atrocity  of  guilt.  After  being  stripped  of  his  garments  and  lac- 
erated by  rods,  the  criminal  condemned  to  this  horrible  punish- 
ment was  fastened  to  the  cross,  which  was  formed  of  a  large 
plank  of  timber  with  a  transverse  beam  near  one  of  the  extremi- 
ties. To  this  tremendous  instrument  of  torture  and  death  the 
sentenced  convict  was  fastened  by  iron  bolts  driven  through  the 
hands  and  the  feet,  the  feet  being  nailed  to  the  longitudinal  post, 
and  the  hands  in  an  extended  posture  to  the  extremities  of  the 
transverse  beam.  In  some  cases,  the  bod}^  seems  to  have  been 
partially  supported  by  a  narrow  seat  attached  to  the  upright  post ; 
in  others,  the  whole  weight  seems  to  have  been  left  to  hang  on 
the  wounded  hands  and  feet.  The  horrid  machine,  with  its  pit- 
iable burden,  was  then  raised,  and  placed  with  violence  in  a  hole 
dug  in  the  earth ;  and,  being  fixed  there,  the  miserable  victim 
was  left  to  perish  in  lingering  dreadful  torments.  As  none  of  the 
parts  essential  to  life,  such  as  the  brain,  or  the  heart,  or  the  lungs, 
were  immediately  injured — none  of  the  vital  functions,  such  as 
respiration  or  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  directly  impeded — 
and  none  of  the  large  blood-vessels  set  open — the  death  was 
usually  slow,  while  the  multitude  of  nerves  which  terminate  in 
the  hands  and  feet,  giving  these  parts  the  nicest  sensibility,  being- 
wounded,  torn,  and  tortured  by  the  rugged  nails,  the  suffering 
was  exquisitely  severe.  The  crucified  man,  during  the  hours, 
and  sometimes  days,  in  which  he  hung  on  the  cross,  must  have 
suffered  ever}'  moment  more  than  the  pangs  of  the  most  agonized 
dissolution. 

Crucifixion  was,  moreover,  a  mode  of  punishment  as  oppro- 
brious as  it  was  painful.  It  was  appropriated  to  slaves,  a  class  of 
men  whom  the  ancients — as  indeed  all,  among  whom  the  most 
unnatural  and  criminal  usage  of  slavery  prevails,  seem  apt  to  do 
— appear  to  have  considered  as  an  inferior  order  oj  beings,  and 


608  THE  DEATH  OP  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII, 

scarcely,  if  at  all,  possessed  of  the  rights  or  entitled  to  the  sym- 
pathies of  humanity. 

Yet  it  was  thus  that  the  Son  of  man  must  die,  in  order  to  the 
,  judgment  of  the  world,  the  expulsion  of  its  prince,  and  the 
drawing  of  all  men  to  himself  He  did  not  look  like  the  Judge 
of  the  Avorld,  or  the  Conqueror  of  its  prince,  who  was  crucified  in 
weakness ;  nor  did  it  seem  likely  that  he,  from  whom  men  hid 
tlieir  faces,  turning  aside  from  such  a  spectacle  of  horror  and 
shame,  at  whom  many  were  astonished,  "his  face  being  more 
marred  than  that  of  any  man,  and  his  form  than  that  of  any  of 
the  sons  of  men,"  should  "  stand  for  an  ensign  to  the  people," — 
that  "to  him  the  Gentiles  should  seek,"  while  "his  rest" — 
strange  contrast  to  his  agony — "should  be  glorious," — when 
"kings  should  shut  their  mouths  at  him," — when  "all  kings 
should  fall  down  before  him,  and  all  nations  serve  him."  Yet 
so  it  was.  That  crown  of  thorns  was,  as  it  were,  the  very 
material  out  of  which  was  formed  the  crown  of  fine  gold  which 
was  to  be  set  on  his  head.  For  the  agony  of  the  cross,  he  has 
been  made  "  most  blessed  for  ever  ;"  and  for  its  ignominy,  "  his 
glory  is  great  in  Jehovah's  salvation  ;  honor  and  majesty  have 
been  laid  upon  him."'  What  an  idea  does  it  give  us  of  our 
Lord's  magnanimity,  that  with  a  distinct  anticipation  that  he 
must  suifer  all  this  in  the  course  of  a  very  few  days,  he  could 
calmly,  triumphantly  say,  "  I,  when  I  shall  be  Hfted  up  from  the 
earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me !" 

§  3.  The  nature  of  his  death  unfolded. 

But  our  Lord's  words  intimate  not  only  the  fact  of  his  ap- 
proaching death,  and  the  manner  of  that  approaching  death,  but 
nlso  its  nature^  as  connected  with  the  results  which  he  with 
certainty  anticipated  were  to  flow  from  it, — the  judgment  of  the 
world,  the  expulsion  of  its  ])rince,  and  the  drawing  of  all  men  to 
!iim.  The  manner  of  the  death-punishment  indicated  its  nature. 
It  was  penal ;  and  when  you  take  into  account  the  fact  of.  his 
sinlessness,  it  indicated  that,  in  this  case,  it  was  vicarious  and 
expiatory.  If  we  do  not  distinctly  perceive  this,  we  must  be 
unable  to  perceive  the  connection  between  our  Lord's  death  and 
the  results  represented  as  flowing  from  it.  For  any  one  to  say, 
"  I  am  about  to  be  crucified,"  was  equivalent  to  saying,  '  I  am 
about  to  die  as  a  criminal — as  a  victim  to  violated  law — by  the 
hand  of  offended  justice.'  In  the  mouth  of  a  Jew,  the  Avords 
would  have  jtcculiar  significance.  Crucifixion  was  not  a  Jewish 
punishment ;  death  by  suspension  in  any  way  was  not.  But 
the  bodies  of  criminals  who  had  paid  the  forfeit  of  their  lives  as 
an  expiation  for  their  offence,  by  being  stoned  or  otherwise  put 
to  death,  were,  by  express  statute,  to  be  hung  on  a  tree, — ex- 
posed on  a  gibbet,  which  was  in  the  form  of  a  cross, — as  a  token 
that  they  had  been  deprived  of  life  on  account  of  crime.     Hence 

7  laa.  lii.  14,  15;  xi.  10.     Tsfil.  xxi.  1-6. 


PART  I.]  THE   DEATH  OF  CHRIST.  609 

the  expression,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  who  hangeth  on  a  tree.'"' 
Every  one  hanged  on  a  tree,  exposed  on  a  gibbet,  has  been  exe- 
cuted for  crime. 

This  seems  to  make  the  death  of  our  Lord — the  holy  man — • 
the  Divine  man — more  wonderful  still ;  and  appears,  at  first 
view,  to  militate  more  and  more  against  the  results  which  it  was 
intended  to  produce.  Is  he  likelier  to  be  the  judge  of  the  world, 
that  he  dies  a  condemned  criminal  ?  Is  the  victim  for  sin  to  be 
conqueror  of  Satan  ?  Is  a  man,  crucified  as  a  traitor  and  blas- 
phemer, likely  to  attract  followers  ? 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  death  of  our  Lord  was  penal. 
Men  meant  it  so,  though,  as  they  meant  it,  it  was  unjust.  God 
meant  it  so ;  and  as  he  meant  it,  it  was  the  just  expression  of 
holy  displeasure  against  sin.  Christ  died  for  sins  ;  he  was  made 
a  curse.  The  death  of  Christ  was  the  manifestation  of  God's  ab- 
horrence of  iniquity. 

But  of  whose  iniquity  ?  Not  that  of  the  immaculate,  perfect 
sufferer.  There  was  no  iniquity  in  him.  Men  drew  the  con- 
clusion, from  the  number,  and  continuousness,  and  variety,  and 
severity  of  his  sufferings,  that  he  must  be  a  great  sinner,  to  be  so 
"smitten,  stricken  of  God,  and  afflicted,"  though  none  of  them 
could  convict  him  of  sin.  Even  the  judge  who  condemned  him 
to  die,  declared  that  he  found  no  fault  in  him.  The  true  account 
of  the  matter  is  that  long  ago  given  by  the  evangelic  prophet, 
— "  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for 
our  iniquities  ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  he 
bare  the  sins  of  many.  All  we  like  sheep  had  gone  astray  :  we 
had  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way,  and  the  Lord  laid  on  him 
the  iniquity  of  us  all."  "  Exaction  was  made,  and  he  became 
answerable;"" — that  given  b}'  the  bolj^  apostles,  he  "became  a 
curse  in  our  room,"  we  being  deservedly  accursed.  He'  "  suffered 
the  just  in  the  room  of  the  unjust."  He  "  bare  our  sins,"  not 
his  own,  "  in  his  body  to  the  tree ;""  and  thus  "  Messiah  was 
cut  off,  but  not  for  himself,"  but  for  us  sinners. 

This  view  of  our  Lord's  death  increases  the  mystery  of  his 
love ;  but  it  removes  in  a  great  degree  the  mystery,  both  of  his 
sufferings  generally,  and  of  their  peculiar  form.  We  shall  wonder 
to  all  eternity,  and  our  Avonder  will  continually  increase,  that  he 
should  have  taken  our  place  ;  but  we  cease  even  now  to  wonder 
that,  having  taken  our  place,  he  met  our  deserts. 

When  we  take  into  account  our  Lord's  absolute  moral  purit}- 
and  perfection,  we  are  driven  to  the  conclusion,  that  his  penal 
death  was  vicarious  ;  and  when  we  take  into  account  his  divinitj-, 
we  are  drawn  into  the  conclusion,  that  the}'  were  expiatory — 
that  they  were  intended — and  that  they  have  been  effectual  for 
that  for  which  nothing  else  could  have  been  effectual — for  the 
expiation  of  man's  guilt,  the  ransom  of  man's  soul.  If  he  who 
died  is  indeed  the  image  of  the  invisible  God, — the  Prince  of  the 
whole  creation, — the  Creator,  and  Preserver,  and  Proprietor  of 

8  Deut.  xxi.  23.  » Isa.  liii.  5,  6.  '"  Gal.  iii.  13.     1  Pet.  iii.  18  ;  ii.  24. 

VOL.  I.  39 


610  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

all  things, — who  '"  is  before  all  things,  and  by  whom  all  things 
subsist," — assuredly  "  in  him  we  have  redemption  through  his 
blood."  His  stripes  heal  us.  He  has  made  an  efficacious  sacri- 
fice for  sin,  when  he  offered  up  himself.  He  has  taken  away  sin. 
He  has  "  finished  transgression,  made  an  end  of  sin,  and  brought 
in  an  everlasting  righteousness."  His  death,  being  the  punish- 
ment of  our  offences,  is  our  justification;  and,  being  our  justifi- 
cation, leads,  in  the  first  instance,  to  his  resurrection,  to  be 
followed  in  the  due  order  by  ours.  Yes,  the  "  blood  of  Christ 
AV'ho,  through  the  eternal  Spirit,  offered  up  himself  a  sacrifice 
without  spot  unto  God,  purges  the  conscience  from  dead  works  to 
serve  the  living  God."" 

And  now  light  begins  to  shed  itself  on  these  strange  dispen- 
sations, and  we  begin  to  see  that  there  is  close  connection, 
intimate  dependence,  glorious  harmony,  between  the  two  great 
annunciations  of  our  Lord,  both  of  them  necessarily  at  the  time 
clothed  in  enigmatical  language.  '  I  am  soon  to  be  put  to  death 
on  a  cross  like  a  criminal,  and  an  expiatory  victim  for  the  sins 
of  men;'  and  as  the  result  of  this,  'yet  a  little  while,  and  the 
world  is  judged,  and  its  prince  is  cast  out,  and  all  men  are  drawn 
to  me  "the  Crucified."'  Surely  already  we  see,  that  not  only 
are  God's  thoughts  and  ways  strange, — not  our  thoughts, — not 
our  ways, — very  different  from  ours  ;  but  that  they  are  transcend- 
antly  excellent,  wise  as  well  as  wonderful,  that  "  as  the  heavens 
are  high  above  the  earth,  so  are  his  thoughts  above  our  thoughts, 
his  ways  above  our  ways." 

I  conclude  my  remarks  on  this  part  of  the  subject,  with  a  re- 
flection, which  I  hope  has  already  risen  in  the  hearts  of  you  all. 
Oh,  how  should  we  esteem,  admire,  and  love,  this  magnanimous, 
generous  Saviour !  How  strong  a  mind !  how  large,  how  warm, 
how  tender  a  heart !  He  not  only  knew  that  he  was  to  die — very 
soon  to  die — but  to  die  like  a  felonious  slave — to  die  as  an  expia- 
tory victim.  The  scourge — the  cross — the  spear — the  shame  and 
spitting — the  cutting  taunt — the  brutal  gibe — the  loud  execrations 
of  his  enemies,  and  the  silent  suffering  of  his  dearest  friend,  and 
her  who  bore  him,  standing  by  the  cross — the  burning  thirst  and 
the  cold  sweat — the  exhaustion  and  the  agony — the  harassment 
of  hellish  suggestions,  and  the  soul-oppressive  weight  of  the  sad- 
ness produced  by  the  over-clouded  countenance  of  his  Father — 
all  these  were  distinctly  anticipated ;  and  though  he  did,  as  he 
well  might,  say,  "Now  is  my  soul  troubled,"  he  did  not  say, 
"  Father,  save  me  from  this  hour."  No ;  he  said,  "  For  this  cause 
came  I  unto  this  hour.  Father,  glorify  thy  name."  He  set  his 
face  as  a  flint,  and  refused  to  be  ashamed.  He  did  not  lail,  nor 
was  discouraged,  till,  with  tlie  voice  of  triumph,  he  could  say, 
"It  is  finished;"  and  then,  meekly  bowing  his  head,  resigned  his 
spirit  into  the  hands  of  his  Father,  well  pleased  for  His  righteous- 
ness' sake.  Was  ever  magnanimity — was  ever  love — like  this  ? 
Instead  of  being  occupied  with   himself,   he  seems  to  forget 

"  Col.  i.  14-17.     laa.  liii.  5.     Dan.  ix.  24.     Rom.  iv.  26.     Heb.  ix.  14. 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  611 

himself  altogether.     He  lias  indeed  "  emptied  himself  of  him- 
self. 

"  Good-will  to  men,  and  zeal  for  God, 

His  every  thought  engross  ; 
He  longs  to  be  baptized  with  blood — 
He  pants  to  reach  the  cross. 

"With  all  his  sufferings  full  in  view, 
And  pangs  to  us  unknown — 
Forth  to  the  task  his  spirit  flew  ; 
'Twas  love  that  urged  him  on. 

"  Lord,  we  return  thee  what  we  can — 

Our  hearts  shall  sound  abroad 
Salvation  to  the  dying  man. 
And  to  the  rising  God. 

"And,  while  the  bleeding  glories  here, 

Fix  our  admiring  eyes, 
We  learn  oxir  lighter  cross  to  bear. 
And  hasten  to  the  skies."'^ 


IL— THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS. 

The  real  and  the  apparent  importance  of  events  are  by  no  means 
necessarily  coincident.  Indeed,  not  nnfrequently  these  properties 
exist  in  the  same  event,  not  in  a  direct,  but  in  an  inverse  propor- 
tion. This  remark  receives  striking  illustration  in  t^o  events, 
which  took  place  somewhat  more  than  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago ;  the  accession  of  Octavius  C?esar — better  known  under  his 
title  Augustus — to  the  undivided  dominion  of  the  Eoman  empire, 
and  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  a  small  town  in  Palestine. 

The  first  of  these  events  possessed,  in  a  very  remarkable  degree, 
the  character  of  apparent  importance.  It  was  everywhere  known 
and  talked  of;  it  attracted  universal  attention ;  it  excited  deep  in- 
terest. It  was  the  theme  of  the  poet's  song,  and  the  subject  of 
the  historian's  narrative.  It  gave  peace  to  the  world ;  it  influ- 
enced, to  its  remotest  limits,  that  wade-extended  empire,  which 
was  nearly  coincident  ^vith  the  discovered  earth — affecting  the 
happiness  of  its  innumerable  inhabitants — and  it  seemed  likely  to 
give  a  direction  and  a  color  to  the  fortunes  of  mankind  for  many 
ages.  To  a  contemporary,  it  must  have  appeared  scarcely  possi- 
ble to  over-estimate  its  importance,  either  in  itself,  or  in  its  proba- 
ble results. 

But  what  is  its  importance,  viewed  in  the  clear  light  of  truth, 
at  the  distance  of  eighteen  centuries  ?  It  will  always  bulk  con- 
siderably in  the  history  of  the  world.  It  did  produce  effects, 
direct  and  indirect,  which  have  told  on  the  progress  of  human 
society  in  a  variety  of  ways.  But  what  was  it,  in  itself,  but  the 
elevation,  for  a  few  short  years,  of  a  mortal  man  to  dominion  over 
a  multitude  of  fellow-mortals — a  splendid  pageant  in  that  fashion 
of  this  world  which  passeth  away  ?  And  what  interest  does  it 
excite  now  ?     What  influence  does  it  exert  now  ?     What  are  Oc- 

'2  Cowper 


612  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

tavius's  glorioiis  victories,  and  Augustus's  wise  government,  but 
historical  facts,  intimately  known  to  comparatively  fe\v,  and  nearly 
aflPecting  no  existing  human  interest.  In  the  far  distance  of  the 
past,  the  event  which,  in  the  present,  seemed  a  sun  in  effulgence 
and  in  attractive  force,  is  shorn  of  its  lustre,  and  stripped  of  its 
power.  It  appears  but  a  dimly  luminous  speck,  which  speaks  to 
the  mind,  of  extinguished  splendor  and  spent  energy.  It  is,  in  a 
great  measure,  as  if  it  had  never  been.  It  would  puzzle  the  most 
learned  and  ingenious  to  say  if  it  be  now  exerting  any  influence 
— and  if  it  is,  what  is  the  nature  and  extent  of  that  influence — on 
the  characters  and  fortunes  of  the  men  of  the  present  age,  whether 
as  nations  or  as  individuals. 

The  second  event  referred  to  must,  with  the  exception  of  the 
very  small  number  of  individuals  who  were  cognizant  of  its 
supernatural  accompaniments,  have  been  regarded  by  all  who 
were  aware  of  it,  as  altogether  destitute  of  the  character  of 
apparent  importance  ;  and  it  would  have  been  difficult  for  them 
to  conceive  how  it  could  ever  come  to  possess  the  character  of 
real  importance.  The  wife  of  a  carpenter  of  Nazareth  gives 
birth  to  a  child  in  a  stable  at  Bethlehem,  during  a  casual  tran- 
sient residence  in  that  little  town.  This  is  the  event,  as  a  mere 
human  historian  would  record  it,  if  he  did  not  think  it  beneath 
the  dignity  of  his  office  to  notice  so  trivial  an  accident. 

Yet  that  was  in  itself,  and  in  its  results,  the  most  important 
event  which  had  taken  place  from  the  creation  of  the  world. 
This  helpless  infant  is  to  become  the  great  deliverer  of  man- 
kind from  ignorance  and  guilt,  from  depravity  and  misery.  He 
is  to  exercise  a  kind,  and  degree,  and  extent  of  influence,  on 
human  improvement  and  happinq^s,  to  the  remotest  boundaries 
of  the  earth — to  the  latest  ages  of  time — ay,  during  the  endless 
duration  of  eternity — altogether  peculiar ;  and  fiir  greater  im- 
portance attaches  to  the  event,  than  even  this  fact,  wonderful  as 
it  is,  imports ;  for  the  true  record  of  what  has  happened  is, 
"  The  Word  which  was  in  the  beginning,  which  was  with  God, 
which  was  God,  has  become  flesh — God  is  jnanifest  in  flesh." 

And  then,  what  changes  in  heaven  and  in  earth  has  this  event 
produced !  What  a  place  does  it  hold  in  the  great  economy  of 
Divine  manifestation,  and  universal  government !  On  the  hap- 
piness of  what  millions  of  human  beings  has  it  already  told,  and 
will  it  yet  tell!  What  an  interest  does  it  excite — what  a  power 
does  it  put  forth — in  tlie  minds  of  the  most  enlightened  and  in- 
fluential part  of  mankind!  and  how  strongly  does  he  who  has 
most  deeply  pondered  its  nature,  and  design,  and  tendencies, 
feel  that  he  has  yet  grasped  but  a  fragment  of  its  wondrous  mag- 
nilieence — traced  but  a  few  of  its  bearings  and  influences — caught 
but  a  glimpse  of  its  endlessly  varied  glories ! 

The  death  of  that  mysterious  infant  bears  the  same  character 
as  his  birth — a  strange  contrast  in  its  apparent  and  its  real  im- 
portance. There  was  interest — obvious  interest — in  the  death 
of  Christ.     The  death  of  no  human  being   is   an   unimportant, 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  613 

uninteresting,  thing.  Such  a  harmless,  benevolent,  wise,  won- 
der-working man,  dying  by  the  hands  of  violence,  in  intense 
agony,  and  deepest  ignominy,  could  not  but  excite  strange 
thoughts  in  all  reflecting  minds. 

Yet  the  real  importance  of  the  event,  both  in  itself  and  in  its 
results,  is  not  apparent.  It  lies  too  deep  for  the  discovery  of 
man  or  of  angel.  That  sufferer  is  the  victim  for  human  guilt — 
that  agony  is  its  expiation.  That  righteous  one  is  made  sin — 
that  blessed  one  a  curse — that  the  guilty  might  be  justified,  and 
the  justly  accursed  "made  most  blessed  for  ever."  That  cross 
is  the  way  to  the  crown — to  many  crowns.  Because  he  is  cruci- 
fied in  weakness,  he  shall  live  for  ever  in  the  power  of  Grod. 
His  death  is  the  life  of  unnumbered  millions :  dying,  he  destroys 
death ;  vanquished,  he  is  more  than  a  conqueror.  What  an  in- 
fluence has  that  event  had  over  the  revolutions  of  time,  and  the 
ever-onward,  boundlessly-expanding,  movements  of  eternity! 
What  a  clear,  distinctive  impression  has  it  made  on  the  history 
of  heaven,  and  earth,  and  hell !  What  a  striking  proof  have  we 
this  day  of  the  real  importance  of  that  event,  which  drew  com- 
paratively little  notice  when  it  took  place  !  Here  have  we,  with 
many  thousands  in  this  city — thousands  of  thousands  in  our  land 
and  earth — far  away  from  the  land  where  it  took  place — more 
than  eighteen  centuries  since  it  occurred' — in  an  act  of  most 
solemn  worshijD,  been  commemorating  it  as  the  most  full-orbed 
display  which  the  Divinity  has  ever  made  of  his  infinite  excel- 
lence— his  combined  holiness  and  benignity — ^the  fathomless 
depth'  of  his  wisdom,  and  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power — 
the  only  ground  of  our  confidence  before  him — our  only  hope  for 
ourselves,  and  for  our  race.'^  And,  in  the  highest  heavens,  in 
the  never-ending  songs  of  the  redeemed,  and  in  the  ever-increas- 
ingly  intense  studies  of  the  angels,  are  given  still  more  impress- 
ive demonstration,  that  the  importance  of  that  event  always 
surpasses  the  creature's  most  enlarged  power  of  comprehension. 
Here — here  more  than  anywhere  else — "  God's  thoughts  are  not 
as  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  as  our  ways  ;  but  as  the  heaven  is 
higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  his  thoughts  than  our  thoughts, 
and  his  ways  than  our  ways."  The  text  presents  us  with  a  strik- 
ing illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  the  result  of  our  Lord's 
death  prove  that  its  real  importance  greatly  transcends  its  ap- 
parent importance.  Death  on  a  cross, — ^being  thus  lifted  up, — that 
is  what  meets  the  eye  of  man  in  the  event  itself^ — a  crucified 
man — a  spectacle  of  weakness,  horror,  and  shame.  But  look  to 
its  results.  The  world  is  judged — its  rebel  prince  is  detlironed 
— and  countless  multitudes  of  ransomed  men  are  gathered  in 
gi'ateful  allegiance  to  his  conqueror,  and  their  deliverer. 

The  results  of  our  Lord's  sufferings,  as  here  indicated,  come 
now  to  be  considered  :  "  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world ;  now 
is  the  prince  of  this  world  cast  out :  I  will  draw  all  men  to  me." 

'3  This  department  of  the  Exposition  was  delivered  immediately  after  the  ad- 
minlBtratiou  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 


614  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

What  are  the  events  which  are  here  somewhat  darkly  unfolded  ? 
and  how  were  these  the  results  of  our  Lord's  death,  as  they  are 
here  represented  to  be  ?  These  are  Questions  to  which  your  at- 
tention is  to  be  now  directed, 

§  1.   77^6  Judgment  of  this  World. 
(1.)    Whai  is  meant  hy  the  Jiulgment  of  this  World? 

The  first  event  mentioned  in  the  text  is  the  judgment  of  the 
world — "Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world."  What  is  the 
meaning  of  these  words  ?  I  scarcely  know  a  question  of  Scrip- 
ture interpretation,  to  which  a  greater  variety  of  answers  have 
been  given.  Nor,  on  reflection,  will  this  appear  wonderful. 
Almost  every  word  in  the  short  sentence  admits  of  being  vari- 
ously understood.  "Now"  may  either  be  understood  strictly  of 
the  very  moment  when  the  words  were  uttered,  or,  more  loosely, 
of  a  period  just  at  hand.  The  world  may  signify  the  earth  we 
dwell  in,  with  all  its  furniture  and  inhabitants  ;  or  it  may  signify 
mankind — all  mankind — 'Or  all  the  Gentiles  who  are  spoken  of  as 
inhabiting  the  world,  as  contrasted  with  the  Jews,  the  chosen  peo- 
ple of  God,  who  inhabited  Canaan — called,  by  way  of  eminence, 
the  land  or  the  earth — or  all  irregenerate  men — men  of  this  world, 
in  contrast  to  regenerate  men — men  born  from  above — men  of 
another  world.  And  then  "judgment"  is  a  word  which  may 
signify  rule  generally,  or  deliverance,  or  trial,  or  condemnation, 
or  punishment.  And  then,  still  farther,  the  word  may  be  under- 
stood either  actively  or  passively — the  judgment  which  the  world 
gives  or  exercises,  or  the  judgment  that  is  given  or  exercised  in 
reference  to  the  world. 

It  were  endless  to  enumerate  all  the  senses  which  have  been 
given  to  these  words,  many  of  them  weighty  sentiments,  and  sen- 
timents which  the  mere  words  not  unnaturally  convey.  Some 
consider  the  words  as — '  Now  is  "  this  world" — fallen  mankind 
— in  the  persons  of  the  Jewish  and  Koman  magistrates,  to  sit  in 
judgment  on  me  and  on  xaj  cause,  and  to  condemn  it — and  I,  the 
true  prince  of  this  world,  am  to  be  condemned  and  cast  out  by 
them.'  Others,  as  equivalent  to — 'Now  is  this  world  to  be 
judged — to  be  subjected  to  a  trial.  Now  is  to  be  brought  out 
what  is  in  fallen  men.  Their  treatment  of  me  ancf  my  cause  will 
clearly  manifest  their  own  true  character.'  Others,  as — '  Now  is 
this  world  to  be  condemned.  This  judgment,  in  reference  to  me 
and  my  cause,  is  about  to  be  proved  false,  by  my  resurrection, 
and  the  conset[uent  success  of  my  religion ;  and  all  the  wisdom 
of  the  world  is  to  be  shown  to  be  foolishness  with  God.  Others, 
as — '  Now  is  the  world  about  to  be  punished.'  Either,  '  Now 
are  the  suis  of  men  to  receive  in  me,  on  wliom  they  have  been 
made  to  rest,  the  punishment  they  deserve,  and  tlius  to  be  judged, 
condemned,  punished,  in  my  llesli ;'  or,  'Now  shall  the  world  of 
the   ungodly    be    i)Uiiishe  i    lor    their   rejection   of    my   claims.' 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  615 

Others  as,  *  Now  is  the  world  about  to  be  delivered — judgment 
and  salvation  often  going  together.  Now  is  about  to  be  paid  the 
price  of  man's  redemption, — and,  jet,  a  little  longer,  and  the 
blessings  purchased  and  received  shall  be  bestowed  on  multitudes 
of  the  redeemed  race.'  Others,  as — '  Now  is  the  crisis  of  the 
world.  The  events  which  are  just  about  to  take  place  are  the 
most  vitally  important  to  man  that  have  ever  taken  place-  in  the 
course  of  his  history.  How  vast  are  the  interests  which  hang  on 
that  lifting  up  of  the  Son  of  man  from  the  earth  ?' 

This  diversity  of  view,  and  the  difficult}^  of  determining  what 
is  the  precise  meaning  of  our  Lord's  words,  seem  to  arise  chiefly 
fi'om  a  looking  too  exclusively  at  the  Avords  themselves.  To  un- 
derstand a  passage,  we  must  always  look  well  at  the  words,  and 
this  will  often  be  enough  to  secure  our  understanding  it.  But,  in 
other  cases,  we  must  look  also  at  the  circumstances  in  which  the 
words  were  spoken  ;  for  the  same  words  will  convey  a  very  dif- 
ferent meaning  according  to  the  circumstances  in  which  they  are 
spoken.  This  is  a  remark  applicable  to  very  many  of  our  Lord's 
sayings.  If  the  circumstances  in  which  he  stood  when  he  uttered 
certain  words  are  not  attended  to,  we  shall  often  not  perceive  half 
his  meaning,  or,  it  may  be,  misapprehend  it  altogether.  There  is 
special  reason  for  applying  the  remark  to  the  "  dark  saying"  be- 
fore us.  He  plainly  did  not  mean  it  to  be  fully  understood  at 
the  time.  Not  one  there  could  fully  understand  it  but  himself. 
To  have  stated  at  this  time,  in  plain  words,  all  that  is  folded  up 
in  these  words,  would  not  have  been  expedient.  Yet  our  Lord 
here,  as  everywhere  else,  meant  to  be  understood  in  good  time, 
and  to  furnish  means  for  being  understood.  If  we  carefully  look 
to  two  things — the  circumstances  in  which  the  words  were  ut- 
tered, and  the  events  which  soon  followed,  in  which  the  words, 
whatever  they  mean,  were  to  find  their  fulfilment,  I  apprehend 
we  shall  not  find  very  much  difficulty  in  perceiving  their  true 
meaning  and  reference. 

The  whole  of  our  Lord's  statements  on  this  occasion  plainly 
grew  out  of  the  interesting  incident  recorded  in  the  beginning  of 
the  i^aragraph,  in  the  20th,  21st,  and  22d  verses.  A  number  of 
Gentiles  had  made  a  respectful  and  earnest  request  to  be  admitted 
to  our  Lord's  presence.  This  led  him  to  exclaim,  "  The  hour  is 
come  that  the  Son  of  man  should  be  glorified."  '  The  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  now  just  at  hand.'  That  kingdom  over  which  the 
Son  of  man — the  Messiah — was  to  preside,  was  not  to  be  limited 
to  the  Holy  Land,  nor  were  its  subjects  to  be  confined  to  the 
holy  people.  "  The  isles  were  to  wait  for  his  law."  "  All  nations 
were  to  serve  him."  "  To  one  like  the  Son  of  man  coming  with 
the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  brought  near  before  the  Ancient  of 
days,  there  was  given  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that 
all  people,  and  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him :  liis  do- 
minion is  an  everlasting  dominion  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and 
his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed."" 

"  Isa.  xlii.  4.     Psal.  Ixsii.  11.     Dan.  vii.  13,  14. 


616  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

In  these  Greeks  seeking  to  see  him,  our  Lord  saw  the  first 
jfruits  of  a  harvest  just  about  to  be  cut  down — the  earnest  of  the 
fuliilmeut  of  tlie  propliecy — "  all  the  ends  of  the  world  shall  re- 
member, and  turn  unto  the  Lord ;  and  all  the  kindreds  of  the  na- 
tions shall  worship  before  him.  For  the  kingdom  is  the  Lord's ; 
and  lie  is  the  governor  among  the  nations,'"^  Previous  to  this, 
and  in  order  to  this,  he  knew  he  must  die — and  die  in  circum- 
stances, the  anticipation  of  which,  naturally  enough,  stirred  the 
inmost  depths  of  thought  and  feeling,  and  drew  out  these  most 
weighty  words,  "Now  is  my  soul  troubled."  But  "for  the  joy 
set  before  him"  "  he  did  not  fail,  nor  was  he  discouraged."  '  What 
shall  I  say?  Shall  I  say,  " Father  save  me  from  this  hour" — this 
hour  so  dark  with  death,  yet  so  full  of  life? — No,  I  will  not  say 
this !  "  For  this  cause  came  I  to  this  hour."  I  will  say,  "  Father, 
giorif)^  thy  name."  '  By  a  voice  from  the  most  excellent  glory 
the  Father  assured  him  that  "  he  had  both  glorified  it,  and  would 
glorify  it  agahi."  To  the  mind  of  the  Saviour  this  voice,  in  the 
circumstances,  must  have  appeared  as  a  repetition  to  him  of  the 
ancient  oracle.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  Redeemer  of  Israel, 
and  his  Holy  One,  to  him  Vvhom  man  despiseth,  to  him  whom 
the  nation  abhorreth,  to  a  servant  of  rulers,"  "  In  an  acceptable 
time  have  I  heard  thee,  and  in  a  day  of  salvation  have  I  helped 
thee :  and  I  will  preserve  thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of 
the  people,  to  establish  the  earth,  to  cause  to  inherit  the  desolate 
herJtage."'°  It  was  in  such  circumstances  as  these  that  the  Saviour 
exclaimed,  "Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world." 

The  term  "judge,"  in  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  is  often  used  as 
equivalent  to,  '  to  rule,'  or  '  to  govern  ;'  and  such  a  use  of  the  term 
is  quite  natural,"  for  not  only  does  just  judgment,  in  the  strict 
.sense  of  the  word,  form  an  important  part  of  good  government, 
l)ut  all  proper  goverument  is  the  exercise,  not  of  arbitrary  will, 
but  of  sound  judment.  During  a  considerable  period  of  the  Israel- 
itish  history,  their  supreme  magistrates,  under  Jehovah  their 
King,  were  termed  judges.  The  use  I  refer  to  of  the  word  may 
l)e  understood  by  one  as  well  as  a  hundred  instances.  Speaking 
of  the  Divine  government,  the  psalmist,  in  the  sixty-seventh 
jjsalm,  says,  "Thou  sliixlt  judge  the  people  righteously,  and  govetii 
the  nations  upon  earth." 

It  deserves  particular  notice  that  this  is  a  word  very  often  used 
in  the  oracles  of  the  ancient  prophets,  in  reference  to  the  admin- 
istration of  the  kingdom  which  the  Messiah  was  to  establish  over 
laen  generally — over  the  nations,  in  contrast  with  the  Jews — over 
tlie  world,  in  contrast  with  the  Holy  Land.  It  is  of  this  divine 
King  and  kingdom  tliat  it  is  said  tliat  He  would  "  come  to  judge 
the  earth  ;  that  with  righteousness  should  hajadge  the  world,  and 
the  people  with  equity."  When  "  the  rod  of  iiis  strengtii  shall 
go  Ibrth  out   of  Zion,"  "he   shall  judge   among   the   heathen." 

'5  Psal.  xxii.  27,  28.  lo  jsa.  xlix.  7,  8. ' 

"'  In  tliiit  early  at;e  there  was  little  division  of  labor.  The  judicial,  legislative, 
and  executive  functions  were  not  separated. 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  617 

When  "  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the 
Lord  from  Jerusalem,  he  shall  judge  among  the  nations."  The 
glorious  Prince,  emblematized  by  that  "  rod  which  was  to  come 
forth  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  which  was  to  stand  for  an  ensign 
to  the  people,  to  which  the  Gentiles  were  to  seek,"  Avas  "  with 
righteousness  to  judge  the  poor,  and  reprove  with  equity  for  the 
meek  of  the  earth,  and  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  his  mouth, 
and  .with  the  breath  of  his  lips  to  slay  the  wicked."  He  who  as 
"the  King,"  and  "the  King's  Son,"  was  to  have  "dominion  from 
sea  to  sea,  from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth" — "  before 
whom  all  kings  were  to  fall,  and  all  nations  to  serve" — was  to 
'■^  judge  the  people  with  righteousness,  and  the  poor  with  judg- 
ment''^— was  to  ''judge  the  poor  of  the  people,  to  save  the  children 
of  the  needy,  and  to  break  in  pieces  the  oppressors."''' 

Now,  with  these  thoughts  before  our  minds,  which  must  sub- 
stantially have  been  before  our  Lord's  when  he  uttered  these 
words,  can  we  have  any  great  difficulty  in  discovering  their 
meaning?  Do  we  not  perceive  that  the  circumstances  of  the 
case  give  distinctness  to  language  in  itself  indefinite  ?  and  that 
the  words,  "  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world,"  are  just  equiva- 
lent to,  '  That  rule,  that  judgment,— that  wise,  just,  considerate 
government  of  mankind,  so  strikingly  contrasted  with  the  wild, 
arbitrary,  cruel,  unjust  thing,  which  the  prince  of  the  world  and 
his  agents  have  inflicted  on  the  human  race  mider  that  name, — 
that  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  over  the  nations  of  mankind,  is  now 
about  to  commence.' 

This  is  naturally  connected  both  with  what  goes  before  and 
with  what  follows.  "  The  hour  is  come  when  the  Son  of  man  is 
glorified."  How  ?  By  being  made  King  of  the  world.  Now  is 
the  world  to  be  rided^  to  be  judged — to  be  ruled,  to  be  judged,  by 
him ;  and  then  his  and  their  great  enemy,  the  prince  of  this 
world,  shall  be  cast  down  from  his  throne — cast  out  of  his  usurped 
authority,  and  all  men.  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  shall  be  drawn 
by  the  cords  of  love  and  the  bands  of  a  man  to  his  Conqueror 
and  their  Redeemer. 

It  also  Avell  accords  Avith  a  passage  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of 
this  gospel,  where  the  judgment  of  the  world  and  its  prince  is 
spoken  of  It  is  said  of  "the  Comforter — the  Holy  Spirit,"  that 
when  he  comes,  sent  by  the  Son  of  man,  when  he  had  gone  to 
receive  his  kingdom,  he  will  "convince  the  world" — mankind — 
"  of  sin" — of  their  sin — ^by  the  fact  of  their  not  believing  in  the 
Messiah,  when  he  came — the  strongest  of  all  proofs  of  man's  de- 
pravity ;  "of  righteousness" — of  his  righteousness — by  the  fact, 
that  by  a  glorious  resurrection  and  ascension,  he  had  "  gone  to 
the  Father";  "of  judgment' — of  the  establishment  of  a  govern- 
ment by  him  over  them — by  the  fact  that  "  the  prince  of  the 
world"  no  longer  judged,  but  "  was  judged" — no  longer  ruled, 

'7  Psal.  xcvi.  13;  xcviii.  9;  ex.  6.  Isa.  ii.  4;  xi.  3.  Mic.  iv.  3.  Rev.  xii  11. 
PsaL  Ixxii.  2.     Dan.  vii.  22.     Isa.  xlii.  1,  3,  4. 


618  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  EESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

but  was  ruled — "  cast  out" — constrained  to  part  witli  Lis  prey 
and  captives."* 

The  meaning  of  the  words  has,  I  trust,  been  satisfactorily  es- 
tablished. It  only  remains  that  we  consider  a  little  that  changed 
state  of  the  world — represented  here  as  its  "judgment,"  plainly 
by  the  Son  of  man,  which  our  Lord  represents  as  just  about  to 
commence — and  show  how  this  state  of  things  results  from  our 
Lord's  death — from  his  being  "  lifted  up  from  the  earth." 

We  are  by  no  means  to  think  of  all  mankind,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Jews,  as  entirely  abandoned  by  God  during  the  ages 
which  intervened  between  the  deluge,  and  the  commencement  of 
the  New  Testament  dispensation.  They  were .  always  the  sub- 
jects of  his  general  moral  government ;  always  the  objects  of  his 
forbearance,  and  patience,  and  providential  care.  "  The  heavens 
declared"  to  them  "  the  glory  of  God  ;  and  the  firmament -showed" 
them  "  his  handiwork."  "  His  invisible  things  were  clearly  to  be 
seen  in  the  things  which  he  had  made,"  if  they  had  but  liked  to 
I'etain  him  in  their  knowledge.  "  He  never  left  himself  without 
a  witness,  in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  them  rain  from  heaven, 
and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  their  hearts  with  food  and  glad- 
ness."'' 

But  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  in  righteous  judgment  he 
Avithdrew  himself  from  them  as  to  supernatural  manifestation. 
As  they  did  not  like  to  retain  him  in  their  knowledge,  he  laid  no 
restraints  on  their  deviations  from  truth.  No  prophet  rose 
among  them  to  stem  the  tide  of  error,  and  arrest  the  gathering 
clouds  of  superstition.  The  language  of  this  dispensation  was, 
'  My  spirit  shall  not  always  strive  witli  man.  They  are  joined  to 
their  idols ;  let  them  alone.'  Men  have  determinedly  abandoned 
him.  and  it  was  but  meet  he  should  abandon  them,  "  It  was 
meet,"  as  has  been  well  said,  "that  so  great  a  majesty  having 
been  so  condescendingly  gracious  should  not  also  be  cheap,  or 
appear  inapprehensive  of  being  neglected  and  set  at  nought. 
They  declared  that  they  would  not  have  him  to  reign  over  them, 
and  he  left  them  to  feel  that  when  they  said  to  him,  '  Depart  from 
us,'  they  spake  that  word  against  their  own  life  and  soul,  and 
that  what  was  their  wilful  choice  should  be  their  heaviest  doom 
and  punishment."""  Oh,  the  years  and  ages  of  vanit}^  and  trouble, 
of  darkness  and  death,  pollution  and  blood,  that  the  abandoned 
nations  spent  away  from  God,  under  the  iron  yoke  of  him  whom 
they  had  chosen  to  be  a  prince  and  ruler  over  them.  But  oh, 
tlic  tender  mercies  of  the  Father  of  Spirits !  "  He  will  not  con- 
tend for  ever,  neither  will  ho  be  always  wroth."  He  has  respect 
to  the  souls  which  he  has  made — the  work  of  his  hands.  There 
is  "time  or  restitution"  for  the  nations.     There  is  appointed  a  de- 

'"  John  xvi.  11.  It  ia  a  Batisfaction,  in  a  question  of  this  kiml,  to  find  an  in- 
terpreter like  Calvin  on  your  side.  "Judieii  noinen  aliis  refoi'mationoin,  aliis 
dninnationorn  sigiiitieat.  Eixo  prioi-ibus  raagis  assentior,  qui  ita  expoiiunt  quod 
niundus  in  Ic'^ifiiiMiin  ordinein  restituendus  est. —  cimus  autem  extra  Christum, 
niliil  in  niundo,  nisi  CMjnfu.suni  esse." 

'9  Psal.  xi:c.  ],  2.     Koni.  i.  'JO.     y\ets  xiv.  17.  2u  Uowe. 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  619 

• 

liverer,  avIio  will  "  lift  up  his  steps  towards  their  long,  long  deso- 
lations." 

The  prophets  had  for  ages  been  announcing  that  he  was  on  his 
way.  He  had  now  come,  yet  stood  an  unrecognized  stranger, 
even  among  his  own  people.  He  had  come  to  his  own,  and  his 
own  had  not  received  him.  Yet  shall  he,  in  despite  of  all  neglect 
and  opposition,  sit  down,  not  only  on  the  throne  of  David,  but  on 
the  throne  of  the  world.  ''  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is." 
Yet  a  little  while,  and  from  the  depths  of  the  grave  he  shall  be 
raised  to  endless  life.  "He  loved  righteousness  and  hated  in- 
iquity," and  proved  this  by  magnifying  the  law  and  making  it 
honorable,  in  his  incarnation  and  sacrifice — and  "  therefore 
God,  even  his  Grod,  will  anoint  him,  with  the  oil  of  gladness 
above  his  fellows,"  "  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords."" 

He  has  entered  on  the  judgment,  the  government,  of  the  world. 
A  new  order  of  Divine  administration  has  been  commenced, 
having  for  its  object  the  subjection  of  the  world  to  God, — the 
conversion  of  the  race,  that  is,  not  of  every  individual,  but  of 
vast  multitudes  out  of  every  kindred  and  people,  tongue  and 
nation, — and  to  him,  in  conducting  this  glorious  economy,  is 
entrusted  the  proprietorship  of  the  world.  The  whole  globe  is 
his  rightful  empire,  and  all  its  inhabitants  are  under  his  control, 
and  ought  to  be  his  willing  subjects.  The  times  of  ignorance  at 
which  God  winked  has  passed  av/ay ;  and  from  the  hour  when 
God  set  Christ,  as  his  Son,  at  his  right  hand,  "  his  King  on  his 
holy  hill  of  Zion," — and  said  to  him,  "  Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall 
give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession," — He  has  commanded  all 
men  e~\^ry  where  to  repent — to  change  their  mind,  in  the  belief  of 
those  glad  tidings  which  he  has  commissioned  his  servants  to  pro- 
claim to  every  creature,  among  all  nations — "  He  has  commanded 
all  men '  everywhere  thus  to  repent :  because  he  hath  appointed  a 
day,  in  the  which  he  Avill  judge  the  world  in  righteousness  by 
that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained ;  whereof  he  hath  given  assur- 
ance unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,"" 

Tliis  passage  of  Scripture  'is  often  considered  as  exclusively 
referring  to  the  period  of  the  final  judgment;  hut  we  are  in- 
clined to  think  it  refers  to  the  whole  day  or  period  of  the  judg- 
ment of  the  world  by  Christ,  spoken  of  in  the  text,  contrasted 
with  the  times  of  ignorance,  and  which  is  to  terminate  in  the 
great  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  when  assembled  men  and  angels 
must  appear  before  the  great  white  throne,  and  own  that  none  is 
judge  but  he. 

Under  this  order  of  things,  "the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but 
hath  committed  all  judgment,"  or  actual  rule,  "  unto  the  Son;" 
and  all  are  bound  to  "  honor  the  Sou,  even  as  they  honor  the 
Father.""'  The  judgment  or  government  of  the  world  is  exer- 
cised by  our  Lord  in  subordination  to  the  great  purposes  of  the 

2>  Isa.  xlii.  21.     Psal  xlv.  7.     Rev.  xix.  16.  22  Acts  xvii.  30,  31. 

23  John  V.  22,  23. 


620  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

economy  of  special  mercy.  He  is  thus  governor  among  the 
nations," that  he  may  effectually  perform  all  his  high  functions 
as  "  King  of  Zion."  He  is  "head  over  all  things^'  with  reference 
"  to  the  church,  ^vhich  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth 
all  in  all.""  The  rise,  and  decline,  and  fall  of  empires — the 
progress  of  discovery,  and  arts,  and  commerce — are  all  his  instru- 
ments ;  and  over  all  the  earth  is  he  working  by  means  of  those ^ 
who  know  him  not,  for  the  hastening  on  the  great  consumma- 
tion,— when  the  real  governor  of  the  world  shall  be  the  apparent, 
the  recognized  governor  of  the  world, — and  when  earth  shall  be 
vocal  with  the  song,  raised  by  voices  in  heaven,  "The  kingdom 
of  this  world  is  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his 
Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever."  "  Alleluia :  for  the 
Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth."" 

All  things  are  not  even  yet  actually  put  under  him.  He  is  not 
yet  visibly  judging  all  the  world.  But,  a  few  days  after  the  Man 
of  sorrows  had  uttered  these  mysterious  words,  "  Now  is  the  judg- 
ment of  this  world,"  "  the  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  sit  thou  at 
my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool."  And 
there  he  sits,  "  expecting"  till  the  Divine  power  vindicate  the  Di- 
vine faithfulness. 

The  Father,  during  these  eighteen  centuries,  has  been  "bring- 
ing in  his  Only -begotten  into  the  world,"  which  he  has  given  him 
as  his  blood-bought  possession.  "  The  Lord  reigneth,  let  the 
earth  rejoice:  let  the  multitude  of  isles  be  glad  thereof  Clouds 
and  darkness  are  round  about  him :  righteousness  and  judgment ' 
are  the  habitation  of  his  throne.  A  lire  goeth  before  him,  and 
burneth  up  his  enemies  round  about.  His  lightnings  are  enlight- 
ening the  world ;  the  earth  sees  and  tremb-les.  The  hills  melt  like 
wax  at  the  presence  of  the  Lord:  at  the  presence  of  the  Lord  of 
the  whole  earth.  The  heavens  declare  his  righteousness :  and  all 
the  people  see  his  glory.  Confounded  be  all  they  that  serve 
graven  images,  that  boast  themselves  of  idols :  worship  him,  all 
ye  gods ;"  and  "  let  Israel  rejoice  in  him  who  made  him  :  let  the 
children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in  their  king." 

(2.)  How  is  the  judgment  of  this  worlds  the  result  of  the  death  of 

Christ  ? 

A  few  words  must  still  be  said  in  reference  to  the  connection 
of  his  judgment  of  the  world  with  the  death  of  Christ.  The  con- 
nection is  an  intimate  one.  The  one  follows  the  other ;  but  there 
is  nmch  more  than  mere  sequence.  The  whole  trutli  may  be  told 
in  two  words.  It  was  the  promised,  richly-merited,  reward  of  his 
death ;  and  it  is  the  necessary  means  of  liis  carrying  into  accom- 
plishment tlic  great  design  of  his  death,  the  salvation  of  his  chosen 
people. 

In  reference  to  the  first  of  these  statements,  I  shall  merely  pre- 
sent you  with  the  declaration  of  a  prophet  and  an  apostle : — Of  a 

2<  Eph.  L  22,  23.  25  Rev.  xi.  15;  xix.  G. 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  G21 

prophet, — "  When  thou  shalt  made  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin, 
he  shall  see  his  seed,  he  shall  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleasure 
of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  his  hand.  He  shall  see  of  the  travail 
of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied :  by  his  knowledge  shall  my 
righteous  servant  justify  many ;  for  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities. 
Therefore  will  I  divide  him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and  he  shall 
divide  the  spoil  with  the  strong ;  because  he  hath  poured  out  his 
soul  unto  death :  and  he  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors ; 
and  he  bare  the  sins  of  many,  and  made  intercession  for  the  trans- 
gressors:""'— Of  an  apostle, — "Christ  Jesus,  being  in  the  form  of 
God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  witli  God ;  but  made 
himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men  :  and  being  found  in  fashion 
as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross.  "Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly 
exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name : 
that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in 
heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth ;  and  that 
every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father."^' 

But  this  judgment  of  the  world  was  not  only  the  merited  re- 
ward of  our  Lord's  death,  but  it  was  the  necessary  means  of  car- 
rying into  accomplishment  the  great  design  of  his  death — the  sal- 
vation of  his  chosen  people.  The  design  of  our  Lord's  death,  was 
"to  gather  into  one  the  children  of  God,  scattered  abroad"  over 
all  the  earth,  and  during  all  the  ages.  How  could  this  be  done, 
had  not  our  Lord  had  the  entire  management  of  the  providential 
government  of  God?  In  the  days  of  his  flesh,  "he  must  needs 
go  through  Samaria,"  that  one  "vessel  of  mercy"  should  be  se- 
cured for  the  Master's  use ;  and  now  all  the  revolutions  of  the 
world  are  made  subservient  to  the  bringing  all  the  wandering 
sheep  given  him  by  the  Father  into  the  one  fold.  All  power  in 
heaven  and  in  earth — all  power  over  all  flesh — is  given  him,  that 
he  may  give  eternal  life  to  all  whom  the  Father  has  given  him — 
to  all  coming  to  the  Father  by  him." 

Let  us,  my  brethren,  habitually  act  as  if  we  believed  the  decla- 
ration of  our  Lord,  "  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world;" — ^for 
his  declaration  is  one  that  was  true  henceforward.  That  declara- 
tion is,  as  we  have  endeavored  to  show,  '  Now  is  this  world,  and 
all  its  inhabitants,  the  property  of  Messiah  the  Prince,  subject  to 
his  control,  and  intended  to  promote  the  great  objects  of  his  holy, 
benignant  reign.'  Let  us  ever  regard  him  as  the  rightful  propri- 
etor, the  legitimate  sovereign,  of  all  the  world, — Lord  as  well  as 
Christ — Lord  of  all.  Let  us  submit  ourselves  to  his  government, 
and  do  everything  that  lies  in  our  power  to  induce  others  to  be- 
come his  willing  and  obedient  subjects.  Let  us  rejoice  in  the 
ever-growing  evidence  which,  in  the  onward  development  of  the 
economy  of  mercy,  he  is  giving,  that  he  is  indeed  "  able  to  sub- 
due all  things  to  himself;"  and  let  us  long  and  pray  lor  the  bliss- 
es Isa.  liii.  10-12.  27  phil.  ii.  5-11.  "  Joha  xviL  2. 


622  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIU. 

ful  consummation,  when  all  opposing  poAver  and  authority  shall 
be  put  down  for  ever;  and  when  " every  creature  which  is  in 
heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are 
in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  shall  be  heard  saying,  Bless- 
ing, and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever.""" 

§  2.  The  expulsion  of  the  prince  of  this  world. 

The  second  result  of  our  Lord's  death — the  expulsion  of  the 
prince  of  this  world — comes  now  to  be  the  subject  of  considera- 
tion. 

"  Now,"  says  our  Lord,  "  now  is  the  prince  of  this  world  cast 
out."  "Who  is  the  prince  of  this  world  ?  What  are  we  to  un- 
derstand by  his  being  "  cast  out"  ?  How  is  his  expulsion  the  re- 
sult of  the  death  of  Christ  ?  and  how  is  it  connected  with  the 
judgment  of  this  world  ?  These  are  the  questions  which  natur- 
ally rise  in  a  reflecting  mind  on  reading  these  words,  and  we 
shall  attempt  satisfactorily  and  briefly,  in  the  sequel,  to  answer 
them. 

(1.)  The  prince  of  this  world — Who  is  he  ? 

"  The  prince  of  this  world,"  is  an  expression  peculiar  to  oiir 
Lord ;  and  it  is  employed  by  him  only  on  two  other  occasions. 
In  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  this  gospel,  we  find  him  saying, 
"  Hereafter  I  will  not  talk  much  with  you :  for  the  prince  of  this 
world  cometli,  and  hath  notliing  in  me;""°  and  in  the  sixteenth 
chapter,  *'  When  the  Comforter  is  come,  he  will  reprove,"  or 
rather  convince,  "the  world  of  judgment,  because  the  prince  of 
this  world  is  judged.""  The  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of  "the  god 
of  this  world,  who  blinds  the  minds  of  those  who  believe  not ;" 
and  of  "  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air ;  the  spirit  that  works 
in  the  children  of  disobedience."  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  all 
these  appellations  are  substantially  of  the  same  meaning,  and  that 
they  are  all  descriptive  of  the  same  being.  There  can  be  as  little 
doubt  that  the  being  referred  to,  is  the  chief  of  "  the  angels  who 
sinned,"—"  the  devil"—"  Satan"—"  the .  old  serpent"—"  Apol- 
lyon."^' 

It  has  been  common,  with  a  certain  class  of  interpreters  and 
theologians,  to  represent  all  these  terms  as  mere  personifications 
of  the  abstract  principle  of  evil,  moral  and  physical, — i.  e.,  sin 
and  misery.  But  if  we  are  to  interpret  Scripture  on  the  ordinary 
principle  applied  to  written  language,  notliing  can  be  more  cer- 
tain than  that  the  sacred  writers  meant  to  teach  the  real  jierson- 
ality  of  the  being  designated  by  these  names.  You  may  as 
reasonably  question  the  real  personality  of  Jesus,  the  Son  of 
God,  as  oi'  the  devil,  the  enemy  of  God,  whose  works  he  came  to 
destroy.     Indeed,  we  find  some  of  the  later  rationalistic  inter- 

29  Rev.  V.  13,  14.  ^"  John  xiv.  30.  ■"  John  xvi.  8-11. 

32  2  Cor.  iv.  4.     Eph.  ii.  2.     2  Pet.  ii  4.     Rev.  xii.  9  ;  is.  11. 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  623 

preters  and  divines  of  Germany  acknowledging  the  justness  of 
this  remark,  and  acting  on  it,  making  Jesus  Christ  the  personified 
idea  of  the  Jewish  Messiah.  To  be  consistent,  thej  ought  to  go 
farther  still, — they  ought  to  cease  to  call  themselves  Christians, 
and  renounce  all  professed  respect  for  the  statements  of  the  sacred 
books,  which  they  discredit  far  more  by  their  perversion  than 
they  would  do  by  their  denial. 

All  the  various  terms  expressive  of  personal  agency  are  made 
use  of  by  the  inspired  writers,  in  describing  the  character  and  con- 
duct of  the  evil  one ;  and,  had  their  express  design  been  to  teach 
his  proper  personality,  they  could  not  have  used  more  explicit 
language  than  they  have  actually  employed.  It  has  been  very 
well  said, — "  A  personification,  protracted  through  such  a  book  as 
the  Bible,  even  should  we  suppose  it  to  have  been  written  by  one 
person, — never  dropped  in  the  most  simple  and  didactic  portions 
of  it, — never  explained,  when  the  most  grave  and  important 
truths  are  to  be  inculcated,  and  when  men,  the  most  ignorant  and 
superstitious,  were  to  be  the  readers, — is  altogether  anomalous  and 
inadmissible.  But  to  suppose  that  the  several  writers  of  the  dif- 
ferent books  of  the  Bible,  diverse  in  their  modes  of  thinking  and 
writing,  and  placed  in  widely  different  circumstances,  through  a 
period  of  more  than  fifteen  hundred  years,  should  each,  from 
Moses  to  John,  fall  into  the  use  of  the  same  strange  personifica- 
tion, and  so  employ  it  that  not  one  out  of  a  thousand  of  their 
readers  should  ever  suppose  it  was  a  personification  at  all,  or  even 
remotely  conjecture  at  the  abstract  truth  which  they  intended  to 
be  conveyed  by  it,  would  be  requiring  men  to  believe  that  the  in- 
spired writers,  who  ought  to  have  done  the  least  violence  to  the 
common  laws  of  language,  have  indeed  done  the  most ;  and  shake 
all  confidence  as  to  the  possibihty  of  certainly  ascertaining  their 
meaning  in  any  one  instance,  however  apparently  plain  were  the 
terms  in  which  they  expressed  themselves.'"^  There  is  no  end  to 
the  absurdities  implied  in  denying  that  the  personality,  the  real 
existence,  of  such  a  being  as  we  commonly  call  the  devil,  is  taught 
in  Scripture.  How  could  the  principle  of  evil  tempt  our  Lord,  in 
whom  it  had  no  existence  ?  Yet  he  was  tempted  by  the  devil. 
And  what  idea  of  any  kind  can  be  attached  to  the  declaration, 
that  the  principle  of  evil  "  abode  not  in  the  truth"  ? 

Assuming,  then,  as  we  well  may,  the  real  personal  existence  of 
this  evil  being,  let  us  shortly  inquire  what  is  meant  by  his  being 
represented  as  the  prince  of  this  world.  The  appellation  seems 
to  do  two  things.  It  limits  his  power  to  this  world ;  and  it  asserts 
his  power  over  this  world. 

He  is  "  the  prince  of  this  world"—"  the  god  of  this  world," — 
and  his  agents  are  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world." 
"  This  world"  is  what  the  apostle  terms  "  the  present  evil" — dis- 
eased, disordered — "  world;"  this  earth,  with  its  furniture  and  in- 
habitants, rational  and  irrational,  lying  under  the  Divine  curse 
pronounced  on  account  of  the  first  sin  of  the  first  man.     He  was 

33  Kitto's  Cyclopaedia. — Art,  Satan. 


624  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  KESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

not  the  prince  of  the  world  that  once  was — the  good,  healthy,  or- 
derly world,  which  came  from  the  hand  of  an  all-perfect  Creator, 
and  which  He,  after  He  had  finished  it,  pronounced  good — very 
good.  Satan  had  no  power  there ;  and  he  will  not  be  the  prince 
of  the  world  that  shall  be,  when  "  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth 
shall  be  created,  wherein  will  dwell"  nothing  but  "righteousness." 
He  shall  then  be  for  ever  shut  up  in  the  bottomless  pit,  bereft  of 
all  power,  in  a  state  which  is  termed  "the  second  death."^*  In- 
deed, we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  the  evil  one  has  any  power 
in  any  other  region  of  God's  Universe  but  our  earth,  or  during 
any  other  period  there  than  during  the  time  the  curse  lies  on  it, 
— from  the  fall  of  man  to  the  final  consummation  of  all  things. 
It  is  also  right  to  remark  that,  when  an  individual  is  spiritually 
delivered,  by  the  atonement  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  from  the  pres- 
ent evil  world,  in  the  same  degree  is  he  delivered  from  the  prince 
of  this  world.  Neither  sin,  nor  death,  nor  Satan  have  dominion 
over  him,  as  they  had  previously  to  his  deliverance. 

But,  while  the  appellation  limits  his  power  to  this  world,  it  as- 
serts it  over  this  world.  He  is  "  the  prince  of  this  world."  Here 
we  must  guard  against  opposite  extremes.  We  must  neither  ex- 
aggerate nor  extenuate.  We  know  nothing — we  can  know  nothing 
— on  this  subject,  but  what  is  revealed  to  us  in  Scripture.  Let  us 
neither  add  to,  nor  take  from,  the  Divine  communication.  Let  us 
beware  of  attributing  to  the  evil  one  more  power  than  he  pos- 
sesses ;  let  us  beware  of  supposing  that  he  has  less  power  than 
belongs  to  him.  Important  practical  evils  naturally  result 'from 
both  tliese  mistakes. 

We  are  never  for  a  moment  to  suppose  that  Satan  possesses  any 
independent  uncontrollable  power.  We  are  not  to  think  that  God 
has  m  an}-  degree  divested  ImnseJf  of  the  property  and  dominion 
of  this  -world,  and  committed  them  into  the  hands  of  his  great 
enemy.  The  thing  is  impossible.  The  natural  perfections  of  God 
make  it  plain  that  he  cannot — and  his  moral  perfections  make  it 
as  plain  that  he  will  not — act  in  this  manner:  "His  kingdom 
ruleth  over  all."'^  Even  the  jjrince  of  this  world  is  his  property 
and  his  subject — though  a  rebellious  one,— and  the  unconscious 
and  unwilling  instrument  of  His,  holy  and  wise,  righteous  and 
benignant,  government.  The  lion  of  hell  is  held  in  adamantine 
chains;  and  to  him,  as  well  as  to  ocean,  God  says,  "Hitherto 
shalt  thou  come,  and  no  farther."  Neither  are  we  to  suppose  that 
he  possesses  the  power  of  compelling  men  to  sin.  It  is  unscriptural 
— it  is  antiscriptural — to  ascribe  any  sucli  power  to  Satan  as  would 
destroy  man's  resj)onsibility ;  and  man  is  assuredly  not  responsible 
for  what  an  irresistible  force,  external  to  himself,  com])cls  him  to  do. 

But  while  all  this  is  true,  the  evil  one  has  a  kind,  a  degree, 
and  an  extent  of  power  over  the  present  evil  world,  which  give 
feariUl  appropriateness  and  significance  to  the  appellation,  "  prince 
of  this  world."  Every  human  being,  under  the  curse,  is  shut 
out  from  sanctifying  divijie  influence,  and  laid  open  to  the  influ- 
3'  Rev.  XX.  10.  35  Psal.  ciii.  19. 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  625 

ence  of  the  evil  one.  When  we  think  how  crafty  and  malignant 
he  is,  and  what  numerous  means  and  methods  he  has  of  affecting 
the  human  mind,  we  cannot  doubt  that  that  influence  is  exten- 
sively and  powerfully  exerted.  He  blinds  the  mind,  he  hardens 
the  heart,  he  leads  captive  into  error  and  sin — not  against  the 
will  of  the  individual^  but  with  his  consent,  though  that  consent 
is  often  not  got  without  a  struggle — ^it  may  be  a  severe  and  pro- 
tracted one — ^with  reason  and  conscience. 

He  employs  the  sinning  angels — who,  like  himself,  and  entirely 
influenced  b}''  him,  kept  not  theii' first  abode^ — in  exercising  his 
power  over  men's  minds.  We  have  no  express  declaration  of 
the  number  of  these  subordinate  agents ;  yet  the  work  they  are 
in  Scripture  represented  as  performing,  is  of  such  an  extent,  and 
so  exceedingly  manifold  and  various,  that  we  cannot  suppose 
them  to  be  few.  The  manner  in  which  the  apostle  speaks  of 
them,  as  "  principalities  and  powers,"  as  the  "  powers  or  host  of 
darkness,"  constrains  us  to  regard  them  as  numerous,  and  as 
a  disciplined  band,  well  fi.tted  for  gaining  the  object  of  their  great 
leader. 

While  he  undoubtedly  possesses,  and  exerts  much  power  over 
men,  through  the  instrumentality  of  his  angels,  or  messengers^  it 
may  be  doubted  whether  the  greater  part  of  diabolic  influence 
is  not  exerted  over  men  through  the  instrumentality  of  their 
fellow-man.  It  was  through  Eve  he  exerted  his  powen  over 
Adam ;  it  was  through  the  false  prophets  that  he  seduced  Ahab. 
All  evil  men  are  his  agents ;  and  all .  human  institutions — 
whether  termed  systems  of  philosophy,  or. of  religion,  or  of 
government — which  are  based  on  falsehood  and  injustice,  are 
at  once  results  of  the  power  of  the  devil,  and  most  powerftil 
instruments  for  consolidating  and  extending  his  dominion.  How 
the  evil  one  exerts  his  influence,  in  darkening  the  mind  with 
error  and  delusion,  and  inflaming  the  passions,  and  stupefying 
the  conscience,  we  cannot  fully  explain.  The  extent  to  which 
this  disordered  state  prevails  among  men,  is  matter  of  experience 
and  observation ;  and  a  divine  revelation,,  in  the  most  explicit 
terms,  pronounces  it  the  work  of  the  devil. 

Hitherto  we  have  spoken  of  the  moral  influence  of  Satan  ;  but 
it  is  plain,  from  Scripture,  that  he  has,  within  certain  limits, 
pfower  to  produce  malignant  physical  effects.  Satan,  in  the  book 
of  Job,  is  represented  as  bringing  destruction  on  the  patriarch's 
family,  and  then  smiting  Job  himself  with  a  malignant  ulcerous 
disease.  In  the  New  Testament,  diseases  of  body  and  mind, 
epilepsy  and  madness,  are  clearly  ascribed  to  malignant  spiritual 
influence.  Our  Lord  speaks  of  a  Jewish  woman,  who  had  been 
"bowed  down  by  infirmity  for  eighteen  years,"  as  having  been 
"  bound  by  Satan"  during  that  period ;  and  is  represented  as 
healing  all  that  were  "  oppressed  by  the  devil.'""  "  To  deliver 
over  to  Satan,"  is  an  expression  which  may  mean,  '  Solemnly  to 
declare  to  belong  not  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  to  the  kingdom 

36  Luke  xiii.  16.     Acts  x.  38. 
VOL.  I.  40 


626  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

of  the  devil ;'  but  it  may  equally  refer  to  certain  physical  evils 
to  be  inflicted  by  diabolical  instrumentality.^''  In  tlie  Apocalypse, 
tlie  devil  is  represented  as  very  active  in  doing  evil  in  every 
form;  and,  though  the  particular  statements  of  that  book  are  to 
be  understood  according  to  its  symbolic  and  poetic  character,  yet 
ihe  general  principle  of  the  agency  of  evil  spirits,  in  the  produc- 
tion both  of  physical  and  moral  effects,  seems  clearly  implied  in 
them.  It  is  a  mistake  to  attribute  all  physical  evil,  or  even  all 
moral  evil,  to  Satan ;  but  it  is  obviously  the  doctrine  of  Scrip- 
ture, that  it  comes  within  the  sphere  of  his  agency  to  do  much 
mischief  in  botli  respects.  We  are  not  warranted  to  trace,  as 
some  have  been  disposed  to  do,  all  disease  and  death  to  the 
operation  of  evil  spirits ;  but  neither  are  we  warranted  to  con- 
clude, as  many  do,  that  mahgnant  spiritual  influence  has  nothing 
to  do  with  disease  and  death.  That  spirits  can  control  matter 
cannot  be  denied,  without  throwing  doubt  on  God's  providential 
government ;  and  that  evil  spirits  may  be  employed  in  the  use 
of  their  physical,  as  well  as  of  their  intellectual  and  moral  powers, 
as  instruments  of  the  Divine  justice,  is  a  principle  Avhich  reason 
can  never  disprove ;  and  that  they  are  so,  seems,  upon  the  whole, 
more  probable  than  that  they  are  not.  That  they  have  been  so, 
must  be  admitted  by  every  man  who  believes  the  Bible,  in  the 
plain  meaning  of  its  statements ;  that  they  continue  to  be  so,  is 
what  no  sound-minded  man  will  strongly  either  deny  or  assert. 

It  only  remains  to  remark,  on  this  part  of  the  subject,  that, 
though  the  devil  and  his  angels  never  can  have  any  right  to 
exert  their  powers  to  produce  either  physical  or  moral  evil — and 
that,  in  every  instance  in  whicli  they  do  so,  they  increase  their 
guilt  and  deepen  their  condemnation — ^^yet  we  shall  not  rightly 
apprehend  this  im|)ortant  subject,  if  we  do  not  distinctly  perceive 
that  "  this  diabolic  principality,  in  and  over  this  evil  world,  "  is  a 
part  of  the  penal  arrangements  of  the  Divine  government.  Man 
chose  to  follow  the  advice,  and  to  submit  to  the  government,  of 
Satan ;  and,  as  tlie  appropriate  punishment  of  this  foul  treason, 
God  gave  man  over,  in  a  great  measure,  into  the  hand  of  this 
mighty  and  terrible  one — allowing  Satan  to  "  practise  and  pros- 
per," so  as  strongly  to  bring  out  the  folly,  as  well  as  the  wicked- 
ness, of  man's  choice  and  conduct. 

This  power  is  given  to  Satan  only  during  a  limited  season — 
while  the  present  evil  world  stands — the  period  apparently  called 
in.  the  curse,  "  all  the  days  of  the  serpent's  life" — for  at  the  end 
of  it  he  is  to  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  lire,  which  is  the  second 
death ;  a  period  repeatedly  referred  to  in  Scripture,  as  when  the 
demons  speak  of  the  Son  of  God  coming  to  "  torment  them  be- 
fore the  time,"  and  when  Satan  is  said  to  "come  down  in  great 
wrath,  knowing  that  his  time  is  short."  It  is,  perhaps,  with  a 
relerence  to  this,  that  tlic  captive  of  the  terrible  one  is  called,  in 
the  prophecies  of  Isaiah,  "the  lawful  captive ;"  but  there  it 
seems  to  be  himself  that  ases  the  appellation,  and  we  are  not  dis- 
"  1  Tim.  i.  20.     1  Cor.  v.  6.  ^ 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  627 

posed  to  take  anything  merely  on  his  authority ;  he  may  ^eak 
truth,  but  he  is  a  liar,  as  well  as  a  murderer,  from  the  beginning. 
It  has  been  rashly  said,  that  the  devil,  in  leading  sinners  cap- 
tive at  his  will,  is  just.  He  is  the  unconscious  executioner  of  jus- 
tice; but  he  is  not  just  in  executing  justice.  God  has  justly 
delivered  over  sinners  to  the  power  of  Satan  ;  but  Satan  has  no 
rightful  authority  over  sinners.  So  far  as  he  is  concerned,  the 
dominion  is  usurped  and  tyrannical.  Men's  sins  will  be  no  ex- 
cuse to  him  for  tyrannizing  over  them,  nor  his  assumed  power  any 
excuse  to  them  for  submitting  to  him. 

(2.)  The  casting  out  of  the  prince  of  this  loorld — what  is  it? 

It  is  now  time  that  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  second  inquiry. 
What  are  we  to  understand  by  the  prince  of  this  world  being 
"cast  out"?  The  general  idea  in  the  passage  is  plainly  this: 
'  The  v»^orld — especially  the  gentile  world — is  in  a  state  of  disorder 
and  misrule.  The  time  is  at  hand,  when  the  world  shall  be 
judged,  ruled,  and  no  longer  given  up  to  anarchy  and  tyranny. 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand ;"  and,  when  that  kingdom 
is  established  in  the  world,  just  in  the  degree  in  which  it  is  estab- 
lished, shall  the  prince  of  the  world — the  usurper  of  Divine 
dominion,  the  author  of  all  misgovernment- — be  deprived  of  his 
ill-gotten  power — be  expelled  from  his  usurped  throne.  The  ex- 
pelling of  demons  from  those  whose  bodies  and  minds  they  had 
affected  with  disease,  was  one  of  the  most  common  of  the  mira- 
cles which  our  Lord  performed  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  and  was 
a  striking  figurative  representation  of  what  he  was  to  do  for  man- 
kind, both  as  individuals  and  as  social  bodies,  when  he  had  en- 
tered on  his  kingdom. 

In  every  case  in  which  an  individual,  through  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel,  became  a  partaker  of  the  christian  salvation,  hie  was 
"  turned  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God."  Satan's  throne 
was  cast  down  in  that  man's  heart ;  or,  to  change  the  figure,  his 
fetters  were  unloosed — his  prison  doors  set  open,  and  the  captive 
of  tlie  mighty,  the  prey  of  the  terrible  one,  was  set  at  liberty. 
And  as,  in  the  case  of  every  individual  convert,  the  prince  of  the 
world  was  cast  out ;  so,  just  as  converts  multiplied,  and  the  in- 
fluences of  christian  trutli,  direct  and  indirect,  prevailed,  was 
Satan's  throne  in  society  levelled,  and  he  himself  ignominiously 
expelled. 

-The  institutions,  religious  and  civil,  which  formed  the  great 
bulwarks  of  his  dominions,  were  dissolved  by  the  influences  of 
the  Gospel.  The  ancient  pagan  idolatries  gave  way ;  and  their 
temples,  which  were  indeed  temples  to  Satan,  were  levelled  with 
the  dust,  or  converted  into  places  of  worship  to  the  true  God. 
Wars,  which  in  the  heathen  world  were  all  but  incessant,  and 
fearfully  sanguinar}'-  and  cruel,  became  less  frequent,  and  some 
of  their  atrocities  were  mitigated.  The  horrors  of  slavery — an- 
other work  of  the  devil — were  diminished,  and,  as  Christianity 


628  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

prevailed,  they  disappeared  with  the  state  iu  which  they  originat- 
ed. In  one  word,  wherever  the  Gospel  prevailed,  ignorance,  er- 
ror, delusion,  superstition,  oppression,  every  form  of  evilj  in  a 
corresponding  degree  gave  way.  The  empire  of  the  prince  of 
light,  and  that  of  the  prince  of  darkness,  are  directly  antagonist- 
ic ;  and  -where  the  one  triumphs  the  other  must  be  defeated. 

For  four  thousand  years,  the  whole  world,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Holy  Land — all  nations,  with  the  exception  of  the  nation 
of  Israel,  and  a  comparatively  small  number  of  scattered  individ- 
uals among  other  nations — had  been  given  up  to  the  dominion 
of  the  prince  of  this  world.  It  was  a  fearful  judgment,  but  a  just 
one.  Men  had  wilfully  shut  their  eyes  to  the  manifestations  of 
God  in  the  visible  universe.  They  had  obstinately  stopped  their 
ears  to  the  testimony  his  works  gave  of  the  power,  and  wisdom, 
and  goodness,  of  their  Author,  They  "  did  not  glorify  him  as 
God :  they  were  not  thankful."  They  "  did  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  their  knowledge."  "  They  loved  the  darkness  rather  than  the 
light."  They  preferred  the  service  of  Satan  to  that  of  God,  and 
he  gave  them  up  to  their  "  reprobate  minds,"  and  left  them  to 
I^rove  the  true  character  of  the  government  of  him  whom  they 
had  preferred  to  Himself  as  their  king.'*  He  who  is  light  with- 
drew, and  "  darkness  covered  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the 
nations  ;"  and  in  the  midst  of  that  darkness  which  nnght  be  felt, 
Satan,  the  prince  of  darkness,  established  his  throne,  and  by  the 
wild  fables  of  pagan  mythology,  and  the  bloody  and  polluted 
rites  of  pagan  idolatry,  and  the  vain  dreams  of  pagan  philosophy, 
and  by  arbitrarj^  tyrannical  rule,  or  unbridled  licentiousness — by 
slavery,  war,  polygamy,  caste,  and  an  endless  variety  of  forms  of 
falsehood,  and  injustice,  and  cruelt}' — carried  on  his  government, 
or  rather  misgovernment,  rendering  men  wicked  and  miserable 
here,  and  preparing  them  for  the  bottomless  gulf  of  hopeless  de- 
pravity and  wretchedness  in  the  eternal  state. 

But  this  state  of  tilings  was  not  to  continue  for  ever.  The  light 
which  shone  with  but  a  morning  twilight  on  the  Holy  Land,  was 
to  rise  to  its  meridian  throne  in  the  heavens,  and  shed  forth  its 
cheering  radiance  over  all  the  nations ;  and  before  its  splendor 
the  ill-omened  birds  of  night  were  to  stretch  their  wings  and  fly 
away. 

Immediately  after  our  Lord  had  sat  down  on  the  throne  of  the 
world,  power  came  forth  which  made  "  Satan  fall  as  lightning  from 
lieaven."  Out  of  ho^v  many  hearts  was  he  expelled  during  the 
few  days  which  followed  the  wonders  of  Pentecost!  And  then, 
when  the  rod  of  the  Redeemer's  strength  went  forth  out  of  Zion, 
how  did  the  strongholds  of  his  great  enemy  lall  before  his  victo- 
rious liost !  In  less  than  three  centuries  the  light  of  divine  truth, 
attended  with  divine  influence,  had  visited  every  region  of  the 
wide-sj)read  Roman  empire,  and  many  lands  far  beyond  its  limits. 
The  pagan  temples  were  very  generally  abandoned,  and  their 
idols  cast  to  th,e,  moles  and  to  the  bats.     The  throne  of  Satan 

**  Rom.  i.  21-32. 


PAET  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  629 

might  well  be  said  to  be  thrown  down  and  himself  cast  out.  To 
this  has  been  supposed  by  some  to  relate  the  following  remark- 
able oracle  in  the  Apocalypse :- — "  And  there  was  war  in  heaven : 
Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon ;  and  the  dragon 
fought  and  his  angels,  and  prevailed  not ;  neither  was  their  place 
found  any  more  in  iieaven.  And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out, 
that  old  serpent,  called  the  devil  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the 
whole  world :  he  was  cast  out  into  the  earthj  and  his  angels  were 
cast  out  with  him.  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven. 
Now  is  come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our 
God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ :  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren 
is  cast  down,  which  accused  them  before  our  God  day  and  night. 
And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the 
word  of  their  testimony ;  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the 
death.  Therefore  rejoice,  ye  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in  them. 
Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea !  for  the  devil  is 
come  down  unto  you,  having  great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth 
that  he  hath  but  a  short  time.'"' 

It  mi^st  be  admitted  that  the  cunning  old  serpent  has  regained, 
in  some  regions,  to  a  great  degree,  his  lost  dominion,  and  found 
the  means  of  perverting  christian  doctrine  into  fatal  error,  and 
christian  worship  into  a  God-profaning,  man-debasing,  idolatry. 
Yet  never  again  has  the  unbroken  night  which  preceded  the 
incarnation  gathered  over  the  nations.  At  this  hour,  many  of 
the  regions  of  the  world,  where,  at  the  time  these  words  of  oui* 
LorcJ.  were  spoken,  Satan  reigned  over  men,  sunk  in  the,  lowest 
debasement  of  ignorance,  and  depravity,  and  wickedness,  large 
numbers  of  men,  spiritually  enlightened,  morally  transformed, 
rationally  happy ,^  are  rejoicing  in  the  liberty  of  the  children  of 
God;  and  multitudes  more,  though  strangers  to  the  saving 
virtues  of  the  gospel,  are  enjoying  its  humanizing  influence,  in 
the  improved  institutions  and  manners  of  which  it  has  become 
indirectly  productive. 

And  the  work  is  obviously  a  progressive  one.  In  the  triumphs 
of  christian  missions,  in  our  own  days,  we  have  seen  Satan  in  a 
remarkable  manner  cast  out,  in  many  regions  where  he  seemed 
very  securely  to  have  fixed  his  throne.  And  there  is  much  to 
give  us  ground  to  hope  that  the  pagan  idolatries  of  the  East,  the 
delusions  of  the  Arabian  impostor,  the  superstitions  of  a  corrupted 
Christianity,  and  all  the  varieties  of  an  infidel  philosophy,  by 
means  of  which,  chiefly,  Satan  keeps  his  place  in  a  world  from 
which  he  is  sentenced  to  be  expelled,  will  ere  long  give  way 
before  "  the  light,  and  the  truth,  and  the  grace"  of  the  glorious 
Gospel  of  the  blessed  God  ;  and  when  the  prince  of  this  world, 
driven  from  the  earth,  where,  since  Christ  sat  down  on  his  throne, 
he  has  been  "  a  fugitive  and  a  vagabond,''  shall  be  shut  up 
in  the  bottomless  pit,  no  more  to  deceive  the  nations,  a  re- 
deemed world,  and  its  holy  happy  inhabitants,  shall  keep  jubilee 
for  a  thousand  years.     "  Surely  his  salvation   is  nigh  them  that 

39  Rev.  xii.  7-12. 


630  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [eXP.  XVIII. 

fear  him  ;  that  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land.  Mercy  and  truth 
are  met  together ;  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed  each 
other.  Truth  shall  spring  out  of  the  earth ;  and  righteousness 
shall  look  down  from  heaven.  Yea,  the  Lord  sliall  give  that 
which  is  good  ;  and  our  land  shall  yield  her  increase.  Right- 
eousness shall  go  before  him,  and  shall  set  us  in  the  wav  of  his 
steps."" 

We  thus  see  what  is  meant  by  "  Now  is  the  prince  of  this 
world  cast  out." — '  In  a  very  short  Avhile  will  commence  the 
expulsion  of  Satan  from  the  world,  in  the  conversion  of  many  of 
his  slaves  to  the  knowledge  and  service  of  the  true  God,  and  in 
the  destruction  of  false  religion,  and  all  his  other  Avorks,  by 
which  he  endeavors  to  enslave,  debase,  and  ruin  mankind, — a 
work  which  shall  never  be  entirely  interrupted,  but  shall  proceed 
amid  much  opposition,  to  a  triumphant  consummation,  "  when 
the  kingdom  of  this  world  shall  become  the  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  his  Christ,"  and  when  the  oracle  shall  be  accomplished 
— "  And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  the 
key  of  the  bottomless  pit  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  And 
he  laid  hold  on  tlie  dragon,  that  old  serpent,  which  is  the  devil 
and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a  thousand  years,  and  cast  him  into 
the  bottomless  pit,  and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him,  that 
he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more,  till  the  thousand  years 
should  be  fulfilled."'^' 

(3.)    The   casting    out  of  the   prince  of   this  world  the   result  of 
Christ's  death — how  ^ 

It  is  now  time  that  avc  turn  our  attention  to  the  question, — 
How  is  this  casting  out  of  the  prince  of  this  world  the  result  of 
our  Lord's  penal,  vicarious,  expiatory  death — his  being  "lifted  up 
from  the  earth."  ? 

We  have  seen  that  subjection  to  the  influence  of  the  devil  is 
one  of  the  penal  evils  resulting  from  man's  violation  of  the  Divine 
law.  It  is  a  part  of  the  execution  of  the  curse,  Man  chose  to 
obey  the  devil  rather  than  God;  and  the  appropriate  punisliment 
of  this  sin  was,  to  deliver  liim  into  the  hand  of  him  whom  he  had 
chosen  as  his  master.  The  wicked  one  was  set  over  him,  and 
Satan  permitted  to  stand  at  his  right  hand  to  practice  his  wicked 
arts,  and  to  prosper.  In  the  holy  righteous  government  of  God, 
penal  evils  cannot  be  removed  by  a  mere  act  of  the  will, — their 
cause  must  be  removed.  Something  must  be  done  which  v/ill  vin- 
dicate the  law  and  the  Lawgiver,  and,  in  the  view  of  the  intelli- 
gent universe,  condemn  sin  and  the  sinner,  as  much  ut  least  as  the 
continued  infliction  of  the  penal  evil.  This  has  been  done  in  the 
sufferings  of  Christ, — torniinatcd  in  his  death.  He  has  delivered 
ua  from  the  curse,  by  becoming  a  curse  for  us, — by  bearing  every 
part  of  the  curse,  of  which  innocent  human  nature  could  be  the 
subject,     lie  has  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  the  wicked  one, 

*"  Psal.  Ixxxv.  9-13.  <'  Rev.  xx.  1-3. 


PART  n.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  631 

by  submitting,  as  our  surety,  to  be  tempted  and  tortured  by  liim. 
In  the  person  of  our  representative, — our  God-man — our  kins- 
man^ — Eedeemer, — we  have  satisfied  that  curse,  which  gave  sin  its 
power  to  condemn,  and  Satan  his  power  to  rule. 

In  another  view  of  the  matter, — In  his  person,  we  have  van- 
quished our  great  foe,  who  had  overcome  us  in  the  person  of  our 
original  representative,  and  in  our  own  persons ;  and  therefore 
we  are  emancipated  from  his  dominion.  By  removing  the  curse, 
the  death  of  Christ  removed  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the 
communication  of  those  divine  holy  influences  which  are  neces- 
sary and  suf&cient  to  enable  us  to  resist  the  immoral  influences 
of  the  wicked  one  ;  and,  moreover,  secured  the  actual  communi- 
cation of  these  influences  to  all  whom  the  Father  has  given  to 
the  Son,  to  be  redeemed  out  of  the  hand  of  the  enemy.  We  re- 
ceive the  promised  Spirit  in  believing,  as  well  as  are  justified 
freely  in  believing,  in  consequence  of  Christ  "  redeeming  us  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  by  becoming  a  curse  for  us."" 

Still  farther,  the  revelation  of  the  holy  and  benignant  character 
of  God,  made  in  the  penal,  vicarious,  expiatory  death  of  Christ, 
as  the  subject  of  the  gospel-revelation,  is  the  grand  instrnment 
employed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  forming  believers  to  that  char- 
acter which  enables  them  to  withstand  the  evil  influence  of  Sa- 
tan, to  resist  him  so  as  to  make  him  flee  from  them  ;  and  the  ex- 
ample of  our  Lord's  resistance  to  the  allurement  and  terrors  of 
the  wicked  one,  consummated  on  the  cross, — there  bruising  the 
head  of  the  old  serpent,  triumphing  over  him, — is  a  pattern  in- 
stinct with  encouragement  to  His  followers,  while  resisting  His 
and  their  great  adversary,  in  the  hope  that,  through  Him  who 
loved  them,  they,  like  Him,  shall  in  due  time  be  made  more  than 
conquerors. 

It  is  equally  plain,  that  as  the  death  of  Christ  was  the  neces- 
sary and  appropriate  means  for  casting  out  Satan  from  his  do- 
minion in  the  hearts  of  men  as  individuals,  it  vv^as  so  also  in 
reference  to  depriving  him  of  his  power  over  bodies  of  men.  The 
secondary  influences  of  Christianity  depend  on  its  primary  influ- 
ences. The  former  are  just  the  shadow  of  the  latter.  It  is  just 
in  the  degree  that  that  Gospel,  which  is  the  record  of  Christ's 
death,  is  preached  and  believed,  and  that  that  spiritual  influence 
is  put  forth  which,  but  for  that  death,  could  not  have  been  put 
forth — and  the  putting  forth  of  which  is  secured  by  that  death — 
that  mankind  are  freed  from  those  evils,  both  of  a  religious  and 
civil  nature,  which  are  the  result  of  the  unbroken  power  of  the 
wicked  one — the  proofs  of  its  existence,  the  means  of  its  perpet- 
uation. 

Finally,  here,  it  is  of  importance  to  remark,  that  that  death 
merited,  as  its  reward,  that  uidiuiited  dominion,  that  uncon- 
trolled power — ^both  as  to  external  event  and  inward  influence 
— which  has  been  conferred  on  Christ  by  his  Father — in  the  ex- 
ercise of  which,  he  puts  doWn  the  power  of  the  devil,  opposed  as 

i"-  Gal.  iii.  13. 


632  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

it  is  to  tlie  holy  beuignant  purpose  of  his  mediatorial  reign. 
Quickened  in  the  spirit  in  consequence  of  his  becoming  dead  in 
the  flesh,  he,  as  the  stronger  man  armed,  enters  into  the  house  of 
the  strong  man,  and,  though  he  is  armed,  "binds  him  and  spoils 
his  goods."  It  is  in  the  exercise  of  this  power,  thus  acquired, 
that  he  so  regulates  the  rise  and  decline  and  fall  of  empires — the 
progress  of  commerce,  and  science,  and,  art,  and,  indeed,  all 
events-— as  to  secure  tlie  carrying,  to  all  nations,  of  that  Gospel 
by  which,  through  the  accompan3dng  power  of  the  Spirit,  the 
prince  of  this  world  is  ultimately  to  be  expelled  from  every  cor- 
ner of  a  world,  the  whole  of  which,  with  scarcely  an  exception, 
had,  for  so  many  ages,  lain  helplessly  under  his  iron  joke. 

These  last  remarks  sufficiently  show,  how  the  casting  out  the 
prince  of  this  world  is  connected  with  the  world  being  judged^ — 
that  is,  ruled — by  Christ.  How  could  our  Lord  cast  out  the  prince 
of  the  world,  if  he  were  not  the  judge,  the  ruler,  of  the  world? 
and  how  can  he  be  the  ruler  of  the  world,  without  its  being 
made  certain,  that  in  due  time  the  prince  of  the  Avorld  shall  be 
completely  cast  out  ? 

Let  us  all  seriously  inquire,  whether  this  great  end  of  our  Lord's 
death  which  we  have  been  considering,'  has  been  gained  with  re- 
gard to  ourselves.  We  live  in  a  country  from  which,  in  some 
measure,  and  only  in  some  measure,  Satan  has  been  cast  out.  But 
have  we  been  turned  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God  ? — have 
we  ceased  to  walk  according  to  the  course  of  the  prince  of  the 
air, — the  spirit  who  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience  ? — 
have  we  become  so  acquainted  with  his  devices,  as  not  to  be  de- 
ceived by  them  ? — have  we  been  disentangled  from  liis  snares  ? — 
and  are  we  habitually  resisting  him,  stedfast  in  the  faith  ?  Let 
us  never  forget  that  we  are  yet  his  children,  his  slaves,  if  we  do 
liis  lusts — i.  e.,  do  the  things  that  please  him. 

If  we  have  been  apparently  delivered  from  his  power,  if  he  has 
been  seemingly  cast  out  of  us,  let  us  take  care  that  we  do  not 
allow  him  to  re-enter,  and  again  to  subject  us  to  his  power. 
That  is  what  he  will  certainly  attempt  to  do,  and  what  in  many 
cases  he  actually  accomplishes,  both  in  individuals  and  nations. 
The  warning  contained  in  our  Lord's  parable,  is  applicable  to  all 
countries  and  ages.  "When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a 
man,  he  walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findetii 
none.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house  from  whence  I 
came  out ;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  lindeth  it  empty,  swept,  and 
garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  him  seven  other 
spirits  more  wicked  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell 
there :  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  first."  '  If 
men,  after  they  have  clean  escaped  from  those  who  live  in  error, 
are  again  allured  through  the  lusts  of  the  flesh — if  those  who 
have  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world,  through  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  are  again  entangled  and 
overcome, — the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  the  beginning, 
and  it  ha]>pens  to  them  according  to  the  true  proverb,  "the  dog 


PART  II.]  THE  EESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  633 

is  turned  to  liis  own  vomit  again;  and  tlie  sow  that  was  washed 
to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire."  ' 

When  a  country  has  been  partially  delivered  from  the  power 
of  darkness,  as  Spain  and  Italy  were  in  the  beginning  of  the 
Eeformation,  and,  instead  of  the  Prince  of  light  being  invited  to 
enter  in  and  dwell,  means  are  used  to  expel  him,  and  invite  back 
his  rival,  how  dreadful  are  the  consequences ! — ages,  it  may  be, 
of  the  debasement  and  wretchedness  which  spring  from  ignorance 
and  superstition,  and  tyranny,  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical. 
When  the  wicked  one  is  out,  it  is  wisdom  to  keep  him  out. 

He  always  seeks  to  re-enter,  even  in  the  case  of  the  sheep  of 
Christ,  who  have  been  irrevocably  rescued  from  him.  And  their 
security  is  not  in  themselves,  but  in  their  Deliverer.  He  will  pray 
for  them  when  Satan  desires  to  have  them  that  he  may  sift  them 
as  wheat — He  will  not  allow  him  to  pluck  them  out  of  his  or  his 
Father's  hand.  Yet  must  they  not  rest  in  an  indolent  reliance, 
but,  putting  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  in  His  strength  resist 
every  attempt,  on  the  part  of  the  lawless  one,  to  effect  a  re-en- 
trance into  the  house  from  which  he  has  been  so  rightfully  ex- 
pelled. Whatever  disguises  he  assumes,  they  must  refuse  to  par- 
ley with  him,  and  treat  him  as  what  he  is,  and  they  know  him  to 
be — a  liar,  a  thief,  a  robber,  a  murderer. 

If  we  have  been  delivered  from  the  wicked  one,  let  us  be 
thankful  to  Him  who  has  delivered  us,  and  cheerfully  and  hope- 
fully go  on  in  our  opposition  to  "  tlie  adversary,"  in  all  his  attacks 
on  our  personal  holiness  and  peace,  or  on  the  cause  of  our  Lord, 
in  the  assurance  tliat  he  shall  be  bruised  under  our  feet  shortly, 
and  we  be  made  more  than  conquerors  through  him  who  loved 
us.  Let  us,  as  God  gives  us  opportunity,  co-operate  with  our 
Lord  and  King  in  casting  out  Satan,  the  prince  of  this  world. 
This  is  the  appropriate  emplojanent  of  all  the  followers  of  our 
Lord.  Let  us  remember  that  he  cannot  be  cast  out  but  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  and  that  none  but  Christ's  true  followers  are  likely 
to  be  successful  in  casting  him  out.  When  others  attempt  it,  the 
fate  of  the  sons  of  Sceva  not  unfrequently  befalls  them."  At- 
tempts to  convert  the  world  on  the  part,  or  by  means,  of  uncon- 
verted men,  have  seldom  ended  in  much  good  to  either  party. 
Let  us  be  very  busy  at  this  good  work,  and  not  forbid  others  to 
take  part  in  it,  thougli  they  follow  not  with  us.  There  are  devils 
enough  for  us  all  to  cast  out.  Let  us  rather  set  in  good  earnest 
about  the  work,  each  for  himself,  than  quarrel  with  each  other  as 
to  the  best  way  of  doing  it. 

Let  us  rejoice  in  every  new  manifestation  of  the  power  of  oui" 
Lord — every  new  proof  that  his  death  has  gained,  is  gaining,  its 
object,  in  the  casting,  out  of  the  prince  of  this  world.  Let  us,  with 
united  hearts,  supplicate  our  exalted  Redeemer — the  Judge,  the 
Ruler,  of  the  world — to  take  to  himself  his  great  power  and  reign. 
Let  us  take  with  us  words,  and  say  to  him,  '  Oar  Lord  and  King, 
who  sittest  at  thy  Father's  right  hand  in  the  heavens,  possessed  of 

•1' Actsxix.  13-17. 


634  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

all  power  over  all  flesh,  and  working  salvation  in  the  midst  of 
the  earth,  how  long  shall  "  the  adversary"  whom  thou  hast  van- 
quished reproach  ?  Shall  that  enemj  blaspheme  thv  name  for 
ever  ?  Have  respect  to  the  covenant ;  for  the  dark  places  of  the 
earth,  out  of  which  he  has  not  yet  been  cast,  are  full  of  the  hab- 
itations of  horrid  cruelty.  Arise  and  plead  thine  own  cause. 
"  Gird  on  thy  sword,  O  most  mighty,  and  with  thy  glory,  and  with 
thy  excellency,  ride  forth  prosperously,  for  truth,  and  meekness, 
and  righteousness.  Let  God  arise,  and  let  his  enemies  be  scat- 
tered, and  let  them  that  hate  him  flee  before  him."  '  And  let  us 
not  only  pray  but  fight,  "When  he  whose  name  is  the  Word  of 
God,  Faithful,  and  True,  clothed  in  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood, 
goes  forth,  in  accordance  with  the  praj^ers  of  his  people,  on  his 
white  horse,  in  righteousness  judging  the  world  and  making  war 
against  its  prince,  let  us  see  that  Ave  be  found  among  the  "  armies 
of  heaven,  following  him  on  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen, 
white  and  clean."  Yet  a  little  while,  and  the  toils  of  conflict  will 
give  way  to  the  joys  of  victory.  Yet  a  little  while,  and  a  voice 
shall  come  out  of  the  throne,  "  Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants, 
and  ye  that  fear  him,  'both  small  and  great."  "  And  a  voice  shall 
be  heard  as  of  a  great  multitude,  and  as  of  many  waters,  and  as 
of  mightj  thunderings,  Alleluia:  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  him ; 
for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made 
herself  ready.  And  to  her  shall  be  granted  that  she  be  arrayed 
in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white;  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  saints.  Blessed  arc  the}^  who  are  called  to  the  mar- 
riage-supper of  the  Lamb."  "These  are  the  true  sayings  of 
God." 

§  3.  The  drawing  of  all  men  to  Christ. 

In  tracing  the  history  of  our  race,  especially  that  portion  of  it 
which  has  become  the  subject  of  inspired  record,  few  things  are 
fitted  to  make  a  deeper  impression  on  a  devoutly  reflecting  mind, 
than  the  readiness  with  which  man,  consciously  or  unconsciously, 
sets  himself  to  oppose  the  Divine  designs,  and  the  frequency  with 
which  his  attempts  to  frustrate  these  ^^urposcs,  are  overruled  as 
the  means  of  accomplishing  them.  It  was  the  design  of  God  that 
the  human  race  should,  according  to  the  benediction  originally 
pronounced  on  it,  not  only  "be  fruitful  and  multiply,"  but  also 
"  replenish  the  earth  and  subdue  it."  After  the  deluge,  the  family 
of  man  seems  to  have  determined  to  make  a  stand  against  this 
law  of  God,  and  took  measures  to  prevent  their  being  "  scattered 
over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth."  The  mad  attempt  ended  in  so 
confounding  their  language  as  that  their  remaining  together  ceased 
to  be  a  matter  of  option,  and  what  Avas  meant  as  a  centre  of  per- 
manent union  became  the  scene  of  hopeless  disagreement — the 
spot  from  which  "  the  Lord  scattered  them  abroad  upon  the  face 
of  all  tiic  earth."  The  means  they  employed  to  prevent,  became 
tlie  means  of  i")recipitatiiig,  the  feared  catastrophe.   The  treatment 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  635 

of  Josepli  by  Ms  brethren,  whicli  was  intended  to  render  impossi- 
ble the  realization  of  his  early  dreams,  prepared  the  way  for  the 
fulfilment  of  these  almost  to  the  letter.  In  seeking  to  crush  him, 
they  were  the  unconscious,  the  unwilling,  agents  in  promoting 
his  remarkable  advancement. 

The  frequent  attempts  made  for  the  destruction  of  David,  by 
Saul,  under  the  influence  of  jealousy,  by  their  results  raised  him 
higher  and  higher  in  the  estimation  of  the  people,  and  opened 
the  way  for  his  being  joyfully  welcomed  by  all  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  to  the  throne  to  which  he  had  been  destined.  Haman's 
deep-laid  plots  for  the  ruin  of  Mordecai  and  his  people,  proved 
the  means  of  his  own  disgraceful  and  untimel}^  end,  and  of  his 
intended  victims  being  exalted  to  "  light,  and  gladness,  and  joy, 
and  honor." 

The  most  remarkable  illustration  of  the  two  facts  we  have  no- 
ticed, furnished  by  either  sacred  or  profane  history,  is  to  be  found 
in  the  manner  in  which  men,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  set 
themselves  to  oppose  the  purposes  of  God  in  reference  to  his  in- 
carnate Son,  and  in  which  God  rendered  those  attempts  the  means 
of  gaining  the  very  objects  they  were  meant  to  frustrate.  Wicked 
men  raged;  they  nnagined  a  vain  thing;  they  set  themselves  in 
council,  and  formed  combined  purposes  against  the  Lord's  anoint- 
ed. "  He  that  sat  in  the  heavens  laughed  at  them :  the  Lord  held 
them  in  derision."*'  He  permitted  them  to  do  all  that  was  in  their 
heart,  and  then  showed  them  that  they  had  only  done  "  whatso- 
ever his  hand  and  his  counsel  had  determined  before  to  be  done."" 
They  flattered  themseves  that,  in  putting  him  .to  death,  they  had 
permanently  deprived  him  of  life,  and  finally  terminated  those 
proceedings  which  they  had  witnessed  with  a  mingled  feeling  of 
dislike  and  fear,  little  thinking  that  death,  in  that  very  form 
which  their  malignity  had  chosen,  Avas  necessary  to  his  being 
"  quickened  in  the  spirit,"  and  that  he  must  die  in  weakness  on  a 
cross,  that  he  might  "  live  for  ever  in  the  power  of  God."  They 
had  been  filled  with  rage  and  terror  at  perceiving  that  his  follow- 
ers were  multiplying,  and  that,  as  they  phrased  it,  "  the  whole 
world  was  gone  after  him,"  and,  no  doubt,  thought  that  his  pub- 
lic execution,  as  if  he  had  been  a  felonious  slave,  would  scatter 
his  adherents,  and  prevent  them  from  ever  again  rallying ;  but,  to 
their  permanent  confusion,  they  were  soon  to  find  out  the  mean- 
ing of  his  enigmatic  words,  "  When  ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son  of 
man,  then  shall  ye  know  who  I  am."  "  I,  when  I  am  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  The  very  death  of 
shame  which  they  with  AS'icked  hands  inflicted  on  him  was  the 
foundation  of  his  throne  as  Messiah ;  and  the  cross,  the  tree  of 
ignominy,  as  "  the  ensign  of  the  people,  io  which  the  Gentiles 
sliould  seek,"  while  the  rest  of  him  who  had  hung  on  it  in  agony 
was  glorious.  Never  did  the  wrath  of  man  so  praise  God  as  here. 
"He  disappointed  the  devices  of  the  crafty,  so  that  their  hands 
could  not  perform  their  enterprise.     He  took  the  Nvise  in  their 

«  Psal.  ii.  1-3.  '■  Acts  iv.  'iS. 


636  THE  DEATH  OP  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

own  craftiness,  and  the  counsel  of  the  froward  was  carried  head- 
long." 

This  third  result  of  the  death  of  Christ — ^the  drawing  of  all 
men  to  him,  the  Son  of  man,  as  the  conqueror  of  the  prince  of 
this  world,  and  the  lawful  Prince  and  Saviour  of  the  race — comes 
now  to  be  considered,  "And  I,  if" — or  rather,  when — "I  am 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  There  are 
obviously  two  questions  here,  to  which  our  attention  must  be  suc- 
cessively turned :  What  are  we  to  understand  by  our  Lord's 
drawing  all  men  to  him  ?  and.  How  is  this  connected  with  his 
being  lifted  up  from  the  earth  ? 

1.    What  is  this  drawing  of  oilmen  to  Christ  f 

And  first,  then,  of  our  Lord's  drawing  all  men  to  him.  The 
general  idea  in  the  passage  seems  to  be  this  :  Death  is  generally 
viewed  as  cutting  off  all  connection  with  the  living  world.  All 
the  ties  are  unloosed  which  bound  to  his  fellow-men  him  who  has 
died.  He  has  "  no  more  a  portion  for  ever  in  anything  that  is 
done  under  the  sun."  He  has  no  power  to  draw  his  fellow-men 
to  him.  It  was  to  be  otherwise  with  our  Lord.  His  connection 
with  men  was  not  to  be  weakened — ^his  power  over  them  Avas  to 
be  increased — by  his  death.  If  he  had  influence  over  men  when 
he  lived,  he  was  to  have  far  more  influence  over  them  after  he 
had  died.  This  is  the  general  idea  which,  on  being  carefully 
considered  in  the  light  of  other  scripture  declarations,  will  be 
found  to  imply  in  it  three  things :  his  making  all  men,  without 
exception,  the  subjects  of  his  mediatorial  government ;  his  mak- 
ing all  men,  without  exception,  the  objects  of  the  invitations  of 
his  Gospel ;  and  his  making  all  whom  the  Father  has  given  him 
— and  who  are  a  vast  multitude,  Grentiles  as  well  as  Jews — men 
of  all  ages,  conditions,  and  characters — of  every  kindred,  and 
people,  and  tongue,  and  nation, — partakers  of  the  blessings  of 
his  salvation.  All  these,  though  not  in  the  same  way,  our  Lord 
draws  to  himself  in  consequence  of  his  being  lifted  up  from  the 
earth.  It  is  right  to  remark  that  the  word  men  is  a  supplement ; 
the  original  words  are — "I  will  draw  all  to  me."  Let  us  briefly 
illustrate  these  important  truths. 

(L)  All  men^  without  exception^  become  the  subjects  of  his  mediato- 
rial government. 

In  the  first  place,  our  Lord  draws  all  to  liim,  inasmucli  as  he 
makes  all  men,  without  exception,  the  subjects  of  his  mediatorial- 
go  vernment.  In  the  ancient  oracles  in  reference  to  the  Messiah, 
it  was  plainly  indicated  that  he  was  to  have  the  government  of 
the  world.  To  Shiloh  was  to  be  "  the  gathering  of  the  people." 
He  was  to  be  "  the  Governor  among  the  nations."  "  I  shall  give 
thee  the  Iicathcn  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth  for  thy  possession."     Such  is  the  promise  of  the  Father 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  637 

to  the  Son.  "  Thou  hast  made  me  the  head  of  the  heathen :  a 
people  whom  I  have  not  known  shall  serve  me."  Such  is  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  Son  to  the  Father.  "  The  Father,"  says 
our  Lord,  unfolding  the  mediatorial  economy,  "  the  Father 
judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son : 
that  all  men  should  honor  the  Son,  even  as  they  honor  the  Father." 
"  All  things,"  says  he,  "  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father." 
"  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth."  "Thou 
hast  given  the  Son  power  over  all  flesh."  It  was  the  purpose  of 
God,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  "  in  the  dispensation  of  the 
fulness  of  times,  to  gather  together  in  one  all  things,  both  which 
are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on  earth,"  in  or  under  Christ,  Avho 
is  "  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body."" 

A  change  in  the  mode  of  administering  the  government  of  the 
world,  plainly  took  place  when  our  Lord,  the  incarnate  Son,  the 
perfected  Redeemer,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  his  Father. 
Henceforward  the  affairs  of  the  universe  are  under  the  immediate 
direction  of  the  glorified  God-man,  to  subserve  the  high,  and 
holy,  and  benignant  purposes  of  his  mediation.  The  promise  to 
Abraham  was  fulfilled  to  him  in  its  fullest  extent.  He  became 
"  the  heir  of  the  world.""  He  claimed  and  treated  all  men,  all 
beings,  as  his  rightful  property,  and  thus  drew  them  to  him,  to 
be  employed  by  him  as  instrumental  agents  in  accomplishing  the 
ends  of  his  government.  There  is  not  a  living  being  in  the  uni- 
verse on  whom,  when  he  requires  its  service,  he  cannot  lay  his 
hand.-  He  has  but  to  sa}^.  Gome,  and  he  comes;  Go,  and  he 
goes;  Do  this,'  and  he  does  it.  AH  human,  all  angelic,  i power 
and  activity  is  entirely  at  his  command.  This  authority  he  is 
continually  exercising  ;  and  in  the  close  of  the  present  order  of 
things  he  will  remarkably  manifest  it,  when,  coming  in  his  glory 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  all  his  holy  angels,  he  shall  sit  on 
the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  draw  to  him  all  nations, — when  the 
quick  and  the  dead,  small  and  great,  brought  together  by  his 
irresistible  fiat,  shall  stand  before  his  tribunal,  and  be  judged  by 
him  in  righteousness. 

(2.)  All  men,  without  distraction,  become  the  objects  of  the  invi- 
tations of  his  Oospel. 

I  proceed  to  observe,  in  the  second  place,  that  our  Lord  draws 
all  to  him,  inasmuch  as  he  makes  all  men  the  objects  of  the  in- 
vitations of  his  Gospel.  He  invites  all  men,  without  exception, 
to  participate  in  the  blessings  of  his  salvation.  This,  too,  was 
the  subject  of  ancient  prophecy :  "  Behold,  I  have  given  him 
for  a  witness  to  the  people."  "  Thou  shalt  call  a  nation  that 
thou  knowest  not ;  and  nations  that  knew  not  thee  shall  run. 
unto  thee,  because  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  for  the  Holy  One 

«  Psal.  ii.  8;  xviii.  43.  John  v.  22,  23/  Matt.  sd.  27  ;  xxviii.  18.  John  xviL  2. 
Eph.  i.  10,  23. 

^7  Rom.  iv.  13.     Heb.  i.  2. 


638  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

of  Israel ;  for  lie  hath  glorified  thee."  He  "  preaches  peace  to 
theni  which  are  afar  o'if,  and  to  them  that  are  nigh."  When  he 
said,  "All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth,"  he 
added,  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world;  Go,  teach  all  nations;  Go, 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  And  what  is  this  Gospel? 
"  God  is  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  im- 
puting unto  men  their  trespasses,"  seeing  "he  hath  made  him  to 
be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin ;  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him."  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  oidy  begotten  Son,  that  whosover  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  This  is  his  voice 
from  the  throne,  to  which  he  has  risen  from  the  cross  and  the 
grave,  "  Unto  you,  0  men,  I  call ;  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons 
of  man."  "  Ho,  every  ouq  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters, 
and  he  that  hath  no  money."  "  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
the  water  of  life  freely."  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.""  In  these  invitations, 
he  draws  aJl  men  to  him — invites  all,  without  exception,  to  re- 
ceive eternal  life  as  the  gift  of  God  in  him. 

These  invitations,  though  addressed  to  all  men  without  excep- 
tion, have  in  reality  hitherto  been  presented  to  comparatively 
few.  A  deep  responsibility  lies  on  those  to  whom  he  gives  the 
commission  to  have  the  'Gospel  preached  to  every  creature. 
Oh  !  that  they  felt  it  more  than  hitherto  they  seem  to  have  done. 
And  we  are  assured  that,  ere  "the  end  come,"  "this  Gospel  of 
the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world."  "  The  glory 
of  the  Lord,"  in  the  face  of  his  Son,  as  it  is  reflected  in  the  Gos- 
pel, "shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together." 
"  The  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea.""  And  wherever  these  invitations  of  the 
Gospel  come,  there,  we  are  persuaded,  go  forth  also  drawing 
influences  of  the  divine  Spirit — ^influences,  in  too  many  cases, 
resisted  and  quenched,  but  influences  indicating,  like  the  invita- 
tions of  the  Gospel  they  accompany,  the  benignity  of  him  who 
sends  them  forth,  and  proving  how  he  would  have  gathered  even 
those  who  refused  to  take  refuge  under  the  sheltering  wings  of 
his  mercy. 

(3.)  All  ivhom  the  Father  has  given  him, — "  an  innumerable  company 
out  of  every  kindred,  tongue,  arid  nation,''^ — are  put  in  possession 
of  the  blessings  of  his  salvation. 

I  have  only  farther  to  remark,  on  this  part  of  the  subject,  that 
our  Lord  draws  all  to  him,  inasmuch  as  he  brings  to  the  possess- 
ion of  the  blessings  of  his  salvation,  in  a  state  of  union  with 
himself,  all  ihosc  whom  the  Father  has  given  him.  It  is  the 
good  plefusure  of  our  Father  in  heaven,  tliat  the  Captain  of  our 
salvation   should  bring  many  sons  to  glory, — an  innumerable 

«  Isa.  Iv.   4,   5.      Eph.  ii.  17.      Matt,    xxviii.  18,  19.      2  Cor.  v.   19,  21.      John 
iii.  16.     Prov.  viii.  4.    Isa.  Iv.  1-3.     Rev.  xxii.  17.     Matt.  xi.  28. 
<»  Matt.  xxiv.  14.     Isa.  xi.  6,  9. 


PART  II.]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  639 

multitude,  wliom  lie  chose  "  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world  ;"  "  luaving  predestinated  them  to  the  adoption  of  children 
by  Jesus  Christ,"  to  "  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace.'""  To 
secure  their  salvation,  he  gave  up  his  Son  to  die  ;  and  to  secure 
their  salvation,  he  also  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  gave  him 
glory,  that  he  might  give  them  that  eternal  life  to  which  they  had 
been  destined  before  all  worlds.  These  he,  as  well  as  his  Father, 
loved  with  an  eternal  love,  and  "  therefore  with  loving-kindness 
does  he  draw  them.""  That  salvation  is  in  him.  He  only  can 
confer  it ;  and  it  can  be  enjoyed  only  in  that  state  of  union 
with  him,  into  Avhich  men  are  brought  through  the  faith  of  the 
truth. 

The  words  before  us,  when  viewed  with  regard  to  the  saving 
operations  of  our  Lord  in  reference  to  his  peculiar  people,  are 
full  of  important  meaning.  They  lead  us  to  think  of  the  natural 
state  of  these  men  as  a  state  of  distance  from  Christ,  They 
were  not  originally  in  him,  nor  near  him, — ^they  were  in  the 
world — far  off, — without — apart  from  Christ.  They  were 
willing  slaves  of  the  prince  of  this  world.  And  the  words  seem 
to  indicate,  too,  that  there  was  no  disposition  to  come  near.  Left 
to  themselves,  they  would  never  have  come  near.  Had  they  not 
been  drawn,  they  never  would  liave  moved,  except  in  the  way  of 
going  farther  and  farther  from  him.  The  history  of  their  being 
drawn  to  him,  is  not,  they  willed,  and  they  ran,  and  then  he 
showed  mercy, — but  he  showed  mercy  in  Avorking  in  them  the 
will  and  the  act  of  coming  to  him  ;  "  No  man  cometh  to  him, 
but  he  who  is  drawn  by  the  Father ;"  and  here,  as  elsewhere, 
"whatsoever  the  Father  doeth,  the  Son  also  doeth  likewise."" 
They  seem  also  to  intimate  the  nature  of  the  influence  by  which 
the  change  is  produced.  They  are  not  driven, — they  are  not 
dragged ;  they  are  drawn  to  him, — drawn  by  chords  of  love,  by 
bands  of  a  man  ;  their  minds  are  enlightened  in  the  knowledge 
of  his  loveliness  and  love,  and  their  hearts  impressed  with  corre- 
sponding affections.  Thej^  are  made  "  willing  in  the  day  of  his 
power."  They  are  persuaded  and  enabled  to  come  to  him.  He 
"  draws  them,  and  they  run  after  him."  For  though  the  influ- 
ence is  gentle  and  persuasive,  it  is  powerful  and  invincible.  He 
draws  them  to  himself  He  continues  drawing  till  they  are  brought 
close  to  him,  till  they  are  "  one  in  him,  even  as  the  Father  is  in 
him  and  he  is  in  the  Father."" 

In  drawing  them  to  himself,  he  draws  them  into  the  enjoy- 
ment of  all  the  blessings  of  his  salvation.  "  He  that  hath  the 
Son  hath  life."  In  him  they  are  justified,  sanctified,  and  re- 
deemed. They  are  "complete  in  him."  He  draws  them  to 
fellowship  with  him  in  his.  righteousness,  and  Spirit,  and  blessed- 
ness, even  here  ;  and  he  will  in  due  time  draw  them  up  to  him- 
self in  heaven.     His  prayer  in  reference  to  them  all — and  him  the 

50  Heb.  ii.  10.     Eph.  i.  4-G.  s'  Jer. 

52  Rom.  ix.  16.     Phil.  ii.  13.     John  vi.  44;  v.  19. 

53  Psal.  ex.  3.     Song  i.  4.     John  xvii.  21-23. 


640  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII, 

Father  liearetli  always — is,  "  Fatlier,  I  will  that  they  also  whom 
thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am ;  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory.""  Thus  he  draws  them  individually  to  himself; 
gathering  them  one  by  one  out  of  the  world  lying  under  the 
wicked  one;  and  continues  drawing  them  farther  and  farther 
from  all  tliat  is  evil — nearer  and  nearer  to  himself. 

He  also  draws  them  together  to  himself,  in  the  holy  institutions 
of  christian  worship.  He  dwells  on  earth  in  his  churches.  Of 
them  he  says,  as  of  Zion  of  old,  "This  is  my  rest,  here  will  I 
stay,  for  I  have  desired  it ;"  and  thither,  by  his  Spirit,  he  draws 
all  his  people  to  have  fellowship  with  him  and  with  one  another ; 
— draws  them  effectually — they  cannot  stay  away  from  what  our 
fathers  significantly  called  his  "  try  sting  places,"  They  are  like 
the  Greeks,  saying  in  their  hearts,  "  we  would  see  Jesus," — we 
wish  to  "  see  his  face,  and  here  his  voice, — for  his  voice  ia  sweet, 
his  countenance  is  lovely." 

And  as  the  object  of  his  mission  was  "  to  gather  together  in 
one  all  the  children  of  God  scattered  abroad,"  he  will  never  rest 
satisfied  till  he  draws  them  to  himself  at  his  right  hand,  fujlly 
redeemed,  soul  and  body,  a  glorious  and  happy  company,— at 
the  great  gathering  together  at  his  coming;  and  then,  in  the 
exercise  of  this  power  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to 
himself,  having  drawn  their  bodies  out  of  the  grave  to  him,  he 
will  draw  them,  soul  and  body,  along  with  himself  up  through 
these  heavens,  into  the  heaven  of  heavens  ;  and  there,  in  the 
mansion  prepared  for  them  in  the  house  of  his  Father  and  their 
Father,  his  God  and  their  God,  they  "  shall  be  for  ever  with  the 
Lord."  Our  Lord  will  thus  draw  all  his  chosen  ones  to  himself. 
Of  all  whom  the  Father  gives  him,  not  one  shall  be  lost.  No, 
they  shall  be  an  unbroken  family,  whom  he  brings  to  glory ; 
when  he  presents  them  a  perfect  church  to  his  Father,  who  gave 
him  them,  he  will  say,  "  Behold,  I  and  the  children  thou  hast 
given  me,"  And  though  in  every  age  and  country  hitherto, 
they  have  been  but  a  little  flock,  when  he  has  drawn  them 
all  home  to  himself,  they  will  form  "  a  great  multitude,  which  no 
man  can  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and 
tongues."" 

2.   What  is  the  connection  between  this  drawing  all  to  him  and  his 
being  lifted  up  ? 

Having  thus  endeavored  to  explain  what  is  meant  by  our  Lord 
"  drawing  all  to  him,"  I  proceed  to  the  second  inquiry  suggested 
by  the  words  before  us — What  is  the  connection  between  this 
drawing  all  to  him,  and  his  being  lifted  up  from  the  earth? — un- 
derstanding this,  according  to  the  evangelist's  exposition  of  his 
penal,  vicarious,  expiatory  death  on  the  cross.  This  drawing 
followed  the  lifting  up — "  when" — and  it  followed  it  very  soon ; 

'^  .Jolin  xvii,  24. 

"  Psal.  cxxxii.  13,  14.     .John  xii.   20,  21.      Song  ii.  14.      John  xi.  52;  xvii.  12, 
Heb.  ii.  13.     Eph.  v,  27.     Rev.  vii.  9. 


PAET  II,]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  641 

but  there  is  raucli  more  than  mere  sequence  in  the  connection. 
The  connection  between  our  Lord  drawing  all  men  to  him — inas- 
much as  he  makes  all  men  the  subjects  of  his  mediatorial  govern- 
ment— and  his  being  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  has  alr(?adj  beeu 
substantially  illustrated,  when  showing  the  connection  between 
"the  judgment  or  government  of  the  world"  bv  him,  and  his 
death.  It  is  the  promised  and,  merited  reward  of  his  obedience 
to  the  death,  and  it  is  the  appropriate  and  necessary  means  of  his 
carrying  into  accomplishment  the  great  end  of  his  death — to  ex- 
piate sin,  so  as  that  grace  might  reign  through  righteousness  unto 
eternal  life.  That  death  Avas  the  strongest  conceivable  proof  that 
"beloved  righteousness,  and  hated  wickedness:"  "Therefore 
God,  his  God,  anointed  him  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  his 
fellows,"  making  him  "  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords  :"^°  and 
how  could  he  save  his  chosen,  if  he  were  not  the  Lord  of  the 
world  ? 

The  connection  between  our  Lord's  death  and  his  drawing  all 
men  to  him,  by  the  unconditionallj'-  free  invitations  of  his  Gos- 
pel, may  be  easily  stated  in  a  sentence  or  two.  Had  not  atone- 
ment been  made  by  the  death  of  Christ,  there  could  have  been 
no  salvation  to  offer  to  any  of  the  fallen  race  of  man.  It  is  be- 
cause "the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  God's  Son,  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin,"  that  to  men  is  proclaimed  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 
that  they  are  assured  that  "  he  that  believeth  in  him  sliall  be  jus- 
tified from  all  things,  from  which  men  could  not  have  been  justi- 
fied by  the  law  of  Moses."  "  The  ministry  of  reconciliation,"  has 
for  its  great  subject,  the  atoning  death  of  Christ — his  being  made 
sin  in  our  room — and  it  is  on  the  ground  of  tliis  infinite  atone- 
ment that  men  are  assured  that  "  God  is  roc-onciling  the  world  to 
himself,"  and  that  they  are  besought  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 

The  connection  between  our  Lord  drawing  all  to  him,  by 
putting  all  whom  the  Father  has  given  him  in  possession  of  the 
blessings  of  his  salvation,  requires  to  be  illustrated  somewhat 
more  at  length.  The  death  of  Christ,  as  the  atonement  of  human 
guilt,  removes  obstacles,  otherwise  insurmountable,,  in  the  way  of 
any  sinner  being  drawn  to  Christ  as  a  Saviour.  Till,  b}*  an  ade-- 
quate  atonement,  a  foundation  Avas  laid  for  mercy  being  exercised 
to  sinners,  in  consistency  with  righteousness,  there  could  have 
been  no  salvation  for  fallen  man.  It  is  just  because  Christ  has 
offered  an  all-perfect  sacrifice  in  his  death,  that  there  is  that  sal- 
vation in  Him,  which  there  is  in  no  other.  Had  he  not  died,  he 
would,  no  doubt,  have  remained  what  he  always  was — mighty, 
almighty — but  he  could  not  have  been  mighty  to  save.  Men 
never  could  have  been  "  delivered  from  the  power  of  darkness, 
and  translated  into  the  kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son,"  had  it  not 
been  that  "  in  him  there  is  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  for-, 
giveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  Divine  grace."" 

56  Psal.  xiv.  7.     Rev.  xix.  16.  "  CoL  i.  13,  14. 

VOL.  1.  41 


642  THE  DEATH  OF  CIIllIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

Then,  the  death  of  Christ — viewed  as  an  illustration  of  the 
Divine  character — as  the  subject  of  a  Divine  revelation,  furnishes 
the  appropriate  and  effectual  means  for  drawing  the  sinner  to 
him.  It  is  a  striking  fact,  that  the  truth  about  the  death  of  Christ 
is  the  grand  means  of  converting  men.  It  is  neither  "the  sign" 
— the  miracle  which  the  Jew  desired — nor  "the  wisdom,"  the 
abstract  reasoning  which  the  Greek  desired  (though  Christianity 
has  many  miracles,  and  may  be  supported  by  many  most  inge- 
nious as  well  as  satisfactory  trains  of  arguments)' — which  converts 
men  to  Christ.  It  is  the  truth  about  Christ  crucified,  which  is 
"  the  power  of  God  to  salvation"  to  men."  Till  I  know  and  be- 
lieve this  truth — whatever  else  I  know  and  believe — I  stand  away 
from  Christ.  The  moment  I  understand  and  believe  this,  I  am 
drawn  to  him,  as  an  object  of  my  confidence,  and  raj  love,  and 
my  obedience.  That  very  event,  which  seemed  fitted  to  secure  that 
Jesus  should  never  have  another  follower — for  who  would  attach 
themselves  to  a  dead  man— a  man  put  to  death  in  circumstances 
of  the  greatest  ignominy  ? — that  very  event  has  in  it  the  concen- 
tration, as  it  were,  of  all  those  powerful  influences,  which  ulti- 
mately are  to  make  Christianity  the  religion  of  the  world — which 
have  already  gained  it  a  place  in  many  millions  of  human  hearts, 
which  no  mere  man  ever  occupied — which  have  made  multitudes 
feel  it  right,  honorable,  ay,  delightful,  to  suffer  disgrace,  or  even 
death,  for  his  sake. 

How  Christ's  being  lifted  up  from  the  earth — dying  on  a  cross 
for  men — draws  all  men  to  him,  has  been  strikingly  illustrated 
in  the  history  of  missions.  The  Moravians  labored  in  Greenland 
for  a  number  of  years  with  no  apparent  fruit.  When  they  spoke 
to  the  savages  of  the  being  and  attributes  of  God — of  the  sin  of 
man — of  the  necessity  of  an  atonement — of  the  evil  of  sin — of 
the  excellence  of  holiness — of  the  glories  of  heaven,  or  of  the 
horrors  of  hell — their  hearers  talked  of  seal-catching,  and  said 
they  did  not  understand  these  things.  But,  on  one  of  the  mis- 
sionaries one  day  describing  to  them,  with  unusual  minuteness, 
the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ,  one  of  the  savages  suddenly 
stepped  forward,  and  said,  "  How  was  that  ?  Tell  me  it  once 
more.  I  also  would  fain  be  saved."  This  amazed  and  delighted 
the  missionaries,  and  led  them  to  adopt  a  new  method  with  their 
pagan  disciples.  They  preached  the  cross.  They  held  up  Jesus, 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  and  virtue  came  forth  from  him.  The 
brutalized  Greenlanders  were  interested ;  their  dark  understand- 
ings were  enlightened;  their  stubborn  hearts  melted; — in  a  word, 
they  were  drawn  to  Christ ;  the  Spirit  wielded  resistlessly  his 
favorite  instrument — the  cross. 

Ministers,  whether  among  heathen,  or  nominally  christian, 
savage,  or  civilized  men,  if  they  wish  to  draw  men  to  Christ,  must 
learn  to  say,  "  We  preach  Christ  crucified ;  to  the  Jew  a  stum- 

M  1  Cor.  i.  23,  24. 


PART  II.]  THE  UESl'LTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  643 

bling-block,  to  the  Greek  foolishness ;  but  to  be  called  of  Grod" — 
whether  Jew  or  Greek— "the  power  of  God,  the  wisdom  of  God." 
"  I  determined  to  know  nothing  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ, 
and  him  crucified."^'  The  fact  of  the  incarnate  Son  of  God  dying 
for  men,  when,  announced,  strikes  the  mind,  and  commands  at- 
tention. When  seen  to  be  true,  as  a  display  of  disinterested  love 
on  the  part  of  God  and  his  Son — and  at  the  same  time  of  the  evil 
of  sin,  and  the  Divine  disposition  to  pardon  and  save  the  sinner 
— it  quells  the  jealousies  of  guilt,  and  excites  confidence  and  lovo, 
and  makes  the  believing  sinner  cling  to  the  Saviour  in  life  and  in 
death."" 

Still  farther,  that  death  not  only  removed  the  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  drawing  men  to  the  Saviour,  and  furnished  the  means  of 
drawing  them  to  him,  but  it  also  obtained  what  was  necessary, 
and  is  sufficient,  to  secure  the  eifectual  use  of  these  means.  I 
refer  to  the  special  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit.  It  is  not  ac- 
curate phraseology — it  is  not  orthodox  theology — to  say  Christ's 
death  purchased  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  it  is  important  truth,  that 
the  Spirit,  in  his  sanctifying  influence,  is  communicated  only  to 
those  who,  through  faith  in  the  truth,  are  interested  in  the  aton- 
ing efficacy  of  the  Saviour's  death  ;  and,  that,  to  all  who  are  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  Christ,  that  Spirit  is  most  assuredly 
communicated  :  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  having  become  a  curse  for  us" — not  only  "that  the  blesshig 
of  Abraham" — the  justification  by  faith — "  might  come  on  be- 
lieving Gentiles,"  but  that  the  promised  "  Spirit  may  be  given  to 
all,  Jew  or  Gentile,  who  believe."" 

Such,  then,  was  the  death  of  Christ.  He  died — died  on  a 
cross — died  the  vicarious  victim,  the  accepted  sacrifice,  for  man's 
transgression  ;  and  such  have  been,  such  are,  such  shall  be,  its 
results :  the  world  judged  ;  the  prince  of  the  world  cast  out ;  and 
all  men  drawn  to  his  conqueror,  and  their  deliverer. 

Turning  your  attention,  cursorily,  to  a  few  of  the  practical  re- 
flections naturally  rising  out  of  thfe  consideration  of  the  last  of 
these  results,  I  shall  shut  up  the  discourse. 

How  full  of  consolation  to  the  Christian,  the  thought  that  the 
Son  of  man  has  drawn  all  to  hiin,  as  the  subjects  of  his  govern- 
ment !  How  delightful  to  think  that  himself,  all  his  friends,  all 
his  enemies,  are  entirely  under  the  control  of  the  Saviour,  and 
that  nothing  can  ever,  in  this  or  any  other  world,  in  time  or  eter- 
nity, happen  to  him,  which  is  not  the  dictate  of  the  heart  of  Him 
who  so  loved  him  as  to  die  for  hhn — the  work  of  the  hands  which 
were  nailed  to  the  cross  for  his  salvation  !  How  encouraging  to 
think,  that  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteousness  is,  and  must  be, 
safe,  since  there  is  no  created  power  in  the  universe  which  is  not 
subject  to  Him,  who  died  to  attest  truth  and  to  promote  right- 
eousness 1 

59  1  Cor.  ii.  2.  ^  Jamea.  s'  Gal.  iii.  13,  14. 


644  THE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVUl. 

How  alarming  to  tlio  enemies  of  Christ  and  Christianitv,  tliat 
He  whom  tliev  oppose  is  "  Lord  of  all,"  and  "  must  reign  till  all 
his  enemies  are  made  his  footstool  I"  He  is  "  the  one"  Ruler. 
Judge,  and  '-Lawgiver,  who  is  able  to  save  and  to  destroy.'"^ 

What  cause  of  gxatitude,  that,  as  the  crucified  One — who  was 
dead,  but  is  alive,  and  lives  for  evermore — in  the  word  of  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel,  revealing  a  completed  atonement — a  full  and 
a  free  salvation — and  offering  the  benefit  of  the  former,  and  the 
,  ])OSsession  of  the  latter,  to  the  guiltiest  of  our  guilty  race, — he  is 
drawing  all  men  to  him,  and  that  the  words  of  this  life  have  come 
to  us !  And  what  additional  cause  of  gTatitude,  if  we  have  reason 
to  believe  that  the  power  of  his  Spirit  has,  in  our  case,  attended 
the  invitation  of  his  word,  and  that,  in  tender,  sovereign,  distin- 
guishing, special  mercy,  he  has  drawn  us  to  himself!  That  is  the 
grand  concern.  K  he  has  not  drawn  us  to  himself  hitherto,  his 
being  lifted -up  from  the  earth  has  been  in  vain  for  us;  and  we 
are  not  drawn -to  him,  if  we  are  not  drawn  from  sin.  and  self,  and 
the  world — his  great  enemies  and  ours. 

•  To  those  who  have  experienced  his  attractive  power,  I  need 
scarcely  saj',  0  seek  to  feel  more  of  it.  He  has  brought  you 
towards  himself,  seek  to  be  brought  nearer,  and  nearer,  and  nearer 
to  him,  in  mind,  in  heart,  in  enjoyment,  till  he  draws  you  wholly 
to  himself;  and,  for  this  purpose,  habitually  look  to  Jesus — to 
Jesus  lifted  up  from  the  earth — dying — dying  for  you — the  just 
for  the  unjust. 

To  those  who — though  he  has  long  been  drawing  them,  by  the 
invitations  of  his  word,  and,  it  may  be,  by  the  strivings  of  his 
Spirit — have  never  yet  moved  towards  liim.  I  would  say,  How 
deplorably  pitiable  is  your  situation,  not  to  feel  the  attractions  of 
Him  who  is  so  attractive?  Even  when  on  the  earth,  there  was  a 
wonderful  power  of  attraction  about  him.  An  infant  in  the  man- 
ger, he  drew  angels  fi'om  heaven,  shepherds  from  theu'  flocks,  and 
the  magi  from  the  distant  east.  A  ])oor  despised  man,  he  never, 
so  far  as  we  know,  bade  any,  except  one,  follow  him,  who  did  not, 
though  at  the  price  of  forsaking  all,  readily  obey  him.  An  ago- 
nized sutlerer  in  Gethsemane,  he  drew  to  iiim  an  angel,  who  lelt 
honored  beyond  thought,  in  being  permitted  to  minister  to  his 
consolation."'  \\  hat  a  crow'd  of  human  beings — most  of  them 
hostile  to  him,  but  all  deeply  interested  in  him — gathered  round 
his  cross;  and  how  much  more  numerous  and  deeply  interested 
the  attendant  hosts  of  the  spirits  of  light  and  of  darkness!  All 
in  heaven,  and  all  m  hell,  have  their  views  directed  to  him. 
Neither  devil  nor  damned  spirit — neither  angel  nor  spirit  of  the 
just  made  perfect — can  resist  his  power  to  command  attention. 
How  stupid  are  you  who  resist  such  attractions — who  regard  him 
neither  with  the  love  which  has  delight  in  it,  nor  with  the  fear 

**  Acts  X.  36.     1  Cor.  xv.  25.     James  iv.  12. 
"3  Jeremy  Taylor. 


PART  II,]  THE  RESULTS  OF  CHRIST'S  SUFFERINGS.  645 

which  has  torment?  If  you  will  not  be  drawn  by  him  to  salva- 
tion, know  that  you  must  be  dragged  before  him  to  judgment,  and 
driven  from  him  into  everlasting  destruction :  "  Behold  he  is 
coming  in  clouds,  and  every  eye  must  see  him.""  You  must  look 
at  him  then ;  you  must  listen  to  him  then.  Oh,  look  at  him  now : 
listen  to  him  now.  His  eyes  will  be  then  avS  a  flame  of  fire  to  his 
obstinate  enemies ;  but  how  full  of  compassion  and  melting  ten- 
derness are  they  now  to  you !  His  voice  is  a  powerful  one ;  and 
when  He  then  shall  say,  "Depart!"  the  combined  power  of  the 
universe  cannot  resist  it.  But  that  voice  is  now,  "  Come !"  and  it 
is  "spirit  and  life"  to  all  who  hsten  to  it  with  an  obedient  eai". 
The  prince  of  this  world,  and  his  coDqueror,  are  both  drawing 
you — the  one  downward  to  hell — the  other  upward  to  heaven ; 
the  one  to  everlasting  death — the  other  to  eternal  life ;  the  one  to 
endless  infamy^ — the  other  to  a  croAvn  of  glory  that  fadeth  not 
awa}^;  and  will  you  yield  to  the  one  and  resist  the  other?  "O 
foolish  people,  and  unwise !"'  He  waits  to  be  gi'acrous.  He  who 
has  drawn  many  to  himself,  will  draw  more.  The  heavenly  mag- 
net has  lost  none  of  its  power:  "  He  that  gathereth  the  outcasis 
of  Israel  saith,  Yet  will  I  gather  other  besides  those  who  are 
gathered."  Oh,  may  he  draw  us  all,  and  may  we  run  after  him — 
draw  us  to  himself — draw  us  to  hope — draw  us  to  holiness — draw 
us  to  happiness — draw  us  to  heaven — and  may  we,  in  time  and 
eternity,  be  Avitnesses  to  the  fuliilment,  in  our  own  experience,  of 
our  Lord's  words,  "And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  will,  draw  all  men 
to  me." 

Sinner,  to  whose  ear  the  word  of  salvation  now  comes,  and  to 
whose  conscience  the  Spirit  is  noAV  intimating  that  you  ought  to 
attend  to  it.  He  is  now  drawing  you.  "Will  you  dare" — as 
Rutherford  says  on  another  subject — "  will  you  dare  to  be  the 
creature  that  will  hold  when  He  draweth  ?"  Has  he  not  a  good 
right  to  draw  you — a  blood-bought  one  ?  and  is  he  not  drawing 
you  from  the  brink  of  the  pit  of  perdition,  into  which,  if  he  let 
go  his  liold,  the  very  recoil  A^dll  j^recipitate  your  fall?  He  was 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  that  he  might  become  qualified  to  di-aw 
sinuers  like  you  from  destruction  to  salvation — from  hell  to 
heaven.  He  died  that  he  might  obtain  arguments  to  use  with 
you — ^those  cords  of  love — ^those  bands  of  man, — that  he  might 
obtain  authorit}'  to  employ  Divine  influence  for  such  a  purpose, — 
that  he  might  merit  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  that  he  might 
use  it  for  man's  salvation ;  and  he  has  been  lifced  up  from  the 
earth,  in  another  sense,  for  the  same  purpose ;  he  revived,  and 
rose,  and  ascended  on  high,  to  exercise  these  qualifications :  -"  He 
is  exalted  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance  and  remis- 
sion of  sin.""  And  will  you  pour  contempt  on  all  this  kindness? 
When  he  has  shown  so  clearly  how  willing  he  is  to  gather  you, 
will  you  refuse  to  be  gathered?     "Turn  ye,  tui'n  ye,  why  will 

"  Rev.  i.  7.  «5  Acts  v.  31. 


646  XHE  DEATH  OF  CHRIST,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.      [EXP.  XVIII. 

ye  die  ?"  You  must  die,  if  you  refuse  to  be  drawn  to  him.  Oh, 
that  you  were  but  fully  persuaded  of  his  willingness  and  power 
to  draw  you — deeply  humbled  under  a  sense  of  your  natural  un- 
willingness to  be  drawn  by  him — and  led  to  express  both  these 
sentiments  in  humble  believing  prayer, — "  Turn  thou  me,  and  I 
shall  be  turned," — "  Draw  me,  I  will  run  after  thee."  '  I  hear  thy 
voice  bidding  me  come  ;'  "Lord,  to  whom  can  I  go  but  to  thee?" 
"  Behold,  I  come  to  thee,  my  help,  and  my  deliverer" — "  my 
Lord,  my  God !" 


END   OF  VOLUME  ONE. 


DATE  DUE 

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Discourses  and  sayings  of  our  Lord  Jesus 

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